Halfway houses and reentry housing in Wisconsin

WISCONSIN BAIL NOTE

Wisconsin does not use commercial bail bonds.

bail_banned = true for all 72 Wisconsin counties.

No bail bonds block ever appears on Wisconsin facility pages.

STAT BAR

72 counties · WIDOC contracted halfway houses · Wisconsin Community Services (Milwaukee) federal RRC · RRM Chicago

KEY WISCONSIN FACTS

WIDOC contracts with private nonprofits for Halfway Houses (HWH)/Residential Services Programs (RSP)

Licensed under Wisconsin Administrative Code DHS 83; contracted via POGS system

No single public WIDOC halfway house list - pull from POGS programs directory or contact WIDOC

Wisconsin Community Services: confirmed federal BOP RRC in Milwaukee (zip 53208 / 414-290-0484)

Matt Talbot Recovery Services: primary Milwaukee DOC residential contractor

Racine Vocational Ministry: 2 halfway houses + 1 rooming house (Racine County)

OARS: DOC/DHS joint mental health reentry program for 6 southeastern counties

Sex offender: no statewide blanket restriction for most registrants; SVPs: 1,500-foot buffer; local ordinances vary widely

bail_banned = true (all 72 counties)

1 BOP RRM: RRM Chicago (eastern WI + western WI + IL + IN + western MI)

72 counties

BOP FEDERAL RRC CONTACTS (Wisconsin)

RRM CHICAGO (eastern Wisconsin + western Wisconsin + central/northern IL + northern IN + western MI):

Address: 1901 Butterfield Road, Suite 130, Downers Grove, IL 60515

InmateAid already has: inmateaid.com/prisons/residential-reentry-management-rrm-chicago

Pull all Wisconsin federal RRC listings from: bop.gov/business/rrc_directory.jsp (filter WI)

Confirmed federal RRC in Wisconsin (from BOP directory):

1. WISCONSIN COMMUNITY SERVICES

Location: Milwaukee, WI 53208

Phone: (414) 290-0484

County: Milwaukee County

facility_type = federal_rrc / bop_region = RRM Chicago

ACTION: Pull exact street address from bop.gov

Note: Wisconsin Community Services also operates DOC state programs in Milwaukee

Pull complete WI list from bop.gov - may include additional federal RRC in Madison or other cities

WIDOC STATE HALFWAY HOUSE SYSTEM

WIDOC: doc.wi.gov / (608) 240-5000

WIDOC HQ: 3099 E. Washington Ave., Madison, WI 53707

WIDOC Division of Community Corrections: doc.wi.gov/Pages/AboutDOC/DCC/DivisionofCommunityCorrections.aspx

WIDOC POGS (Purchase of Goods and Services): doc.wi.gov/Pages/AboutDOC/CommunityCorrections/POGS.aspx

WIDOC Offender Search: doc.wi.gov/Pages/OffenderInformation/InmateLocator.aspx

PROGRAM MODEL:

Halfway House (HWH)/Residential Services Program (RSP):

Community-based residential facility licensed under Wisconsin Administrative Code DHS 83

Provides 24/7 supervision; criminogenic factors addressed: anti-social cognition/companions/personality,

substance abuse, employment, leisure

Also available through POGS:

Community and Residential Programs (CRP): residential care + service coordination + step-down

Short Term Housing: contracted housing beds, 60-90 days, no site checks

Supplemental Housing: DOC-paid rent for client-leased housing, 60-90 days

Transitional Housing: 1-2 bedroom apartments or multi-bed facility; DOC-contracted; 24/7 random supervision

Emergency Housing: day-to-day hotel/motel/boarding house, 30-60 days

CONTRACTOR LIST: WIDOC POGS Programs Guide (March 2024) defines program types but does NOT list specific contractors

Pull the separate WIDOC POGS vendor/contractor list from doc.wi.gov

URL: doc.wi.gov/Pages/AboutDOC/CommunityCorrections/POGS.aspx

Alternative: contact WIDOC Division of Community Corrections at (608) 240-5000

CONFIRMED STATE PROVIDERS:

