2020 Client Services Division Annual Report
The Client Services Division (CSD) of OPD supports a holistic, client-centered practice through a combination of legal, social,and practical support. Social Workers and Client Advocates identify and address the collateral issues contributing to system interaction by connecting clients to community and social services, recommending for incarceration alternatives, and advocating for client safety, language access, case management, housing and job training, education and more.
In 2020, CSD was forced to adapt like the rest of the world to the COVID-19 pandemic. CSD adjusted its practice as the city entered a lockdown and the Orleans Justice Center became a hotspot, making our clients some of the vulnerable people in New Orleans. With the Criminal Court closing in March, the legal system halted, but arrests continued. CSD continued to advocate for clients' release and offered a continuum of care once released into the community. Over the course of this pandemic year, CSD worked on 651 cases, advocating for 633 clients.
