Kalliah-Marie and Lonzell Townsend.
Kalliah-Marie Newport serves as Senior Paralegal at the Ohio Justice & Policy Center, where she supports clients navigating parole, reentry, and the emotional toll of decades spent in prison. With a background in criminal justice and psychology, she approaches her work through a trauma-informed lens, centering the mental and emotional well-being of those she serves.
Since joining OJPC full-time in 2022, Kalliah-Marie has developed more than 50 reentry plans, walking alongside clients as they transition from incarceration to community. Many of her clients face untreated trauma, anxiety tied to long-term isolation, and limited access to consistent mental health care. Some are hesitant to seek support due to stigma or fear of being seen as vulnerable, while others are unable to receive care because they don’t meet strict eligibility criteria for mental health services within the prison system.
“The prison system hinders individuals’ abilities to truly rehabilitate and heal from the trauma,” Kalliah-Marie explains. “You might finally get consistent care, only to be transferred or told you no longer qualify. That instability hurts people.”
After release, the challenges often continue. Clients frequently face delays in accessing therapy, medical benefits, and stable housing due to outdated records or documentation barriers—issues that can compound emotional strain during reentry.
Kalliah-Marie believes that mental health support should be a standard part of every stage of incarceration and reentry. She advocates for broader access to licensed counselors, peer-led recovery groups, and trauma-responsive care. She also emphasizes the importance of training correctional staff in mental health awareness and de-escalation, which can foster safer and more humane environments.
Kalliah-Marie and Sonya Jackson.
To sustain her work, Kalliah-Marie practices intentional self-care by grounding herself in music, nurturing her plants, and finding moments of joy to share with clients.
For Kalliah-Marie, the work is both professional and personal. “Our clients show what redemption really looks like. They show me it’s not given; it’s earned.”