Last Updated on: April 28, 2026
If you are coming home from prison or jail in Iowa, the first few weeks can feel overwhelming. You may need housing, food, identification, treatment, transportation, clothing, legal help, or a job before life feels stable again.
Notice: You may also find our “Reentry Survival Guide for Felons” helpful in addition to this page.
List of Iowa Reentry Programs
Inside Out Reentry Community
Address: Iowa City, IA
Phone: 319 338 7996
Best For: People returning to Johnson County or planning reentry from an Iowa correctional facility
What It Offers: Reentry planning, case management, employment readiness, housing search help, help with applications, health care referrals, mental health referrals, substance use recovery referrals, clothing, hygiene items, and community support.
Iowa Department of Corrections Reentry Services
Address: 510 East 12th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319
Phone: 515 725 5701
Best For: People being released from Iowa prisons, people on supervision, and families trying to understand the release process
What It Offers: State reentry planning, community based corrections, parole and probation supervision, transitional referrals, release preparation, and connections to local services across Iowa.
Iowa Workforce Development Returning Citizen Initiative
Address: IowaWORKS centers statewide
Phone: 866 239 0843
Best For: Returning citizens who need help finding work after incarceration
What It Offers: Reentry workforce advisors, job readiness training, National Career Readiness Certification support, employer connections, career planning, and help using IowaWORKS employment services.
For more job options, see our guide to companies that hire felons and jobs for felons.
St. Vincent de Paul Immersion Reentry Program
Address: 520 Army Post Road, Des Moines, IA 50315
Phone: 515 282 8328 ext. 230
Best For: Formerly incarcerated people and families affected by incarceration in Polk County
What It Offers: Community navigation, employment support, food help, education support, family support, and guidance for people trying to work through the barriers that come after incarceration.
United Way of Central Iowa Re Entry OpportUNITY Workgroup
Address: 1111 9th Street, Suite 100, Des Moines, IA 50314
Phone: 515 246 6500
Best For: People in central Iowa who need referrals to housing, food, employment, and basic needs support
What It Offers: Reentry collaboration, community referrals, 211 connections, and support through local partner agencies focused on housing, income, basic needs, and reentry barriers.
Creative Visions Human Development Institute
Address: 1343 13th Street, Des Moines, IA 50314
Phone: 515 244 4003
Best For: People in Des Moines who need community support, advocacy, and help connecting to services
What It Offers: Community based support, referrals, basic needs help, outreach, and services for people facing poverty, violence, instability, and other barriers.
Crossroads of Iowa
Address: 2815 100th Street, Suite 111, Urbandale, IA 50322
Phone: 515 633 7968
Best For: Women impacted by incarceration, trauma, and reentry barriers
What It Offers: Women centered reentry support, empowerment groups, jail based classes, trauma education, writing programs, grief support, and long term plans for residential housing and holistic programming.
RISE Reentry Services
Address: Cedar Rapids, IA
Phone: Contact through website
Best For: RISE In Prison Program graduates who need structured help after release
What It Offers: Welcome home supplies, cell phone support, identification help, housing assistance, health care assistance, substance abuse assistance, transportation help, alumni support, and continuing education opportunities.
Fresh Start Ministries RISE Program
Address: 901 29th Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Phone: 319 364 0420
Best For: Ex offenders in Linn County who need faith based support and reentry help
What It Offers: Reentry support, referrals, spiritual support, jail ministry connections, and basic guidance for people trying to rebuild after incarceration.
Metropolitan Community College Re Entry Program
Address: Omaha, NE
Phone: 531 622 7368
Best For: People in western Iowa near Council Bluffs who can access Omaha area education and reentry support
What It Offers: Education based reentry support, college access help, training pathways, and support for people transitioning from incarceration into school, work, and community life.
Halfway Houses and Transitional Housing in Iowa
Housing should usually be handled before anything else. A job is hard to keep if you are sleeping outside, moving from couch to couch, or getting denied by every landlord. These programs may help with shelter, transitional housing, recovery housing, or housing referrals.
Also read our guides to housing for felons and felon friendly apartments.
