Bartow Reentry Center | The First Step Before They Become Our Neighbors

At the Bartow Reentry Center, incarcerated residents begin preparing for community life before their release date arrives. The Transition House operates this Community Release Center under contract with the Florida Department of Corrections. Residents remain incarcerated and under correctional supervision while building work, recovery and life skills in a safe, structured and accountable setting.

Every Transition House reentry center provides substance use counseling, employment support and vocational education. Residents may also participate in groups, case management, life-skills development, meals, community resource coordination and release planning. Services operate within Florida Department of Corrections rules, approved movement and each resident’s individualized reentry plan.

Our responsibility at the Bartow center is twofold: maintain a safe, secure and accountable facility today, and help residents build the skills that support a safer community tomorrow. These responsibilities do not compete.

What Is the Bartow Community Release Center?

The Bartow center may also be known as work release or a community release center. It is not post-release housing. Its purpose is to protect safety today while helping residents practice the choices and skills that support a safer return tomorrow. Substance use counseling, authorized employment, vocational education, case management and release planning reinforce one another because lasting stability requires more than a job alone.

Residents are technically and legally still incarcerated during placement. The Florida Department of Corrections determines placement and establishes custody, movement and program requirements. The Transition House manages the center under contract and provides the professional structure and reentry services that help residents prepare for release. This page does not describe public housing, a voluntary treatment residence or a walk-in admissions program.

Community release has a distinct purpose. Residents are moving closer to everyday life, but they have not yet completed incarceration. They can practice problem-solving, emotional regulation, conflict resolution, recovery maintenance, workplace communication and responsible decision-making while supervision and support remain close. Accountability is clear, and dignity is never treated as something a person must earn.

How Reentry at the Bartow Center Works

  1. Placement through the Department of Corrections. Residents are placed through the Florida Department of Corrections—not through a public application. Intake confirms documentation, custody requirements, health and medication needs, work history, substance use concerns and immediate priorities.
  2. Orientation, safety and clear expectations. Residents learn schedules, movement rules, rights, grievance procedures, responsibilities, confidentiality limits and how to ask for help. Staff maintain professional authority through calm communication, consistent follow-through and prompt action when safety requires it.
  3. An individualized First Step plan. The resident and team identify goals for counseling, authorized employment, vocational education, finances, family, health, legal responsibilities and post-release housing. Strengths, risks and required next steps are documented.
  4. Counseling and recovery practice. Substance use counseling, groups and recovery planning help residents understand patterns, recognize triggers, strengthen coping and use support before a crisis occurs. Expectations and consequences remain clear.
  5. Authorized work, education and daily responsibility. Within approved movement and schedule requirements, residents prepare for and participate in employment, vocational education and community-based responsibilities. They practice reliability, workplace communication, problem-solving and accepting feedback.
  6. Release and community transition. Planning begins early for identification, transportation, healthcare, recovery supports, family relationships, finances and approved housing. The goal is coordinated preparation for release—not an abrupt return without a plan.

Services and Support Available

Safe and secure correctional residence. The center provides housing, meals, supervision and a consistent schedule within Florida Department of Corrections requirements. Safety, security, count, movement control, documentation and contract compliance remain non-negotiable.

Substance use counseling. Individual and group services address substance use patterns, relapse risk, decision-making and the effects of behavior on families and communities. Trauma-informed care supports safety and dignity without excusing misconduct or lowering expectations.

Employment readiness and authorized work. Residents may receive help with resumes, applications, interviews, workplace expectations and job retention. Employment and travel must comply with eligibility, approval, schedule, transportation and correctional requirements; a specific job is not guaranteed.

Vocational and educational support. Staff help residents explore adult education, training, credentials and career pathways that fit their abilities and local opportunity. Participation depends on approval, eligibility, schedule, funding, transportation and program availability.

Case management and release planning. Case managers coordinate priorities across identification, health, transportation, finances, family, legal obligations, recovery supports and approved housing. The resident participates in planning and is accountable for assigned steps.

Life, communication and problem-solving skills. Residents practice time management, budgeting, respectful communication, conflict resolution, asking for help, accepting feedback and recovering from mistakes. Every interaction can become a reentry opportunity.

Family and community connection. When permitted and appropriate, staff support healthy communication, boundaries and reconnection with family or other positive supports. Employers and community partners can help build a more stable network for release.

Professional authority. Staff maintain control without unnecessary intimidation, enforce rules without humiliation or retaliation, recognize risk early and use calm communication as a safety tool. Immediate action is taken when circumstances require it.

