The Denver City Council is set to vote in coming weeks on two proposals that would introduce a new organization to provide reentry services for people recently released from prison.

The proposals would establish the nonprofit organization Second Chance Center as the provider. The selection for the nearly $700,000 contract comes after Servicios de la Raza, the city’s reentry provider since 2018, declined to reapply for the contract that was opened for bids this year.

“The commission thought this was a good opportunity to really reset the reentry program and address some of the issues that we had been encountering,” said Kevin Kelly with the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment. He cited low rates of transitions from jail services to community services upon release, poor data collection and entry in city database systems, and inconsistent reporting.

A working group comprised of council members, law enforcement leaders and officials with the health department and the University of Denver selected Second Chance to receive the contract.

The group judged five organizations based on their ability to collaborate with other organizations and agencies, address systemic racism and inequality in the criminal justice system, and fiscal feasibility, Kelly said.

No date has yet been set for the city council vote.

Second Chance Center is a Colorado-based nonprofit led by Black, Indigenous and people of color. It was established in 2012 and offers formerly incarcerated people case management, mentoring and other resources to assist with reestablishing their lives and becoming successful members of the community.

The proposed contract would provide Second Chance Center with $671,562 to provide reentry services through Dec. 31 — a significant increase from 2020’s annual budget of $457,624.

“You see that increased investment, but that will come along with improved services, improved staffing and multiple locations for service provision,” Kelly said.

The proposals for the council also request a lease agreement for Second Chance Center to operate out of a city-owned condo space at 1391 Delaware St. for $10 per year through the end of 2023, or when the contract ends. The organization would also offer services out of its existing location at 224 Potomac St.

The proposals were unanimously approved by the council’s safety committee Wednesday. They will now have to pass two full council votes before being implemented.

“This is an exciting time,” Councilman Paul Kashmann said. “It’s the first time we really approached the contract from ‘we need the best services we can get’ rather than, ‘we’ve got $50, what can you give us for that?’ It’s too important of a set of services.”

To assess if Second Chance Center addresses issues with Denver’s reentry services, health department officials  will track services and outcomes quarterly, Kelly said. This will include monitoring participants’ housing, employment, harm reduction practices, mental health treatment, substance use treatment and recidivism.

In addition, Denver’s Crime Prevention and Control Commission will submit monthly reports to track the reentry program’s demographics, population served, assessed needs, completion of programming, housing, employment and transition into community-based services.

The working group also recommended a new position in the Office of Behavioral Health Strategies to oversee the implementation, contracting and reporting of the reentry program. That position of program administrator is currently under review by health officials, Kelly said.