Conference Speakers
“Police Social Workers and Bridging Communities”
May 22 - 24, 2024
Southern Connecticut State University
Michael J. Adanti Student Center
Opening Keynote Speaker
the Campbell Collaboration law enforcement agencies as recruits. Resulting from this work his Policing established by President the Recommendations of the
New York City Police Department attacks on the World Trade Center Trade Center Attacks. He has also Academy as a visiting professor departments with have sought his
briefing on police social work. He discussed the need for more funding
Social Work published in the Strategies One Hundred Years after Effects of Stress Management Officers and Recruits published by the
justice system including his recent published in 2022.
Dr. George T. Patterson
Patterson is an Associate Professor at the Silberman School of Social Work, Hunter College, City University of New York. With nearly 40 decades of research and practice experience in law enforcement as a police social worker, beginning in the Rochester Police Department (RPD), his publications include topics such as community policing, police social work, and stress and coping strategies among police officers and recruits. He has provided numerous national and international conference presentations related to these topics. A certified police instructor and licensed clinical social worker, Dr. Patterson has trained police officers and recruits, and taught criminal justice classes to graduate social work students.
He and his colleagues received funding to conduct and publish a meta-analysis with the Campbell Collaboration examining the various types of stress management interventions implemented among law enforcement agencies as well as their effectiveness for reducing stress outcomes among police officers and recruits. Resulting from this work his testimony is included in the May 2015 Final Report of the Task Force on 21st Century Policing established by President Barack Obama, and the research results are published in An Evidence-Assessment of the Recommendations of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing.
Dr. Patterson’s other noteworthy police social work activities include assisting the New York City Police Department (NYPD) with providing a law enforcement response to the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center outlined in the publication Police-Social Work Collaboration in Response to the World Trade Center Attacks. He has also served in the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and Westchester County Police Academy as a visiting professor and curriculum advisor. More recently, various schools of social work and social work departments with have sought his expertise to assist with planning and developing police social work collaborations.
In June 2020, Dr. Patterson was one of four experts who provided a congressional briefing on police social work. He provided an historical overview of professional police social work practice, and discussed the need for more funding and training.
Additional noteworthy police social work activities include the publications Police Social Work published in the Encyclopedia of Social Work; Police Social Work and Social Service Collaboration Strategies One Hundred Years after Vollmer: A Systematic Review published in Policing: An International Journal; and Effects of Stress Management Training on Physiological, Psychological, and Behavioral Outcomes among Police Officers and Recruits published by the Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
Dr. Patterson has also written several books on social work practice in the criminal justice system including his recent book titled Police Social Work: Social Work Practice in Law Enforcement Agencies published in 2022.
Closing Keynote Speaker
Karla C. Medina, BS, MPP
Medina was raised in Hartford, Connecticut by a single mother who was dedicated to social work in her community. She has flourished as an International Presenter who holds a Bachelor’s in Business Management and Master’s in Public Police and Health Science along with many degrees, trainings and certifications in the police, fitness and business fields. She is a 20-year veteran of the Hartford Police Department where she worked most of her career as a Gang Task Force Detective, then went on to supervise the Street Crimes Unit and Police Activities League. She is currently an instructor at the Connecticut Police Academy and has been so since 2004. During her police tenor, she was the President of the Connecticut Association of Women Police and even now, mentors many recruits and police officers. She has been a part of many police-community projects and holds many prestigious awards for her work and philanthropist efforts. She is also the owner and Master Trainer of Sudor Taino Group Fitness, a studio founded on a faith-fitness ideology and where she spear-headed the Recruit Prep Program. She is a consultant, published author and Producer of many fitness events. She is simply a person of integrity that brings people together in both the police and fitness worlds to inspire innovative solutions. For full bio: Owner~Karla Medina – Sudor Taino
Jasmine Avci, MSW,
Avci is a recent graduate from Sacred Heart University, achieving her Master’s in Social Work, with hopes to one day receive her doctorate. Her enthusiasm for research earned her an Excellence in Research Practice Award in 2023 from Eastern Connecticut State University. After completing four years of internships ranging from inpatient mental health to community outreach, she discovered her passion for police social work. She was a Police Social Work Intern with the Norwich Police Department for the 2023-2024 academic year and has worked at Backus Hospital for eight years. When Jasmine is not reading or listening to podcasts, she enjoys traveling and expressing her creativity through painting.
Jenna Mehnert Baker, MSW, SHRM-CP, CAE,
Baker is the Bureau Director of Policy, Planning, and Program Development with the PA Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services within the Department of Human Services. Prior to this position, Jenna led state NAMI and NASW chapters. Additionally, she has held politically appointed positions for the Mayors of the Criminal Justice Coordinator in NYC and in the Office of the Deputy Mayor of Public Safety and Justice Washington, DC. Jenna also served Governor Rendell’s administration as an Executive Policy Specialist. Jenna is a current board member of CIT International and served on the IACP’s One Mind Committee. Jenna holds an MSW from the University of Pennsylvania and a doctorate in public administration from West Chester University.
