Defender Services Program

The Defender Services Program (DSP) is the social services and outreach division of the Orleans Public Defenders (OPD). Its purpose is to offer holistic, community-oriented representation and a range of supplemental legal/social services to clients of the Public Defenders.  The Louisiana Public Defender Board supports this program by providing technical support, media advocacy and training programs, both in Orleans and throughout the state. The OPD Social Worker performs the following- Client Case Histories (an outline of the clients' lives that contextualizes their criminal allegation in terms of potential disabilities, diagnoses, and/or addictions); Biopsychosocial Assessments (a more detailed analytical view of the clients biological, psychological, and social influences); Client Crisis-Intervention; Brief-Counseling Sessions; Court Testimony, and; Pre-pleading Investigations. The social work component of the DSP is used when a more comprehensive understanding of the client's psychosocial history and fundamental needs is necessary in order to proceed with the case. The outreach component builds positive, productive relationships between relevant community groups, social service providers, advocacy organizations, individuals and the Orleans Public Defenders office.