Commitment to Excellence & Transparency around Reentry in St. Louis
Dismas House of St. Louis is a Residential Reentry Center (RRC) for individuals completing federal prison sentences. Dismas House of St. Louis is more than a facility; it is a vital community resource.
1. Mission Statement
Successful Second Chances for a Better St. Louis
An RRC is not a prison. It is a transitional environment where adults live under federal supervision while working, attending treatment, and rebuilding family ties.
Dismas House is contracted by the Department of Justice-Bureau of Prisons (DOJ-BOP) to provide reentry services and support to help BOP clients rebuild their ties to the community.
Key Distinction: Unlike a locked facility, such as a prison or a jail, our clients navigate the real-world challenges of reintegrating into the St. Louis metropolitan area every day. We provide the structure, accountability, and resources necessary for them to succeed in their transition out of BOP custody.
2. By the Numbers
Operational Accountability
Our commitment to our clients and the community is evident by the way we operate. Since 2020, we've administered more than 40,000 random drug tests with a presumptive positive rate of only 2.63%. Our in-house mortality rate is significantly lower than the national average, making our residents 4.8x safer inside our care than in the general population of St. Louis. As a contractor with the DOJ-BOP, we are subject to intensive onsite audits each quarter and consistently meet or exceed federal standards.
Clients Served
Drug Tests Conducted
Drug-Free Success Rate
Federal Audit Ratings
3. Video Resource Gallery
Inside Dismas House of St. Louis
On March 2, 2026, Program Director John House sat for a 90-minute interview to discuss the realities of reentry. View the full-context excerpts to provide the community with a deeper look at our operations.
A Calling to Serve
Our leadership discusses the passion of a staff dedicated to individuals the community has often disregarded.
Safety & Mitigation
Insights into our proactive drug-mitigation strategies, including random 14-panel screenings and specialized detection canines.
Operational Excellence
John House discusses the intensive quarterly audits and the "Above and Beyond" ratings from DOJ-Bureau of Prisons (BOP) oversight.
Living in the Community
Clients are adults who go into the community, not locked in a cell, and face local drug trends daily.
Resource Integrity
Questioned about funds, the Program Director explained how program funding is utilized to ensure all client needs are fully met.
Human Beings, Not Numbers
While contractual obligations guide operations when it comes to client deaths, there is no limit to the staff's passion for the individuals they serve.
Exceptional Food Services
Client meals are prepared by a dedicated chef and a registered dietitian.
4. In Depth
Additional Context
These articles and news releases provide additional depth and context about Dismas House of St. Louis.
5. Operational FAQ
Clarity & Understanding
We are committed to addressing complex topics proactively to ensure public understanding of our mandate, operations, and community impact.
Have more questions? Contact us.Jails are short-term, locally run facilities that hold people awaiting trial or those serving brief sentences (usually under a year). Prisons are long-term state or federally run confinement facilities housing convicted felons serving sentences generally longer than a year and a day. A Residential Reentry Center (RRC) serves as a bridge between incarceration and a return to the community. RRCs operate under federal oversight to provide structured support, employment assistance, and close monitoring to facilitate an individual's successful reintegration into society. Residents are heavily monitored while seeking and obtaining employment, attending programming, and rebuilding community ties.
As evidenced by our 97.37% drug-free success rate, Dismas House of St. Louis takes the crisis extremely seriously. We enforce strict, zero-tolerance policies supported by rigorous testing protocols. Nearly every resident is subjected to at least four (4) random drug tests every month, utilizing federally approved monitoring techniques, randomized testing, and connecting residents with BOP-contracted and other external counseling resources to address addiction and maintain a safe facility environment.
Our operations are highly regulated and subject to frequent, comprehensive audits by federal authorities. These audits include evaluations of facility safety and security; the health and welfare of residents; and staffing and resident accountability. Achieving and maintaining our "Satisfactory" federal audit ratings requires strict adherence to institutional standards, continuous reporting, and immediate remediation of any operational discrepancies.
Health is a cornerstone of a successful transition. Residents are provided with free, dietician-approved meals prepared by professional staff in-building to ensure proper nutrition. Our facility is staffed 24/7 by professionals who are first-aid certified, ensuring that immediate assistance is always available if a medical need arises. Residents' medications are closely monitored for appropriate use and the need for refills.
We partner with the BOP to ensure continuity of care from the time a client arrives at our facility until the time they release. This includes assisting clients with obtaining medications, accessing medical and mental health services, securing insurance coverage, and connecting them with the support systems needed to successfully transition back into the community.
