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Metropolitan Community College - 180 Re-Entry Assistance Program

Re-Entry

Metropolitan Community College’s 180 Re-entry Assistance Program (180 RAP) serves the currently incarcerated, individuals leaving jail, prison and treatment centers and people involved with problem solving courts. 180 RAP provides services and support to help these populations make successful transitions to achieve their education and employment goals.

The Re-entry Center is based out of MCC's main campus - Fort Omaha Campus - north end of campus in building #8.

MCC Fort Omaha Campus Building 8

The 180 RAP mainline is 531-622-7368 or 531-MCC-RENT.

Re-entry Center hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday:  8:00 am - 8:00 pm 
Thursday & Friday:  8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday:  8:00 am - 12:00 pm

180 RAP services and supports include:

  • Skills and interest assessments
  • Career and educational goal setting
  • Work readiness and life skills training (credit and noncredit classes)
  • Registration assistance, financial aid and scholarship application support
  • Continuous coaching, tutoring and mentoring
  • Employment support: resume creation, job referrals, ongoing support
  • Transition support for individuals leaving jail, prison, treatment facilities
  • Onsite wraparound support and referrals to community partners
  • Access to the Re-entry Pantry & Resource Center: basic needs including food, hygiene, clothing, SNAP application assistance, birth certificate and ID acquisition, special needs, etc.

CREDIT COURSES INSIDE STATE FACILITIES

A group of 180 Re-entry students

Credit classes are offered onsite at Omaha Correctional Center, Tecumseh State Correctional Institution, Nebraska Correctional Center for Women and Nebraska Correctional Youth Facility. Eligible work release residents in Omaha and Lincoln may register for online or campus classes with facility approval.

Credit classes are bundled into fast-track options for career training:

  • Trades - construction, manufacturing, electrical technology, welding
  • Information technology
  • College and career preparation

These career pathways lead to stackable credentials and include courses such as:

  • ELTR 1200 - Basic Electricity 
  • ELTR 1210 - Residential Wiring
  • EXPL 1000 - Exploratory Studies
  • INFO 1001 - Information Systems and Literacy
  • INFO 1141 - Linux Operating System III
  • MFGT 1000 - Introduction to Process and Power Operations
  • MFGT 1302 - Stationary Engineering I
  • PSYC 1010 - Introduction to Psychology
  • WELD 1000 - Print Reading for Welding

Through a partnership with Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, Tecumseh State Correctional Institution and Cornhusker State Industries, MCC hosts a Career Readiness Center at Tecumseh, an area dedicated to offering workforce development through education to the incarcerated population.  Students have an opportunity to attend 1-2 classes each quarter to earn career certificates in construction, electrical technology, information technology and manufacturing.  

Noncredit Courses
A woman operates a fork lift as a man watches

Noncredit classes are offered inside correctional facilities and on campus to help the incarcerated and re-entry populations gain employability and job seeking skills to empower these populations to successfully transition. Noncredit workshop topics and offerings include but are not limited to:

  • CDL Preparation
  • Construction Academy
  • Digital Literacy
  • Financial Empowerment
  • Forklift Training
  • OSHA Training:  Construction and General Industry
  • StrengthsFinder & Strengths Builder
  • Mastering Soft Skills:  Relationship Building, Time Management, Decision Making and Goal Setting

RE-ENTRY Career Readiness CENTER

Two mean reviewing paperwork at the Re-Entry Job Center

180 RAP staff is uniquely equipped to assist the re-entry population with obtaining employment, resume creation or updates, interview preparation and direct employment referrals. In 2023, the Re-entry Career Readiness Center was utilized 4,807 times with a 99.83% employment rate. The Career Readiness Center has connections to over 380 second chance employers in every industry.
Prior to scheduling an appointment with the Re-entry Career Readiness Center team, individuals must first attend Orientation.

If you are an employer interested in scheduling a tour or would like to learn more about Metropolitan Community College 180 RAP, please contact Carolyn Laible. If you would like to forego a tour and receive potential employment referrals from 180 RAP, complete the 
Employment Referral Form and scan to reentry@mccneb.edu.

