Commissioners approve El Paso Promise MOUs connecting justice‑involved residents to training and certification partners
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Summary
The court authorized memoranda of understanding with Project Ariba, Center for Employment Training and Isleta Community Learning Center to provide education, training and wraparound services for participants in the El Paso Promise reentry program; county committed no new general fund money for the MOUs.
The El Paso County Commissioners Court on Jan. 27 authorized three memoranda of understanding to place the El Paso Promise program’s reentry participants into education and workforce training programs.
Catherine Jones, presenting for the judiciary and reentry initiative, said the MOUs carry no fiscal impact. The three agreements are with Project Aripa (case management and tuition assistance for eligible participants at El Paso Community College), the Center for Employment Training (welding and commercial driver's license training plus job placement and HSE pathways), and Isleta Community Learning Center (GED and certification courses at low or no cost).
Dominique Olivares, the El Paso Promise project coordinator, said partners will provide wraparound services, job placement assistance and certification opportunities for program participants. Commissioner Coronado, who led the Promise initiative, described the agreements as the program’s initial phase, aimed at populations with barriers to education and employment.
The court voted to approve items 10A, 10B and 10C together. Judge Ricardo Samaniego moved approval and Commissioner Jackie Butler seconded; the motion carried. The court and presenters said the agreements are intended to scale as the Promise program develops and to attract private funding to support long‑term sustainability.