Central Iowa Shelter and Services
Address: 1420 Mulberry Street, Des Moines, IA 50309
Phone: 515 284 5719
Best For: Adults in Des Moines who need emergency shelter, meals, and help moving toward stable housing
What It Offers: Low barrier shelter, meals, support services, housing assistance, basic needs help, and referrals for people experiencing homelessness.
Harbor of Hope Iowa
Address: 3650 Cottage Grove Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50311
Phone: Contact through website
Best For: Men in recovery who need a structured residential environment
What It Offers: Residential addiction recovery housing, structure, accountability, sober living support, and faith based community support.
The Beacon
Address: Des Moines, IA
Phone: Contact through website
Best For: Women in crisis who are dealing with homelessness, trauma, substance use, or justice involvement
What It Offers: Residential support, recovery housing, case management, safe living environment, trauma informed care, and support for women rebuilding stability.
Women at the Well Faith Based Reentry Teams
Address: PO Box 33, Mitchellville, IA 50169
Phone: 515 822 4599
Best For: Women leaving incarceration who want faith based community support
What It Offers: Reentry team connections, prison ministry support, mentoring, spiritual support, and community based help for women returning home.
Iowa Finance Authority Homelessness Resources
Address: 1963 Bell Avenue, Suite 200, Des Moines, IA 50315
Phone: 515 452 0400
Best For: People who are homeless or at risk of homelessness anywhere in Iowa
What It Offers: Statewide housing resources, homelessness program information, emergency housing referrals, and links to agencies that serve people without stable housing.
Emergency Food, Clothing, and Basic Needs in Iowa
If you need help right now, start with food, shelter, clothing, transportation, and hygiene items. These services can help stabilize the situation while you work on employment and housing.
For more help, read our guide to financial help for felons.
United Way 211 Iowa
Address: Statewide referral service
Phone: 211
Best For: Anyone in Iowa who needs fast referrals for food, shelter, rent help, utility help, clothing, transportation, or local nonprofit services
What It Offers: Statewide resource navigation, emergency referrals, food pantry information, shelter referrals, rent assistance referrals, utility assistance referrals, and crisis support connections.
Food Bank of Iowa
Address: 2220 East 17th Street, Des Moines, IA 50316
Phone: 515 564 0330
Best For: People who need food pantry locations or emergency food help
What It Offers: Food distribution, pantry locator tools, partner agency referrals, mobile pantry information, and hunger relief services across many Iowa counties.
Central Iowa Shelter and Services
Address: 1420 Mulberry Street, Des Moines, IA 50309
Phone: 515 284 5719
Best For: Adults who need immediate shelter, food, showers, clothing, and basic support in Des Moines
What It Offers: Emergency shelter, meals, case support, basic needs help, and referrals for longer term housing.
St. Vincent de Paul of Des Moines
Address: 520 Army Post Road, Des Moines, IA 50315
Phone: 515 282 8328
Best For: People who need food, clothing, household goods, reentry support, or community navigation
What It Offers: Food pantry support, clothing and household assistance, reentry navigation through Immersion, and help connecting to local resources.
Free or Low Cost Health Care and Mental Health Help in Iowa
Medical care, mental health treatment, and substance use support can make the difference between staying stable and falling back into crisis. If you have no insurance, ask each provider about sliding scale fees, Medicaid, charity care, and local referrals.
Also read our guide to health insurance for felons.
Your Life Iowa
Address: Statewide phone, text, and chat service
Phone: 855 581 8111
Best For: People dealing with alcohol, drugs, gambling, suicidal thoughts, mental health concerns, or crisis situations
What It Offers: Confidential 24 hour help, phone support, text support, chat support, treatment referrals, crisis support, and help finding local services.
Broadlawns Medical Center
Address: 1801 Hickman Road, Des Moines, IA 50314
Phone: 515 282 2200
Best For: People in central Iowa who need medical care, mental health care, or community health services
What It Offers: Primary care, behavioral health, crisis services, specialty care, pharmacy services, and community health support.
Community and Family Resources
Address: 500 Fair Meadow Drive, Webster City, IA 50595
Phone: 515 576 7261
Best For: People who need substance use treatment or behavioral health support
What It Offers: Substance use treatment, mental health services, recovery support, outpatient services, and referrals for people dealing with addiction and related challenges.
