Public defender Rodney Barnes says he hopes soon to give attorneys in his office more help getting clients into drug treatment programs.
They are now responsible for putting clients into treatment, said Barnes, directing attorney of the Frankfort public defender’s office.
His office had two administrative specialists who previously handled the process, but one position was eliminated on April 1.
Since then, attorneys, already with an excessive caseload, have been trying to do it themselves, Barnes said. The seven attorneys in the Frankfort office handle a total of 2,000 criminal cases.
According to Public Advocate Ed Monahan the average caseload for attorneys is 452, and the national standard is 264.
On May 15, Barnes said the office will have an unpaid intern who will hopefully fill the void.
Putting a client in drug treatment is a long and time-consuming process, Barnes said. First, attorneys have to interview the client, who’s often in jail, and negotiate an agreement with the judge and prosecuting attorney.
“We are committed to a holistic approach,” Barnes said. “The root cause of many of our client’s problems is drug or alcohol abuse in nine out of 10 cases.”
Attorneys also have to find an appropriate drug treatment program the client can afford, Barnes said.
“That’s magic,” he said.
Sometimes attorneys can enlist the client’s friends and family to assist, but it’s still a lot of work, he said.
Once the attorneys find the right drug treatment program, the client is placed on a waiting list - sometimes as long as 40 names, Barnes said. The attorneys call back on a weekly basis in order to secure a bed once one becomes available. They also need to ensure someone can pickup the clients after they’re released from jail and take them to the treatment center.
“It takes more than just flipping a switch,” Barnes said.
Administrative specialist Susan Lane said the office handles about 10 clients who are seeking drug treatment every month. Each case requires several hours of work, which takes time away from other criminal cases.
Barnes is the acting northern regional manager for the public defenders, and said Frankfort is the only office facing this problem. He supervises seven branches and said all the other offices are fully staffed with two administrative specialists.
He hopes to find a permanent solution by refilling the administrative specialist vacancy later this summer. Until then, he hopes the intern can help the problem.
Despite the crunch, Barnes said clients who still need treatment are receiving it.
“So far we have not had anybody in need of treatment who has been turned away,” he said. “We are not going to stop doing that.”