Re-entry Pantry

The Re-entry Pantry is available for access anytime the Re-entry Center is open. You may receive assistance with food, hygiene, clothing and other donated items.
If you were recently released from jail, prison or a treatment center, you are eligible to receive a transition backpack filled with hygiene, towels, ready to eat food and other supplies.

A gentleman with a backpack stands next to the 180 Re-Entry pantry sign

Transition Backpack

We are currently only accepting donations of gently used men's clothing or small household items.  If you are interested in donating, email 180 RAP call 531-622-7368 to coordinate no-contact drop off.   
 

PEER SUPPORT GROUPS


180 RAP offers peer support groups at the MCC Re-entry Center:

  • Long Term Relief meets on Wednesday at 5:30 pm is open to anyone incarcerated 10+ years and/or those who have served multiple sentences
  • Doin' Life (Not Time) meets on Saturday at 8:30 am and is open to anyone ever incarcerated
  • Living Above Your Circumstances (LAYC) - TBA, beginning in fall quarter

If you meet either criteria, please join us as we help each other move forward.
 

Jump Start Culinary Program 

In collaboration with Ooh de Lally, a nonprofit restaurant in the Omaha Dundee area, Metropolitan Community College and 180 Re-entry Assistance Program created the Jump Start Culinary Program.   The Jump Start Culinary Program offers individuals leaving the Nebraska prison system support and short term training in the culinary and hospitality industries with the goal of connecting the students to the culinary industry upon completion of the training. 
 

MCC's Institute for Culinary Arts developed modules that provide Jump Start participants with prep cook training, line cook training and restaurant service training.  Completion of these three modules provide earns an MCC Certificate in Restaurant Basics and students may apply to earn micro-credentials when registering at MCC's Institute of Culinary Arts.

If you are interested in learning more, email 180 RAP Culinary Jump Start Program.  
  

Living In Freedom Everyday (LIFE) Project

Students at computers listen to an instructor at a whiteboard


MCC received the CAREERS Grant from the Bureau of Justice Administration to provide comprehensive case management, collaboration and transition support to a pilot group of individuals planning to release to the Omaha area. The LIFE Project team is working with Vera Institute of Justice, Nebraska's Department of Correctional Services, various employers and community housing providers and other partners to support this work. If you have questions, please email 180 RAP.
 

Next Steps - How Do I Get Involved?

If you or someone you know is interested in participating in 180 RAP, the next step is to attend Orientation. Orientations take approximately 30 minutes to gather demographic information, assess immediate needs, provide support and schedule necessary follow-up appointments. Orientations are available Monday through Wednesday from 8:00 am - 7:30 pm, Thursday and Friday from 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. We look forward to working with you.
 

180 RAP - a full turn in the right direction!

 

180 RAP Team

TBA, Re-entry Assistant
Curtis Boyd, Peer Mentor
Kristina Christiansen, Peer Support Mentor
Laconiya Evans, Peer Support Mentor
Greg Glass, Peer Support Mentor for ODL Culinary Project
Brandon Jergensen, Peer Support Mentor
Damon Picotte, Peer Mentor
James Ross, Peer Mentor
Christina Vollman, Peer Mentor
TBA, Data Specialist
Dave Eblin, Employment Specialist
Rich Eppenbaugh, LIFE Specialist
Isabella Hiatt, Full Turn Specialist
Doreen Cotton, Re-entry Financial Aid Specialist
Elida Padolina, Resource Associate
Carolyn Laible, Career Readiness Lead
Brooke Spenceri, Coach
TBA. Coach
Jeff Hendred, LIFE Coach
Sharri Wirth, Program Manager
Diane Good-Collins, Director

180 RAP email: reentry@mccneb.edu

180 RAP telephone: 531-622-7368 or 531-MCC-RENT

Mailing address:
Metropolitan Community College
Re-entry Center, FOC, #8
P.O. Box 3777
Omaha, NE 68103-0777