Who Can Benefit From the Bartow Reentry Center?

The program serves incarcerated individuals placed by the Florida Department of Corrections in accordance with correctional eligibility, custody, sentence, health, program-fit and capacity requirements. Individuals and families cannot reserve a bed or arrange direct admission through The Transition House.

Residents may be approaching release while managing limited recent work history, substance use, trauma, family separation, identification or transportation needs, debt, stigma and uncertainty about housing. Community release provides structure while they begin addressing those barriers and practicing responsibility in real-world settings.

Residents can work toward authorized employment, vocational credentials, recovery, improved health, stronger relationships, financial readiness and an approved release plan. Progress is reflected in responsible action, skill-building, rule compliance and the ability to respond more safely when setbacks occur.

Serving Bartow and Nearby Communities

The Bartow Reentry Center is located at 550 N. Restwood Avenue, Bartow, FL 33830. It serves residents placed through the Florida Department of Corrections and connects with resources in Lakeland, Winter Haven, Mulberry, Fort Meade and surrounding Polk County communities. Bartow’s central location supports authorized access to vocational education, public services and employers across Central Polk County.

This is an active correctional community release center—not a public walk-in residence. Employers and providers are welcome partners, but visits and referrals must be coordinated with staff and follow Florida Department of Corrections requirements and facility access procedures.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are residents still incarcerated while living at the center?
Yes. Residents remain incarcerated and under Florida Department of Corrections supervision throughout their placement at the Community Release Center. They may participate in approved work, education, treatment and other activities, but movement, schedules and conduct remain governed by correctional requirements.
Is this the same as work release or a community release center?
Those terms are often used for this type of correctional reentry setting. The Transition House uses ‘Reentry Center’ to emphasize the purpose: structured preparation for a safe, successful return. The center is not an apartment program, public shelter or post-release residence.
Can someone apply directly to the center?
No. Placement is determined through the Florida Department of Corrections under applicable eligibility, custody, sentence, program and capacity requirements. Families or providers may call for general information, but The Transition House cannot promise or independently arrange placement.
What services are available at every Transition House reentry center?
All four Florida centers provide substance use counseling, employment support and vocational education. Residents may also receive meals, groups, case management, life-skills development, family or community connections and release planning, depending on the site, approval and individual plan.
Will the program help residents find and keep work?
Employment support may include skills assessment, resumes, applications, interview preparation, referrals, workplace communication and retention coaching. Any work must be authorized and comply with Florida Department of Corrections and facility requirements. A specific job is not guaranteed.
How can trauma-informed practice coexist with correctional accountability?
Trauma-informed practice does not mean being soft, ignoring misconduct or removing consequences. Staff maintain safety and clear boundaries while using consistent expectations, calm communication, objective documentation and fair consequences. This approach can prevent avoidable conflict and gives residents a model for the behavior expected after release.
How is substance use addressed?
Qualified staff provide counseling and groups focused on substance use patterns, coping, relapse risk, recovery maintenance and effects on families and communities. Care supports dignity and engagement while maintaining correctional rules, accountability and program expectations.
Can residents pursue education or vocational credentials?
Yes, when approved and available. Staff may help residents explore adult education, vocational training, industry credentials and other career preparation. Options depend on eligibility, schedule, funding, transportation, local partners and Florida Department of Corrections requirements.
What kinds of vocational goals can residents pursue in Polk County?
Plans may connect residents with training and opportunities in construction trades, logistics, agriculture, public services, hospitality, maintenance and other sectors that fit current demand and the resident’s interests. Availability, eligibility, transportation and supervision requirements vary. Staff help translate a broad interest into concrete next steps.
How can an employer or community organization partner with the center?
Employers, educators, recovery organizations and service providers can call 863-268-9166 to discuss fair-chance hiring, training, presentations, referrals or other collaboration. Staff coordinate all access to protect resident privacy, facility safety and supervision requirements.

Get Help Today

Before residents become our neighbors, we are their first step. For information about the Bartow Reentry Center, call 863-268-9166 or use The Transition House website contact form. Staff can answer family questions and discuss authorized employment, provider partnerships and coordinated visits. Placement decisions remain with the Florida Department of Corrections.

Location: 550 N. Restwood Avenue, Bartow, FL 33830. Please call before visiting. This is an active correctional Community Release Center with access procedures designed to protect residents, staff and the public.

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