Iowa Health and Human Services Behavioral Health
Address: 321 East 12th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319
Phone: 515 281 7689
Best For: People who need help finding mental health, addiction, crisis, or recovery services in Iowa
What It Offers: State behavioral health information, treatment program guidance, recovery resources, crisis service information, and links to licensed providers.
Legal Documents, ID, and Record Help in Iowa
Many people come home without a valid ID, birth certificate, Social Security card, driver license, or copies of important documents. You may also need legal help with housing, public benefits, family issues, debt, fines, fees, or record related questions.
Iowa Legal Aid
Address: 666 Walnut Street, 25th Floor, Des Moines, IA 50309
Phone: 800 532 1503
Best For: Low income Iowans who need civil legal help
What It Offers: Legal help with housing, public benefits, family law, domestic violence, taxes, disability issues, elder law, and other civil legal problems. They do not handle every type of case, so call or apply online to check eligibility.
Iowa Department of Transportation Driver License Services
Address: Driver license service centers statewide
Phone: 515 244 8725
Best For: People who need an Iowa ID card, driver license, reinstatement information, or driving record help
What It Offers: State ID cards, driver license services, reinstatement information, testing information, and guidance on required documents.
Iowa Department of Health and Human Services Vital Records
Address: 321 East 12th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319
Phone: 515 281 4944
Best For: People who need a birth certificate, death certificate, marriage record, or other vital record
What It Offers: Vital records requests, certified copies, application instructions, and document guidance.
National Reentry Resource Center Clean Slate Iowa Legal Directory
Address: Online directory
Phone: Contact listed providers directly
Best For: People looking for record clearance information or legal organizations that may help with criminal record issues
What It Offers: Directory of Iowa legal resources, record clearance related contacts, and legal service provider information.
Financial Help and Public Benefits in Iowa
Public benefits are not a long term plan by themselves, but they can keep you fed, housed, and medically covered while you rebuild income.
Also read financial help for felons and grants for felons.
Iowa Department of Health and Human Services Benefits
Address: 321 East 12th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319
Phone: 800 338 8366
Best For: People who need SNAP, Medicaid, child care assistance, cash assistance, or other public benefits
What It Offers: Food assistance, health coverage, family assistance, child care support, Medicaid information, and benefit application help.
Iowa Community Action Association
Address: Community action agencies statewide
Phone: Contact local agency through website
Best For: People who need help with utilities, rent, food, weatherization, transportation, or family stability
What It Offers: Local community action referrals, utility help, housing stability support, food assistance, energy assistance, and poverty reduction programs.
Iowa Finance Authority Housing Assistance
Address: 1963 Bell Avenue, Suite 200, Des Moines, IA 50315
Phone: 515 452 0400
Best For: People looking for housing assistance programs, homelessness resources, or rental support information
What It Offers: Housing program information, homelessness resources, rental assistance connections, and statewide housing support resources.
United Way 211 Iowa
Address: Statewide referral service
Phone: 211
Best For: People who need help finding financial assistance in their county
What It Offers: Referrals for rent help, utility help, food, transportation, clothing, medical care, shelter, and local nonprofit assistance.
Employment Help for Felons in Iowa
A felony record does not automatically mean you cannot find work. It does mean you need to apply in the right places, be honest when required, and focus on employers that are more open to applicants with records.
Start with jobs for felons and companies that hire felons.
Iowa Workforce Development Returning Citizen Initiative
Address: IowaWORKS centers statewide
Phone: 866 239 0843
Best For: Returning citizens who need job search help, training, resumes, interview help, or employer connections
What It Offers: Reentry workforce advisors, job readiness support, career planning, employer networking, IowaWORKS services, and training referrals.
IowaWORKS
Address: IowaWORKS centers statewide
Phone: 866 239 0843
Best For: Job seekers who need resumes, job listings, hiring events, career services, unemployment support, or training referrals
What It Offers: Job search tools, career center services, resume help, labor market information, training connections, and employer hiring events.
Goodwill of Central Iowa
Address: 5355 NW 86th Street, Johnston, IA 50131
Phone: 515 265 5323
Best For: People who need job training, work experience, resume help, or supportive employment services
What It Offers: Job training, career services, retail work opportunities, skills development, employment support, and community referrals.
