Pioneer Human Services Provides Temporary Housing for Trueblood Lawsuit Individuals

Pioneer Human Services is proud to announce the Tacoma Residential Reentry Center (TRRC) recently secured a new contract/partnership with Catholic Community Services (CCS) to provide temporary housing for individuals affected by the Trueblood vs. Washington State D.S.H.S. lawsuit. Pioneer operates TRRC located in the tide flats area of Tacoma. The Trueblood lawsuit involved a constitutional challenge to the length of time individuals with mental disabilities spend in jail awaiting court-ordered competency evaluation and restoration services. As a result of this case, the State has been ordered to provide court-ordered competency evaluations within fourteen days and competency restoration services within seven days after the evaluation.

The new contract allows for vulnerable individuals in jail to be transferred to a special wing at TRRC for temporary housing, instead of waiting in jail to be evaluated and receive services. TRRC's first Trueblood class member entered the center in January 2019 and since then the center has been serving individuals with mental disabilities in need of housing, treatment, and other transitional services. This is a new venture for TRRC as the program historically served individuals that have been sentenced in the federal justice system and are releasing from a term of incarceration with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, or are on pre and post-conviction supervision with United States Probation and Pre-Trial Services.

"We are very excited to be involved in this amazing opportunity to help our local community in assisting a population of individuals that are in need of a chance for change," stated Joe Miller, TRRC program director.  

Pioneer's new partnership with CCS will provide Trueblood class members, many of which have been chronically homeless or incarcerated, a safe and secure environment to live in while CCS assists them in finding permanent housing.