1. MATT TALBOT RECOVERY SERVICES, INC. (MTRC) - Milwaukee

Website: mtrcinc.com

County: Milwaukee County

Phone: pull from mtrcinc.com

Programs: Licensed residential treatment under DHS 83 + DHS 75

Focus: Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) + co-occurring mental illness

Funding: WIDOC contract + Milwaukee County DHHS

Founded: 1966 (as Matt Talbot Lodge in Milwaukee)

facility_type = state_contracted

ACTION: Pull facility addresses from mtrcinc.com

2. RACINE VOCATIONAL MINISTRY - Racine

County: Racine County

Program: Two halfway houses + one rooming house for men (returning from incarceration)

Goal: Successful community reintegration of men leaving incarceration

facility_type = state_contracted

ACTION: Pull address from blackwallstreet.org/reentry/irrwi.pdf reference or contact directly

3. WISCONSIN COMMUNITY SERVICES - Milwaukee

County: Milwaukee County

Phone: (414) 290-0484 (from BOP directory)

Location: Milwaukee, WI 53208

Note: Also holds federal BOP RRC contract (dual state + federal)

facility_type = state_contracted (DOC) + federal_rrc (BOP)

ACTION: Pull addresses from bop.gov and WCS directly

4. OARS (Opening Avenues to Reentry Success) - Milwaukee/Southeastern WI

Joint venture: Wisconsin DOC + Wisconsin DHS

Focus: Wrap-around case management for people with mental illness leaving state prisons

Service area: Jefferson, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Racine, Walworth, Waukesha counties

facility_type = state_contracted (DOC/DHS joint)

Note: Non-residential case management + housing support; not a standalone halfway house

Additional WIDOC contracted providers: pull from POGS vendor list at doc.wi.gov

KEY LAW FACTS

WIDOC: doc.wi.gov / (608) 240-5000

WIDOC Offender Search: doc.wi.gov/Pages/OffenderInformation/InmateLocator.aspx

Wisconsin Parole Commission: pac.wi.gov / (608) 240-7780

Wisconsin DOC Sex Offender Registry: offenderregistry.wi.gov

Bail note: Wisconsin abolished commercial bail bonds - bail_banned = true for all 72 counties

Sex offender restrictions:

Wisconsin state law has NO blanket statewide residency restriction for most registered sex offenders

STATE LAW restriction applies only to:

(a) Sexually Violent Persons (SVPs) on supervised release (ch. 980, Stats.)

(b) Initial DOC placement of paroling sex offenders (Wis. Stat. §301.038)

SVPs on supervised release: prohibited from residence within 1,500 feet of:

school premises, child care facility, public park, place of worship, youth center

If victim was adult-at-risk or elder-at-risk: also 1,500 feet from nursing home/assisted living

For most registrants: NO state law restriction on where they may live

LOCAL ORDINANCES: many Wisconsin municipalities impose separate restrictions:

Milwaukee city ordinance: 2,000 feet from schools, daycares, parks (for violent/repeat offenders)

Waukesha: 750 feet (reduced from 1,500 feet after 2017 federal lawsuit)

Elm Grove, Lisbon, other municipalities: 1,500 feet

Local ordinances vary widely across 72 counties and hundreds of municipalities

Contact WIDOC Community Corrections agent and supervising officer for individual-specific restrictions

72 counties

INTRO

Wisconsin's reentry housing system operates through WIDOC's Purchase of Goods and Services (POGS) program - a contract-based model where WIDOC pays private nonprofits to operate Halfway Houses, Transitional Housing, and other residential programs for people on DOC supervision. All facilities are licensed under Wisconsin Administrative Code DHS 83 and must be DOC-contracted; individuals cannot self-refer.