St. Vincent de Paul Immersion Reentry Program
Address: 520 Army Post Road, Des Moines, IA 50315
Phone: 515 282 8328 ext. 230
Best For: Returning citizens who need employment help and community navigation in the Des Moines area
What It Offers: Job support, education support, reentry navigation, food help, and wraparound services for people and families affected by incarceration.
Substance Abuse Help in Iowa
Substance abuse treatment is especially important after release because stress, unstable housing, old friends, and untreated mental health issues can increase relapse risk. These programs can help with treatment, recovery housing, crisis support, and referrals.
Your Life Iowa
Address: Statewide phone, text, and chat service
Phone: 855 581 8111
Best For: People who need immediate help with alcohol, drugs, gambling, mental health, or crisis support
What It Offers: 24 hour confidential support, treatment referrals, crisis support, text help, chat help, and local provider connections.
Harbor of Hope Iowa
Address: 3650 Cottage Grove Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50311
Phone: Contact through website
Best For: Men who need residential addiction recovery housing
What It Offers: Recovery housing, structure, accountability, sober community, and residential support for men rebuilding after addiction.
Community and Family Resources
Address: 500 Fair Meadow Drive, Webster City, IA 50595
Phone: 515 576 7261
Best For: People who need substance use treatment or behavioral health support
What It Offers: Substance use treatment, outpatient services, mental health support, recovery resources, and addiction related referrals.
Alcoholics Anonymous Iowa Area 24
Address: Meetings statewide
Phone: Use website to find local contacts
Best For: People looking for free peer support for alcohol recovery
What It Offers: Local AA meetings, peer support, recovery community, sponsorship opportunities, and online meeting information.
Other Helpful Resources
If you need more than reentry programs, these guides may help:
- Housing for Felons – Find housing options, second chance apartments, and practical tips.
- Companies That Hire Felons – See employers that may be more open to hiring people with records.
- Financial Help and Info – Learn about financial help, grant options, and emergency support.
- Food Stamps for Felons – Find out who qualifies and how to apply.
- Expungement and Record Sealing – Learn whether you may be able to clean up your record.
Notice: You may also find our “Reentry Survival Guide for Felons” helpful in addition to this page.
What Makes a Good Reentry Program
A good reentry program does more than hand someone a flyer and send them away. The best programs help with the real problems that usually hit first after release, like housing, ID, transportation, job search, food, clothing, recovery support, and staying on track with parole or probation. A strong program should feel practical. It should help you solve immediate problems while also helping you build toward long term stability.
Good reentry programs also have structure and real follow through. That usually means staff who return calls, clear intake steps, honest answers about what they can and cannot do, and connections to other services when they cannot help directly. The strongest programs often combine several things at once, like case management, mentoring, job readiness, housing help, recovery support, and community referrals. Programs that only offer one small service can still be useful, but the best ones usually help you build an actual plan.
Tips for Choosing a Reentry Program
Call before you go if you can. Ask what services they actually offer, who qualifies, what documents you need, whether they help people right after release, and whether they have waiting lists. This can save time and avoid wasted trips.
Ask specific questions. Do not just ask if they help with reentry. Ask if they help with housing, jobs, IDs, clothing, transportation, recovery, legal referrals, or case management. A lot of places sound helpful until you find out they only offer one narrow service.
Look for programs that connect you to other help. Even if one program cannot solve everything, a good one should know where to send you next. That matters a lot in reentry because most people need more than one kind of support.
Do not judge a program only by its website. Some very helpful programs have weak websites. Some polished websites do not actually provide much real help. What matters most is whether they answer the phone, explain the process clearly, and help people solve real problems.
If a program is full, ask what to do next. Ask if they know another program, another shelter, a workforce office, a church ministry, or a local county resource that may help sooner. One good referral can make a big difference.
Keep your paperwork together. If possible, carry your ID, release paperwork, Social Security card, birth certificate copies, parole or probation paperwork, resume, and any referral forms in one folder. That makes it easier to apply for multiple programs fast.
Follow up. A lot of people call once and stop. Reentry services can be overloaded. Sometimes the difference between getting help and not getting help is calling back, showing up on time, and staying on their radar.
Disclaimer
This page is for general informational purposes only. Programs, addresses, phone numbers, services, and eligibility rules can change. Always verify details directly with the organization before relying on them. Nothing on this page should be considered legal advice.
