Justice-involved women experience disproportionately high rates of trauma, addiction recovery needs, and untreated mental health conditions. These challenges often create significant barriers to stable employment, family reunification, and long-term recovery after incarceration. While FOCUS provides structured transitional housing and wraparound reentry services, access to consistent clinical mental health care remains a significant gap for the women they serve.

Across Knox County, the demand for mental health services continues to exceed available resources. As a result, many women encounter long waitlists or are forced to see multiple providers over time, requiring them to repeatedly recount traumatic experiences. This lack of continuity can increase distrust in mental health systems and discourage ongoing participation in care.

To address this gap, FOCUS proposes Bridging Reentry, a collaborative initiative developed in partnership with Soul Bridge. Through this project, Freedom House residents will receive twice-monthly, one-hour clinical counseling sessions provided by graduate-level counseling interns from Knoxville area universities.