Barnstable Sheriff Launches New Family Support Program

News release from Barnstable County Sheriff's Office.

BARNSTABLE, MA — The Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office has launched a program to support family members of incarcerated individuals. The Family Outreach, Resource & Support Services (FORSS) will help relatives navigate the incarceration process and connect families with community services.

Family members are vital to incarcerated individuals’ successful transition back into society. Yet, families are often left to navigate the incarceration system and the re-entry process on their own. We have taken inspiration from Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian’s Family Support Services Unit. Our goal is to strengthen the caregivers so they can better help their relatives with recovery and re-entry.

FORSS will provide a liaison to answer general questions about bail, sentence structure, programming, housing, visits, and more. The liaison will also be available to answer inquiries as appropriate about the incarcerated individuals themselves.

Because families often face challenges while their loved ones are incarcerated, FORSS is designed to connect family members with community-based services that may be able to provide temporary or ongoing support and assistance.

“Our mission is to lower recidivism, provide a continuum of care, and support individuals when they return to society,” said Barnstable County Sheriff Donna D. Buckley. “We know that families can be our most important allies in re-entry. Helping the caregivers is a force multiplier.”

The Sheriff’s Office has partnered with Learn to Cope, a nonprofit that offers peer support for families of people with substance use disorders, including those who are justice involved. Learn to Cope hosts weekly family support groups on Wednesdays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Falmouth at 24 Spring Bars Road, Unit 1A. No registration is required, and meetings are anonymous.