East Cascades Works (EC Works), in partnership with the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) and the Oregon Employment Department (OED), designed and launched a pilot WorkSource Oregon Reentry Program in Central Oregon by embedding American Job Centers—branded in Oregon as WorkSource Oregon—directly inside state prisons. This pilot, implemented at Deer Ridge Correctional Institution and Warner Creek Correctional Facility, made Oregon the first state in the nation to locate American Job Centers within all Oregon DOC prisons and demonstrated the effectiveness of beginning workforce services prior to release.

Building on the success of the Central Oregon pilot, EC Works formalized the model through a statewide memorandum of understanding in 2022 and expanded the program with support from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Pathways Home 4 and Future Ready Oregon. Today, the WorkSource Oregon Reentry Program is fully operational in all 12 Oregon DOC prisons, providing consistent, workforce-based reentry services across the state.

The program operates through a coordinated, team-based approach in partnership with all Local Workforce Development Boards in Oregon. Prison-based staff begin working with adults in custody approximately 20–180 days prior to release, providing individualized employment planning, career exploration and mapping, labor market information, résumé and cover letter development, interview preparation, and coaching on how to discuss justice involvement with employers.

Upon release, participants are connected to community-based case managers in every county in Oregon, ensuring support is in place no matter where someone returns home. Case managers begin meeting with participants virtually before release, creating space to build trust, establish real connections, and start planning for what comes next while individuals are still in custody. After release, case managers meet with returning citizens—typically within 72 hours—to provide timely, one-on-one support, help navigate immediate needs, and continue moving forward on employment and training goals through WorkSource services and local community resources. Participants are not starting over; there is no wrong door, and support continues seamlessly from custody to community.

By aligning in-custody preparation with statewide community-based follow-up—and by uniquely situating WorkSource Oregon offices inside correctional facilities—Oregon’s WorkSource Oregon Reentry Program strengthens employment outcomes, supports successful community reintegration, and contributes to reduced recidivism, delivering long-term benefits to individuals, employers, and communities across the state.

Behind each data point is a person preparing for life after incarceration—and families and communities counting on that transition’s success. The performance highlights below, shared with the EC Works Board of Directors in October 2025, reflect how early connection, consistent support, and coordinated in-custody and community-based services help returning citizens secure employment, build stability, and move forward with confidence. As the program has expanded from a Central Oregon pilot to a fully statewide model serving all 12 Oregon prisons and every county, these results demonstrate the impact of providing continuous, people-centered support before and after release.

Reentry is a transition, not a single moment.
Support starts before release and continues in the community, so returning citizens are not navigating this change alone. The WorkSource Oregon Reentry Program is built to provide steady, people-centered support every step of the way.

If you’re a returning citizen, we want you to know that you’re welcome here. Everyone’s path looks different, and there is no wrong time to ask for support. You deserve help that meets you where you are and moves at your pace.

Who to Contact:

• For questions about the statewide WorkSource Oregon Reentry Program:
  Please contact Brendon Kinzel at brendon@ecworks.org.
• If you have a friend or family member who is currently incarcerated:
  Encourage them to meet with their prison transition coordinator to learn more about the WorkSource Oregon Reentry Program and available resources prior to release.
• If you are a returning citizen who has already been released and missed the opportunity to enroll before release:
  Contact the WorkSource Oregon office closest to you. Staff can help connect you with employment and training support and guide you on your job search journey.

Brendon Kinzel
Reentry Program Manager
brendon@ecworks.org

After participating in the Reentry Program, Robert got a job within one week of being released from prison: 

“Hi Andrew, Thought I would send a picture with my new work shirt. I was officially hired last Thursday. So, less than a week after release I got a job! Thank you guys for all of your help. Tell Jennifer and Ryan I said thanks as well. And again, feel free to share this news and my picture with whoever you like. Let them know that it is possible! There is hope!”

Eight months later, Robert shared the news that he was moving into his own home ….

“Just wanted to give you a quick update. Yesterday was my eight month anniversary of walking out of prison. And yesterday I was handed the keys to my own home.
It’s an older home (1936) on .29 acres. Lots of trees (apple, old oaks and walnut) and vegetation (blackberries) and about a qtr mile from a river. The job is still going well and keeping me very busy (more gray hair). Tell everyone hello for me and feel free to share my status.”