BOISE, Idaho — For 34 people, Thursday evening marked a new chapter in their lives as they graduated from the Boise Connection and Intervention Station reentry program.
The program, run by GEO Reentry Services in partnership with the Idaho Department of Correction, helps people on parole and probation through IDOC get the support they need to be successful.
“Some of the requirements include coming to their classes, such as anger management, live skills, substance abuse classes," Boise program manager Lesette Ortiz said. "The whole goal of our program is to teach them skills so that they can be successful in the community as well on supervision.”
Graduate Halee Murillo, who spoke at Thursday's event, said she started the program nine months ago after struggling with her addiction while on parole. Murillo's parole officer got her involved.
She said graduating is a great accomplishment and is excited about what life has in store for her.
"In the past, I couldn't really make plans for the future," she said. "I thought it was all too much, and I couldn't do it. But I feel comfortable now. Like I can set goals, and I can meet those goals.”
IDOC parole officer David Allison said he enjoys seeing the graduates succeed.
"It's great to see people that have struggled through mostly their whole lives, and they come up and they accomplish something like this," he said. "You can see how meaningful it is to them.”
Geo Reentry Services runs programs throughout Idaho, including Idaho Falls, Twin Falls, Lewiston, Nampa-Caldwell, Pocatello and Coeur D'Alene. Ortiz said all of the locations have two graduations every year.
Ortiz said people only graduate from the program if they are sober, have a stable income, stable housing, a good support system, and have demonstrated the skills to succeed independently.
"We are in the business of changing lives," she said. "So, we're happy to see that they've made the changes that not only supports their life but also impact their family and our community."
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