Education

October 28, 2024 by

FALLS CHURCH, VA, UNITED STATES, October 28, 2024 – ViaPath Technologies, a global technology leader that facilitates successful reintegration for incarcerated individuals, announced today an expansion to its partnership with Promising People, LLC to bring the educational technology company’s patent-pending Virtual Reality (VR) headsets, training, and communication system to the correctional facilities ViaPath currently serves. VR has proven to increase retention rates while decreasing the time necessary to teach skills.

“At ViaPath, we are committed to bringing the very best and very latest technology to the populations we serve to help them learn and make their chances of success post-incarceration the greatest,” said Tony Lowden, Chief Impact Officer at ViaPath. “We know that VR headsets make training easier to consume and increase knowledge retention. We want our clients to benefit from the best method of delivery possible.”

The options for VR training with this program include 21 different career and technical education courses of study—ranging from construction trades to coding and healthcare—all of which lead to high-demand jobs that pay well and provide stability. All Career & Technical Education (CTE) courses lead to nationally recognized certifications with the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) and the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER).

“Our students learn more, learn more quickly, and retain more of what they learn,” said Dr. John L. Evans, President of Promising People. “We are excited by this partnership and what it means for students at correctional facilities. This is the next natural step in preparing returning citizens for success in the hiring process.”

In the jobs report from October 4, 2024, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that construction trades added an estimated 25,000 positions and healthcare added 45,000 overall.

About ViaPath Technologies

ViaPath provides advanced communications, technology and management solutions that facilitate meaningful connections, provide educational opportunities, and enable successful reintegration for both current and formerly incarcerated individuals. ViaPath is headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, with an employee presence throughout North America. To learn more, please visit viapath.com.

September 19, 2024 by

New Partnership Leverages Tablets Already in Place to Connect Students to Educational Opportunities That Improve Chances for Successful Reentry

September 19, 2024 (Falls Church, VA) — ViaPath Technologies, a global technology leader that facilitates successful reintegration for incarcerated individuals, has announced a partnership with Promising People, LLC to bring an online high school diploma program to the facilities it serves. This partnership features the American High School (AHS) program under Promising People’s umbrella of educational technologies. The course, accredited nationally by Cognia and approved by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), meets students where they stopped school and grants them a High School Diploma upon graduation.

High school diplomas are required for many jobs and provide greater credentials than a GED. Having a diploma offers returning citizens an important advantage in their post-incarceration job search efforts. Census Bureau data shows that on average people with high school diplomas earn 33% more than those with GEDs.

“We are helping reduce recidivism by facilitating students to gain the credentials they need in today’s competitive job market. This is a major step in making sure justice-involved individuals can compete for jobs and have the skills they need to be successful.”
Deb Alderson, CEO ViaPath Technologies

“We are helping reduce recidivism by facilitating students to gain the credentials they need in today’s competitive job market,” said Deb Alderson, CEO of ViaPath Technologies. “This is a major step in making sure justice-involved individuals can compete for jobs and have the skills they need to be successful.”

With more than 700,000 tablets in prisons and jails across the US, incarcerated individuals with access to a ViaPath tablet can now access the American High School program and work towards or complete their high school degree requirements. Studies show that the higher the level of education a justice-involved individual earns, the lower their risk of going back to prison or jail. AHS has delivered thousands of diplomas over the past two decades and their flexible learning system works in a format comfortable with today’s learners.

“At Promising People, we are committed to radically reducing recidivism by leveraging scalable technologies that will equip returning workers with the skills they need in the fastest way possible for them” remarked Dr. John Evans, the President of Promising People, LLC. “Our education systems work asynchronously so that students learn at their own pace and in their own place. We are so proud to partner with ViaPath and we want to acknowledge their forward thinking on this.”

ViaPath’s tablets are specifically designed for the needs of correctional facilities. Unique features such as dual headphone jacks and multiple charging options reinforce common fail points to ensure longevity of use for each individual. A variety of proprietary security measures including charging systems, software and network configurations thwart potential threats and keep tablets safe for corrections use.

About ViaPath Technologies

October 2, 2023 by

Foundation dedicated to breaking the cycle of incarceration offers funding for programs working to expand opportunities for at-risk youth and their communities

Falls Church, VA – October 2, 2023 – The ViaPath Foundation, an organization committed to caring for at-risk youth, today announced the opening of its grant application window. Nonprofits are encouraged to apply for $5,000-$50,000 grants to fund new or existing programs that advance the Foundation’s mission by caring for the families of incarcerated individuals. The grant cycle will be open from October 2nd to October 27th. Interested parties can visit the ViaPath Foundation website and submit their information under the “Impact” tab.