The two most established state contractors in Wisconsin are Matt Talbot Recovery Services in Milwaukee (mtrcinc.com) - a residential treatment provider operating since 1966 under DHS 83 and DHS 75 - and Racine Vocational Ministry in Racine, which operates two halfway houses and a rooming house for men returning from incarceration. Wisconsin Community Services in Milwaukee holds both a WIDOC state contract and a federal BOP Residential Reentry Center contract (zip 53208, phone 414-290-0484 - pull address from bop.gov). A complete WIDOC contractor list is available through the POGS program directory at doc.wi.gov.

For federal inmates, Wisconsin falls under BOP Residential Reentry Management Chicago (1901 Butterfield Road, Suite 130, Downers Grove, IL). Wisconsin Community Services is the confirmed federal contractor in Milwaukee under RRM Chicago.

Wisconsin abolished commercial bail bonds - there are no bail bond companies in the state. For information on Wisconsin's pretrial release system, see our county-level guides.

WIDOC POGS SYSTEM - HOW HALF WAY HOUSE PLACEMENT WORKS

Wisconsin's community corrections model relies on a structured POGS contracting system. WIDOC contracts with private and nonprofit providers to deliver residential programs through five main housing tracks: traditional Halfway Houses (24/7 supervision), Transitional Housing (apartment-based, DOC-contracted), Short Term Housing (60-90 days, no site checks), Supplemental Housing (DOC-paid rent for client-leased housing), and Emergency Housing (hotel/motel, 30-60 days).

All placements are made by WIDOC probation/parole agents based on individual risk assessment and program availability. Residents cannot self-refer. Families should contact the individual's supervising agent for placement options.

OARS - MENTAL HEALTH REENTRY IN SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN

OARS (Opening Avenues to Reentry Success) is a joint WIDOC/DHS program providing wrap-around case management for people with mental illness leaving Wisconsin state prisons. OARS serves individuals in Jefferson, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Racine, Walworth, and Waukesha counties - the six-county southeastern Wisconsin cluster where most releases concentrate. While OARS is primarily a case management and service coordination program rather than a residential facility, it is often the first call for mental health-involved individuals in this region.

SEX OFFENDER RESTRICTIONS IN WISCONSIN

Wisconsin's sex offender residency law is more nuanced than most states in this directory. State law imposes NO blanket distance restriction on most registered sex offenders - only on Sexually Violent Persons (SVPs) on supervised release, who must live at least 1,500 feet from schools, childcare facilities, parks, places of worship, youth centers, and (if the victim was elderly/adult-at-risk) nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

However, dozens of Wisconsin municipalities have enacted their own local ordinances with varying distance restrictions - Milwaukee's applies 2,000 feet to violent and repeat offenders; Waukesha reduced its ordinance from 1,500 feet to 750 feet after a 2017 federal lawsuit. In urban areas, these local restrictions can make compliant housing nearly impossible to find. Families should consult with the individual's WIDOC agent and check local municipal ordinances for the specific city or village of intended residence.

WISCONSIN REENTRY RESOURCES

WIDOC: doc.wi.gov / (608) 240-5000

WIDOC Offender Search: doc.wi.gov/Pages/OffenderInformation/InmateLocator.aspx

WIDOC POGS: doc.wi.gov/Pages/AboutDOC/CommunityCorrections/POGS.aspx

Wisconsin Parole Commission: pac.wi.gov / (608) 240-7780

Matt Talbot Recovery Services: mtrcinc.com (Milwaukee)

Racine Vocational Ministry: Racine County (pull address)

Wisconsin Community Services: (414) 290-0484 / Milwaukee 53208 (federal + state)

WI DOC Sex Offender Registry: offenderregistry.wi.gov

Legal Action of Wisconsin: legalaction.org / (414) 278-7722

Wisconsin Judicare: judicare.org / (715) 842-1681 (rural WI legal aid)

211 Wisconsin: 211wisconsin.communityos.org / dial 211

BOP RRM Chicago: inmateaid.com/prisons/residential-reentry-management-rrm-chicago

COUNTY GRID

All 72 Wisconsin counties - pills linking to city directory pages