Caroline Ban, MSW, DSW student
Ban is the BSW Program Director and an Assistant Professor for the Social Work Program at Valparaiso University, in northwest Indiana. She was a driving force in helping save Valpo’s BSW program from discontinuance in 2020 and recently received administration, faculty, and HLC approval to build an MSW Program. Caroline received her bachelor’s degree in psychology at Carleton College, her MSW at Washington University in St. Louis, and she is a DSW student at St. Thomas/St. Kate’s. Caroline’s passions and experience include police and community relations, police social work, social work program leadership, lobbying, advocacy, municipal and state government, collaborations and consolidations, community development and economic development. Caroline was instrumental in developing the first police social work position in Valparaiso City Police Department in 2021 and engages students in annual lobbying trips to the statehouse and other civic and community projects. Caroline was selected as one of eight Indiana Humanities Action Fellows (2019-2022), focused on policing and social work.
Jeanette Borunda, LCSW
Borunda is the Co-Chair of the Social Work & Law Enforcement Network. She has over 20 years of experience working in the mental health field with people from birth to death through non-profit agencies, hospitals, and the police department. She specializes in working with the LGBTQIA+ community, healing trauma work, intersections of identities, first responders, and military veterans. As the Director of Clinical Services of Behavioral Medicine at Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center, Jeanette established a Mental Health Court and Partial Hospitalization Program. In 2020, Jeanette began working at the Alamogordo Police Department as the CIT Clinical Director and co-created the Mobile Crisis Response Team. Additionally, Jeanette provides individual therapy through her private practice, Pawsitively Transformational Health and Wellness. Jeanette serves as the Vice President for the Otero County Community Health Council and on several communitybased organizations that focus on behavioral health and crisis intervention. She was previously the Vice President for the NAMI-Southern New Mexico Board of Directors. Jeanette is a team member representing Otero County for the New Mexico Education Judicial Committee for the Summit on Improving the Court & Community Response to Those with Mental Illness Summit and sits on a Familiar Faces Subcommittee for the Counsel of State Governments Justice Center. Throughout her career, she has facilitated trainings and workshops in multiple capacities throughout New Mexico and Washington on topics including Cultural Awareness, Race, Class and Gender, LGBTQ+, and Microaggressions. As a Mental Health First Aid and Crisis Intervention Training Facilitator, Jeanette has trained over 300 professionals and community members in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) in Otero County.
Sergeant Jessica Brooks
Brooks s the New York State Liaison for the SWLE Project. She is a 10-year veteran of the City of Newburgh (New York) Police Department and is currently a Patrol Sergeant. During her career, she has served as a Community Affairs Sergeant, Narcotics Investigator, Detective, Field Training Officer, CIT Officer, Crime Scene Technician, and DCJS Certified General Topics Instructor. Sergeant Brooks holds a Master of Science in Investigations with a Financial Crime Concentration from the University of New Haven, where she also earned graduate certificates in Cybercrime, Digital Forensics, and Human Trafficking. Additionally, she earned the Financial Intelligence Specialist designation through ManchesterCF/UNH and is a Certified Cryptocurrency Investigator through Blockchain Intelligence Group.
Samantha Burgett, MSW, LCSW
Burgett graduated with her Master’s in Social Work from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and was hired as Valparaiso Police Department’s first police social worker in September 2021. Within her role at the police department, Sam has worked to connect community members with critical resources to help meet their needs and ultimately divert them from incarceration and repeat engagement with law enforcement. She also has implemented numerous community-level initiatives, such as the Community Resource Network and Police Assisted Recovery Initiative, as well as serves on various boards and interdisciplinary committees, such as the Crisis Intervention Team steering committee, Overdose Fatality Review team, and Respite House’s Board of Directors. Within the Department, Sam has worked to expand wellness services available to officers, as well as designs and facilitates numerous trainings for law enforcement. As of May 2023, Sam is the police social worker at the Porter County Sheriff’s Office, where she is expanding the police social work program at the county level and working to create a more trauma-informed jail system. In addition to her work with law enforcement, Sam runs a small, local nonprofit, the Community Change Center, which provides reentry services to incarcerated and formerly-incarcerated individuals in Lake, LaPorte, and Porter counties. Sam also serves as an adjunct professor in Valparaiso University’s Sociology department, teaching courses such as Juvenile Delinquency and Restorative Justice.
Dr. Cyndy Caravelis
Caravelis is a Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Western Carolina University. Her current research interests include interpersonal violence, social justice, and community policing. Her research on sentencing inequality has been published in journals such as Justice Quarterly and the Journal of Quantitative Criminology. She co-authored Social Justice, Criminal Justice (Routledge Press), which examined how the law has historically been used as both a tool for oppression and a vehicle for social change. Additionally, she has received numerous grants to deepen and expand the work of the Community Care program. In addition to her academic endeavors, she has extensive field experience in the criminal justice system, including work as a legislative analyst for the Florida Legislature’s Commission on Capital Cases, as a crime intelligence analyst for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, as an expert witness on criminal sentencing, and as an academic instructor in both male and female correctional institutions. She currently serves as a Research and Policy Consultant for multiple police departments.