ViaPath Technologies, the leading correctional technology firm, launched the ViaPath Foundation last year as part of its mission to ensure equal opportunities for the incarcerated. The Foundation’s goal is to drive down recidivism and break the incarceration cycle by supporting non-profit organizations that work to protect youth impacted by incarceration.

“Ensuring that the family unit stays strong is a key step toward reducing recidivism,” said Shirley Moore Smeal, Board Chair of the ViaPath Foundation. “With these grants, we’re taking a holistic approach toward ensuring that everybody has access to the opportunities and resources they need to live successful, meaningful lives.”

The ViaPath Foundation is centered around providing for the “hidden victims” of incarceration. The children of incarcerated parents can be uprooted at a young age, experiencing stress that can damage their brain development and overall health. In addition, they are significantly more likely to become incarcerated themselves than children without incarcerated parents. The most recent data shows that about half of all incarcerated individuals have at least one child who is a minor – that means about 1.5 million children are paying the price for crimes they didn’t commit.

In the previous grant cycle, the Foundation also supported children in foster care. Although children go into foster care for a variety of reasons, about 20% of children entering foster care have an incarcerated parent. Overall, children in foster care are more likely than their peers to become involved in the criminal justice system themselves.

The Foundation’s grants are designed to offer resources to organizations fighting to protect these children and help returning citizens come home to stable, intact families. For more information, applicants can reach out to info@viapath-foundation.org.

About ViaPath Foundation

The ViaPath Foundation exists to expand the opportunities and improve the lives of at-risk youth and their communities through resources, positive experiences and community engagement. To learn more, visit viapathfoundation.org.

About ViaPath Technologies

September 25, 2023 by

ViaPath is Leveraging Technological Innovation to Mitigate the Escalating Crisis of Inmate Mental Health

Learn more about the alarming increase in mental health concerns and inmate suicides in the corrections system and how ViaPath Technologies is focused on solutions to reverse this trend and address the underlying causes.

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About ViaPath Technologies

September 14, 2023 by

CypherWorx recognized as Exemplar Organization, Mike Maether honored as Emerging Leader

Rochester, NY – September 14, 2023 – CypherWorx, a professional development solutions company, today announced it has received the Exemplar Organization Award from the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). IACET also awarded CypherWorx’s Vice President of Business Development, Mike Maether, with the Emerging Leader Award. Both awards were given in recognition of the impact the company’s work with ViaPath Technologies has had within correctional facilities.

The IACET Exemplar Organization Award is given annually to a program or project that demonstrates superior results in adult learning, as well as a significant impact on the populations served. The Emerging Leader Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exemplary leadership potential and outstanding service.

CypherWorx is a learning management system that helps companies simplify their training and certification processes. The company works closely with partners to create innovative learning solutions built on a foundation of instructional design and adult learning theories.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by IACET for our efforts to bring hope to the justice system,” said Paul Cypher, President and CEO of CypherWorx. “We’re grateful for the chance to partner with ViaPath Technologies and create meaningful opportunities for the incarcerated.”

ViaPath Technologies is an innovative leader in correctional technology, providing learning solutions and reintegration opportunities for over 1.6 million incarcerated individuals. In May 2022, they partnered with CypherWorx to provide educational solutions to a planned 50 correctional facility sites.

Under Mike Maether’s innovative leadership, CypherWorx and ViaPath far exceeded that goal, implementing their programs in over 750 correctional facility sites. These programs have benefitted over 200,000 incarcerated learners who have completed more than 5.7 million hours, demonstrating their dedication to personal growth and educational advancement.

“I know that our work is more than just an impressive number – it’s changing lives every day,” Mike Maether said. “It’s a privilege to work with organizations like ViaPath who are making a difference.”

CypherWorx received the awards at the annual IACET Awards Dinner in St. Louis, Missouri.

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About CypherWorx

CypherWorx is a leading, accredited and award-winning provider of customized eLearning solutions for the government, public, non-profit and small business sectors. This includes corrections, childcare, zoos and cultural attractions, health and human services and K-12/higher education, business and professional development, safety and security. To learn more, please visit cypherworx.com.

About ViaPath Technologies

June 30, 2023 by

A White Paper for Correctional Facilities

Correctional facilities implement reintegration programs that focus on areas that reduce the possibility of future reoffending for formerly incarcerated individuals (e.g., education, employment, substance, etc.), but reentry skills alone do not prepare inmates for a successful community reintegration. Fortunately, combining digital technology with reintegration programs can enhance reentry preparation.