Dismas House is a 501(c)(3) residential reentry program for men in Nashville, Tennessee. Ninety-five percent of those incarcerated in Tennessee will eventually be released to our communities and when they do, we must ask ourselves who we want them to be. Many returning citizens are ill-prepared to reenter the free world and lack the skills, education, and support necessary for sustainable success.
In Tennessee, 70% of those released from prison will re-offend within three years, and roughly 50% will return to prison within three years. The Dismas House residential reentry program, a comprehensive program that extends beyond housing and employment, has proven to help stop the revolving door of recidivism. By using evidence-based practices that focus on the holistic needs of each resident, our program fosters lasting change from the inside-out. Dismas House has two core programs – our main Reentry Program and an Independent Living Program. Founded in 1974, Dismas House moved from an eight-bed home to a new 72-bed campus in April 2020. The new building has 56 reentry program beds and 16 independent living units. Along with this physical expansion and an exponential increase in the numbers of men served came an intentional re-envisioning, redesign, and diversification of our program offerings with an emphasis on supporting the whole person. We offer our residents a wide array of services that are offered by Dismas House staff or through our many partnerships and collaborations with outside service and program providers. Dismas House is an approved Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) residential reentry program in Nashville that serves men returning to the community directly from all state correctional facilities for men and county jails throughout Tennessee. The minimum length of stay to complete the Dismas House Reentry Program is 90 days and the maximum is 12 months. Our goal is to support these men as they navigate the challenging transition from prison back to the community and help them overcome the many barriers to successful reentry. We provide our residents with a uniquely warm and family-like atmosphere, in addition to a comprehensive selection of services we cluster under the umbrella of our “Four Pillars of Programming,” which are 1) basic needs, 2) health and well-being, 3) life skills, and 4) legal support.
