Co-occurring Reentry and Empowerment (CORE) for Women

CORE, which stands for Co-occurring Reentry and Empowerment, is a transition-focused program to help recently incarcerated individuals with mental illness and substance abuse. This program helps individuals to prepare for re-entry into the community while supporting them in an effort to reduce recidivism.

Additionally, CORE II specifically helps adult female criminal offenders with additional dual diagnoses disorders by giving them the proper support and services necessary for therapy, psychiatric care, and also for addiction treatment.

The facility is made up of a 16-bed living space that has been designed to provide wrap-around services that are both onsite and in the community.

Valley Behavioral Health opened the CORE II facility for women nearly five years ago in an effort to help this unseen need in the community. The 16-bed CORE II facility is located near the heart of Salt Lake City, Utah. Learn more about CORE II by talking with a specialist today!

Cassie, a CORE client

After being in Federal Prison for 9 years, I came to Salt Lake City and was institutionalized and felt lost. I have Bi-Polar and manic-depressive disorder and a boyfriend that I had at the time, was very controlling. He convinced me to stop taking my medications, put me in high-risk situations where I began to spiral downward, mentally losing myself and becoming more and more psychotic. Eventually, I relapsed and returned to using Meth and drinking daily. I went from having a nice home with him to living in my car and on the streets. I lost my job because I was self-medicating. I was in trouble with federal probation and was placed in a mental health court. I admitted to using and that I needed more help. Counseling was not enough. I could not do it on my own. I was suffering from such bad depression, anxiety and having bad manic episodes. They arrested me and I was put in jail for my safety after my relapse.

That is when Cami, case manager, came to the jail and screened me for the CORE for Women program. I was the first client in this new program. I came in with an open mind to find myself again and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. CORE for Women gave me structure and a chance to find myself again. With the classes, therapy, medications, and case management, I learned to stay sober and love myself again. I was able to discover more about my mental illness and how it affects my life. I was made a new person. I successfully graduated from the Federal Mental Health Court and am now off Federal Probation. I have been sober for 10 months. Now, I am a graduate of the program. I have my apartment, a job, a car and I’m involved with CORE Recovery Management and Addicts to Athletes. I enjoy coming to CORE and taking the clients to play baseball and being a Peer Support Specialist. I’d like to go to school to become a veterinary technician. I love myself and my new life thanks to the Valley Behavioral Health CORE program.

Now, I am a graduate of the program. I have my apartment, a job, a car and I’m involved with CORE Recovery Management and Addicts to Athletes. I enjoy coming to CORE and taking the clients to play baseball and being a Peer Support Specialist. I’d like to go to school to become a veterinary technician. I love myself and my new life thanks to the Valley Behavioral Health CORE for Women program.