Lydia's Place, Inc.

Lydia's Place, Inc. is a non-profit organization whose mission is to help female offenders and their children rebuild their lives.

Description:
Lydia's Place, Inc. sponsors a number of programs that work to help female offenders in Allegheny County and their dependent children. To address the many needs of this population we offer the following programs:

Women FIRST Re-Entry Program: a six week program for women in the Allegheny County Jail that prepares women soon to be released from jail for life on the outside. Women work with Lydia's Place therapists who help them change their destructive behavior patterns. Class participants are then linked to drug treatment programs that can help them after release from prison.
Family Reunification Services. We offer counseling, supervised visitation, and Family Court-approved parenting classes in our offices for women who have been incarcerated and have children involved with the child welfare system.
Parenting Classes: These classes are also offered in the jail to mothers with dependent children. Issues such as raising children in a violent culture, self esteem and single parent issues are discussed.
Fun Night Support Group: Lydia's Place offers a weekly support group for women newly released from jail at our office. We expose participants to a variety of hobbies and activities as a healthy alternative to drug and alcohol use.
Case Management Program: We offer support and referral services to newly released inmates at our office.
Family Reunification Effort: This program provides support and services to the children of incarcerated mothers and their caregivers. Services include parenting classes, fun events, and counseling. We work to reunite mother and child when possible.
A Mother's Voice: This project is conducted int he jail and enables incarcerated mothers to read and record bedtime stories for their children. Volunteers help the mother's record a story and the children receive a copy of the book and a tape of their mother reading the story.
Prenatal Classes: We hold weekly classes in the Allegheny County Jail for pregnant inmates. We cover health and infant custody issues.
Gwendolyn June Elliott Jail Family Activity Center: The activity center is located at the Allegheny County Jail. Its mission is to comfort and prepare children as they visit their incarcerated parents and to give their families information about local social and medical services.

History:
Lydia's Place was founded in 1993 by a dedicated group of Allegheny County Jail volunteers who were concerned by the high recidivism rate. These women had spent several years leading religious services and providing one-on-one counseling and were motivated to do more when one of the women they had been helping was found dead the day after she was released from jail. The founding group then strove to create an organization that would prevent the same women from returning to jail again and again by providing services that would help these women and their children change their lives in a positive way.

Contact people:

Vicki Sirockman, Executive Director, (phone), (email)
Antoinette Grier, Volunteer Coordinator, (phone), (email)

Office fax number:

Address:

Suite 2100, 710 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
(See a map)

Web Site: http://www.lydiasplace.org

Directions:

Our offices are located in the 710 Fifth Avenue Building in the Uptown Section of town. We are between the Central Blood Bank and Robert Morris University on Fifth Avenue in Uptown. We are directly across the street. . . (more)
  Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: The closest "T" station is at the USX Building,
  Walk distance (in minutes): 5
  Nearest Bus Stop: Several bus lines stop directly in front of our building on Penn Avenue, less than 5 minute walk
For maps or information, please see http://www.portauthority.org/ride/ride.html

Miscellaneous Information

Are court referrals welcomed?

Yes

Is act 33/34 clearance required of your volunteers?

Yes

Last updated on October 15, 2009

Agency Details: