Client Services & Mitigation Team

The Nashville Defenders have employed a social worker/advocate in the Adult division for over thirty years. Ms. Mary Ann Hea and Mr. Jeff Blum undertook this very important work on behalf of our clients for many years and laid the foundation for the Client Services and Mitigation (CSM) team to continue connecting clients and families to resources in the community. To support the growth of the office, former Chief Public Defender Dawn Deaner expanded the team to three positions. Under the administration of Chief Public Defender Martesha Johnson, the CSM team now includes a Program Manager, one dedicated Client Advocate for General Sessions clients, and three Client Advocates assigned to work with clients whose cases are in Criminal Court. Chief Johnson has been able to provide more training opportunities than ever before for this team through our partnership with the National Association for Public Defense.

The Client Services and Mitigation Team serves the Adult Division of the Nashville Defenders Office. Members of the team are known as Client Advocates and possess a range of qualifications, including Bachelor and Masters level degrees in Social Work, Psychology, and Conflict Resolution. The CSM team works to bring understanding, compassion, and context to clients and their stories. We recognize that individuals who become involved in the criminal justice system have experienced hardships and lack of resources to support their trauma, mental illness and addictions. They become entrenched in the system and struggle to find their way out. The Client Services and Mitigation Division collaborates with the client and other members of their defense team to increase compassion and understanding of a client's experiences, work to eliminate barriers and expand access to employment, housing, health services, healing, and reentry support.

The team is dedicated to client centered representation. In concert with other members of the defense team, they provide release/treatment plans, social histories, and develop mitigation material to advocate for alternatives to incarceration on behalf of our clients. The Client Advocates meet with clients in the jails and over the phone, not only as part of their role in developing mitigation but also to provide an outlet for human interaction and connection. The CSM Team is integral to the Nashville Defender’s office, often assisting other staff members in determining the best way to help a client who is in crisis. The Team also offers support for clients facing long periods of pretrial incarceration due to the complex and/or severe nature of their case.

It is not commonly known that community resources that provide support to our clients are limited. Most halfway houses require payments and/or deposits that our indigent clients can not afford. Because addiction treatment facilities require funding, finding resources for our clients to be accepted into these facilities is challenging. Sometimes our clients qualify for state sponsored grants, but those funds are limited and are often depleted before the fiscal year ends. Very rarely do our clients have insurance or families that can pay out of pocket for these expenses. Despite these obstacles, the Client Services and Mitigation team strives to put the pieces together. The team has a motto: "We can't always make the magic happen, but we will always, always try, and then we will try again."

Team Photo L to R: Darold Bradley, Linda Shelton, Ashley Ray, Pat Shelton, Mari Hanchar