We believe that personal dignity is a prerequisite for continuing success. To support this, we have invested in significant facility upgrades that preserve the historical significance of our building while providing modern conveniences to our residents. This includes providing free onsite laundry services, which allow residents to maintain a professional appearance as they reintegrate into the workforce. Residents also have access to computer resources, transportation support, structured programming spaces, and onsite and offsite services designated to promote stability, accountability, and successful reintegration into the community.
Communication is vital for successful reentry. Residents are provided with cell phones to ensure a means of interacting with potential employers and maintaining consistent contact with their families, two factors that are statistically proven to reduce recidivism. We employ social service coordinators (SSCs) who are available to help residents with all manner of aid, including resume development, obtaining identification, and identifying appropriate employment opportunities. Case managers and SSCs involve residents' families and community support networks as much as possible when creating and tracking goals and milestones as the resident prepares for full reintegration into the community.
Dismas House of St. Louis is a 501(c)(3) Private Operating Foundation. This specific designation means that our resources are dedicated to furthering our mission. Our organizational structure is intentionally designed for strict federal compliance and to facilitate regional expansion, allowing us to meet the increasing need for high-quality reentry services across the Midwest.
While Dismas House of St. Louis meets all requirements of the Statement of Work governing our federal Bureau of Prisons contract, we strive to go "above and beyond" these mandates. Providing high-quality meals, modern facility upgrades, and personal communication tools are elective investments we make because they are essential for the long-term success of our residents and the safety of our community.
6. Client Care Services
Services for Client Care and Clients with Substance Use
As part of our contract with the BOP, Dismas House of St. Louis provides individualized plans for any client dealing with substance abuse. These plans include community-based treatment and/or aftercare. Here are answers to some common questions for clients in the BOP's Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP) and Transitional Drug Abuse Treatment (TDAT).
- BOP inmates report to the RRC with medication from the sending institution for their medical needs.
- RRC staff helps the client schedule continuous care with a primary care doctor upon arrival.
- The RRC's contracted healthcare services provider schedules, approves, denies, and pays for the approved medical visits and medication while the client is in the program.
- The client is allowed to use their own insurance during Home Confinement.
- The BOP maintains Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP) programs in its institutions.
- Clients enrolled in the RDAP program must continue it while in the RRC.
- The BOP provides and pays for the services for the clients who receive substance use and mental health services through their provider.
- Dismas House is not the licensed treatment provider for advanced substance abuse counseling. Instead, it coordinates outside providers.
- Community Treatment Services (CTS) services and medical issues are reviewed, planned, and requested by RRC staff for those in need.
- If the client is in need of substance use or mental health services, the RRC will have the client write a request for services. That request is sent to the BOP for consideration. If the client is approved, the service provider and the RRC are notified so the appointments can be made.
- The client must volunteer for services.
- The RRC provides transportation to the appointments.
Right Solutions is the contracted provider for substance use and mental health services.
- RDAP enrollment is voluntary.
- Once enrolled, completion requirements become mandatory.
- The regulation states: "Inmates must complete all components of the RDAP to successfully complete the program." This includes community-based treatment after transfer to an RRC or home confinement.
- Once enrolled, inmates must complete the unit-based component, follow-up services, and Community Treatment Services (CTS).
- Clients admitted to the RDAP program are required to participate if they have received time off their sentence. If they fail to complete the program, they can lose that time and be returned to custody.
- If the client participated in RDAP they are generally referred to Transitional Drug Abuse Treatment (TDAT), Community Treatment Services (CTS), or other community treatment providers.
- If the client volunteered for assistance outside of the RDAP program, he/she can opt out of services.
- The RRC can recommend treatment for a client who has failed a drug test or is having issues that have been recognized. However, the client has to agree to the services.
- Inmates who are required and/or identified as needing drug and/or alcohol abuse treatment while in the community will be able to participate in one or more programs designed to help them remain drug free and law-abiding in the community.
- Continuous and substantive supervision will be provided to inmates in all phases of TDAT.
- Continuity of care is established through sharing and transferring drug abuse treatment information about TDAT participants among criminal justice components and community treatment providers.
- BOP policy provides that inmates identified for treatment may be required to participate in TDAT, particularly as part of RDAP continuation and completion requirements.
- Clients not participating in RDAP have options to voluntarily receive general counseling, attend recovery meetings, and participate in support groups.
- The BOP and the RRC contractor do not require, nor can they force BOP RRC clients to participate in drug treatment. Participation in drug treatment and aftercare once in the reentry program, for those not part of the RDAP program, is on a voluntary basis.
- The regulations do not state that all RRC residents must participate in outside drug treatment.
Official Inquiries
Contact Us
Please use this secure channel for organizational inquiries, media requests, or formal communications. Our administrative team reviews all submissions promptly.
Location
5025 Cote Brilliante Ave,
St. Louis, MO 63113