Adult Directory 2013

ADULT RESOURCE DIRECTORY: 2013
COMMUNITY & CONFINEMENT ACCESS GUIDE
“I am what time, circumstances, history,
have made of me, certainly,
but I am also, much more than that,
So are we all.”
James Baldwin
We are not the worst thing we have ever done,” repeats Betsy Biben, Chief, Office of
Rehabilitation and Development (ORD). An arrest provides an opportunity to intervene -
whether it be helping someone find professional help for an undiagnosed illness or
connecting a client to a vocational program that can equip him with valuable work skills. A
conviction requires us to tell our client’s story. An individual is much more than his arrest.
His behavior is often rooted in generations of inopportunity. Well utilized resources can help
bridge the gap that circumstance has denied many of our clients. Oftentimes our ability to
assist is dependent upon ones access to services.
Adult Resource Directory: 2013 Community & Confinement Access Guide 1 lists hundreds of
vital resources, most of which are free to low-income individuals and families. The Directory
will familiarize you with the “How To’s” of helping a client access substance abuse, housing,
and behavioral health services. It will also explain Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) and Court
Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) supervision and testing requirements.
The Directory will also outline a convicted person’s path through the criminal justice system
to include helpful information about inmate visitation, preparing for release from prison, and
how to connect with benefits upon release.
In an effort to provide a more user-friendly and thorough guide, this year’s Directory answers
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and expands information on Veteran and LGBT services
as well as programs for persons with intellectual and physical disabilities. Many people
involved in the criminal and juvenile justice systems are living with disabilities thus we
encourage professionals to pay close attention to each defendant’s specific needs and
challenges.
The Office of Rehabilitation and Development (ORD) offers holistic representation and a
range of client-centered, non-legal services for indigent people arrested in D.C. and
represented by appointed counsel in delinquency and criminal cases in Superior Court. ORD
is composed of experienced, licensed masters-level forensic social workers and professional
counselors who perform Youth Rehabilitation Act Studies, sentencing reports, and US Parole
Commission evaluations with individualized treatment plans and recommendations. ORD
assists clients, through their attorneys, to access appropriate treatment and resources.
1 This Directory is the collective work of the Public Defender Service's Office of Rehabilitation and
Development (ORD) with contributions from the Community Defender Division (CDD) and the Civil
Division. The biennial Directory is published in hardcopy and is also available in pdf format on the PDS
website: www.pdsdc.org/officerehabilitationdevelopment. New programs and updated information will be
added to the website in May and September of 2014.
Adult Resource Directory: 2013
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Community & Confinement Access Guide