Taking a ‘holistic’ approach to public defense, Centre County seeks grant for new caseworker
.JPG "The Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019.")
To better serve clients and access to services, the Centre County Public Defender’s office is seeking grant funding for a new caseworker position.
Centre County Commissioners approved an application Tuesday for the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant, for up to $250,000 over two years. The funds would be used to support the implementation of a new caseworker in the public defender’s office to coordinate client services, Karri Hull, director of criminal justice planning for Centre County, said.
“We’re looking to improve coordination and access to services for people with mental health, behavioral health, intellectual disabilities and/or substance abuse disorders, who encounter the (criminal justice) system,” Hull said. “By providing and coordinating wraparound supports for individuals, such as increasing access to affordable and supportive housing, employment, referrals to mental and/or behavioral health treatment services.”
This has been identified as a Centre County Criminal Justice Advisory Board priority when it did its strategic planning session in 2020, she said.
David Crowley, chief public defender for Centre County, said having a holistic approach will help prevent people from reentering the criminal justice system.
“Holistic public defense is cutting edge stuff and it takes into account that we’re not just here to take care of the immediate problem, but to maybe point people in the right direction to keep them from … recycling back into the system,” Crowley said.
Commissioner Michael Pipe agreed.
“...It really does solve not just the legal, but also the trauma, the mental health of the treatment aspect. So we need to do both. Your office should focus on the legal, in terms of your lawyers and supporting folks, but also recognize that there are additional things we can bring to bear to heal these people, to help them out in the future,” Pipe said.
Commissioner Mark Higgins said when the county’s recidivism initiative was started around 2014, there were 250-260 Centre County residents at the correctional facility. It’s now down to about 130 people, he said.
“When people become involved with the criminal justice system, as long as they’re not violent, we’d prefer they weren’t sentenced if there’s any way we can avoid that. And we certainly don’t want them coming back and round tripping through the system. So if somebody does have to be involved with the criminal justice system, obviously our preference is, they’re involved once and then we never see him again. So this is a great idea and I definitely endorse the grant,” Higgins said.
The application is due at the end of March. If awarded the funds, it would support the staff salary, benefits and necessary supplies. The position would begin in October and run through September 2024.
