Housing, ID & the basics after release

The first days out are about the basics: a place to sleep, an ID, food, a phone and health care. Everything else — jobs, school, housing applications — depends on them.

If you only remember one thing, remember 2-1-1. Call or text it from any phone to reach a local specialist who knows the shelters, food banks and reentry programs near you.

Your first-week checklist

  1. 1

    Call 2-1-1 for local housing, food and reentry programs.

  2. 2

    Replace your Social Security card (free) and your state ID or driver's license.

  3. 3

    Apply for health coverage. Leaving prison qualifies you to sign up for a Marketplace plan or Medicaid right away.

  4. 4

    Apply for food assistance (SNAP) and check other benefits you may qualify for.

  5. 5

    Get a phone — the Lifeline program offers discounted service if you have a low income.

  6. 6

    If you owe child support, ask your child support office about lowering payments that built up while you were incarcerated.

  7. 7

    Keep every release document, and write down your parole or probation officer's contact information.

Local help & housing

211

Call 2-1-1

One number for local help: shelters, housing programs, food, utilities and reentry services. Free and confidential.

211.org ↗

National Reentry Resource Center

Reentry directory

Run with the U.S. Department of Justice. Guides for people coming home and a directory of reentry help by state.

nationalreentryresourcecenter.org ↗

The Salvation Army

Nationwide

Emergency shelter, food, addiction recovery and reentry programs at local centers across the country.

salvationarmyusa.org ↗

Volunteers of America

Nationwide

Housing and reentry programs, including residential reentry centers, in many communities.

voa.org ↗

Catholic Charities USA

Nationwide

Local agencies offering housing help, food and case management to anyone in need, regardless of faith.

catholiccharitiesusa.org ↗

Oxford House

Sober living

Self-run, affordable sober-living homes for people in recovery from alcohol or drug use.

oxfordhouse.org ↗

ID, benefits & money

Replace your Social Security card

Free

The official, free way to replace a lost Social Security card. Never pay a website to do this.

ssa.gov ↗

Replace lost ID documents (USAGov)

ID

How to replace a birth certificate, state ID, driver's license and other documents.

usa.gov ↗

Government benefits finder (USAGov)

Benefits

Find government benefits you may qualify for, from food and housing to cash assistance.

usa.gov ↗

Food assistance (USAGov)

SNAP

How to apply for SNAP (food stamps) and other food help in your state.

usa.gov ↗

Lifeline

Phone

A federal program that discounts phone or internet service for people with low incomes.

lifelinesupport.org ↗

Earned Income Tax Credit (IRS)

Money back

Once you're working, this tax credit can put money back in your pocket. Many eligible people never claim it.

irs.gov ↗

Health & recovery

HealthCare.gov: coverage after incarceration

Health coverage

How to get health coverage when you're released — leaving prison lets you enroll right away.

healthcare.gov ↗

Medicaid.gov

Health coverage

Free or low-cost health coverage for people with low incomes, run by each state.

medicaid.gov ↗

SAMHSA National Helpline

24/7, free

Free, confidential treatment referrals for mental health and substance use, 24 hours a day: 1-800-662-4357.

samhsa.gov ↗

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Call or text 988

Call or text 988 any time for free, confidential emotional support.

988lifeline.org ↗

VA Health Care for Re-entry Veterans

Veterans

Helps veterans leaving prison connect with VA health care, housing and benefits.

department.va.gov ↗

Common questions

Where can felons live?+

Private landlords set their own screening rules, and many will rent to people with records — especially for older convictions. Reentry housing programs, sober-living homes and nonprofits like the Salvation Army and Volunteers of America are often the first step. Call 2-1-1 for programs near you.

I just got out of prison and need help. Where do I start?+

Call or text 2-1-1 for local shelter, food and reentry programs. Then work through the basics: replace your ID and Social Security card, apply for health coverage and food assistance, and get a phone. Your parole or probation officer can also point you to local programs.

Can I get health insurance right after release?+

Yes. Being released from incarceration lets you sign up for a Marketplace plan outside the normal enrollment period, and you can apply for Medicaid at any time.

Keep going

Jobs for people with a recordFor families & loved onesLegal help: records, rights & wrongful convictions

PenPalsOnly isn't affiliated with these organizations and doesn't give legal advice. Programs and rules change — confirm details with each organization directly.