Edwin Cole, LCSW
Cole began working in the field of crisis intervention in 1974 and has continued to this day. While participating in a variety of settings in psychiatry throughout the years, he focused on assessment and evaluation for 10 years in the Emergency Department of Waterbury Hospital, then began a career with the Department of Mental Health and Addictions Services. In 2004 he was a member of the group that created the first Crisis Intervention Teams, collaborating with the Waterbury Police Department. He was joined by Jennifer Giordano in 2007 in providing training to law enforcement and first responder clinical services to the community. Despite retiring in 2020, he has returned part-time as a CIT clinician in Waterbury.’
Emily Constantino, LMSW
Constantino is employed full-time by the Willimantic Police Department as a Police Social Worker. Emily graduated from ECSU with a Bachelor’s in Social Work in 2021, where she participated in a 400-hour internship with the Willimantic Police Department as their first Police Social Work Intern. After receiving her BSW, she attended the University of Saint Joseph for their 1-Year Advanced Standing MSW program where she completed another 600-hour internship with the Willimantic Police Department. During her time as an intern, Emily delivered multiple presentations on Police and Social Work partnerships at the Connecticut Police Academy, in addition to presenting before the Connecticut Police Transparency and Accountability Task Force. Emily also assisted in supervising a BSW Social Work intern through the Willimantic Police, in addition to helping provide training to other PSW interns throughout the state of Connecticut. Throughout her time as an intern, Emily compiled upward of 1,000 hours of work in the Police Social Work field. After graduating with her MSW from USJ, Emily was hired full time as the Willimantic Police Department’s first Police Social Worker. Emily responds alongside officers to calls for service that involve people with mental health issues, as well as individuals who may be struggling with substance use, homelessness, domestic violence, and other social issues. Emily works with these individuals to provide them with crisis intervention, and does follow up work with them to help connect them to resources. Additionally, Emily assists officers with delivering death notifications, and is trained in Crisis Negotiations.
Captain Kate Coney
Coney is an 11-year veteran with the Connecticut State Police and is currently the Commanding Officer of the Bureau of Selection, Training, and the Media Relations Units. She is a proud twotime University of Connecticut graduate; with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and a Masters in Public Administration. Captain Coney’s police passions include: community education presentations on internet and social media safety, teen driving safety, responsible decision making, and healthy relationships for juveniles and students, and officer wellness. She developed the Connecticut State Police Internet and Social Media Safety community education program and has presented this free program over 1,000 times for nearly 20,000 students, parents, and educators in 100 towns across Connecticut. She currently holds a 200-hr. Yoga Teacher Training Certification and teaches yoga in the community and to Connecticut police recruits.
Rosa L. Conte, LMSW
Conte is the Social Worker for the Trumbull Police Department. During her career, she has worked for a variety of agencies who service diverse communities. These agencies include the Department of Children and Families, Norwich Public Schools, Hartford Healthcare, and an internship with Norwich Police Department. She became immersed in this field of work through the SWLE Project, where she found her passion for police social work. Rosa L. Conte holds a Master of Social Work from Sacred Heart University. She currently practices as a Licensed Master Social Worker under the supervision of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
Patty Contente, LICSW
Contente is a licensed independent clinical social worker and has been working as the Director of Somerville Police COHR unit (Community Outreach Help & Recovery) for the past 6 years. Patty has over 30 years of experience working with youth and families, from 2008-2016 she served as the Clinical Youth Specialist for Somerville’s Health and Human Services Department. COHR is an integrated public health and public safety model, clinicians and recovery coaches provide follow up and aftercare to police calls related to behavioral health. In 2013 Patty created the Metro Boston Crisis Intervention Team Training and Technical Assistance Center (MB CIT TTAC) in collaboration with NAMI MA and Cambridge and Somerville Police Departments. CIT training is focused on informing law enforcement response to calls involving behavioral health and addiction. Over the past 30 years she has worked in a variety of roles connected to mental health; she is a trained mediator and experienced trainer. In 2021 she was honored to be one of the Commonwealth Heroines, a recognition awarded by the Massachusetts Committee on the Status of Women.
Jeffrey Covello, Director of Emergency Services & Telecommunications, City of Hartford,
Covello has more than 30 years of experience in Public Safety. Prior to Hartford, he served as the Interim Chief of Police for a medium-sized Connecticut police department, after serving three years at the rank of Lieutenant in multiple divisions, including the agencies’ Emergency Communications Center. Before that, he retired from the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, Division of State Police, at the rank of Sergeant after serving in numerous high-profile assignments, including nearly 10 years in the Western District Major Crimes Squad as the divisions Executive Officer. Jeff started his public safety career in 1990 working as an EMT, and later an EMT-Paramedic in pre-hospital emergency medicine for two medium-sized Connecticut cities. He holds several degrees including a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration and a Master of Science in Emergency Management, with a concentration in Public Administration. During his Public Safety Career, he has been awarded numerous commendations and awards, most notably the Meritorious Service Medal from the Connecticut State Police, and the FBI Directors Cooperative Investigation Award for the crime scene supervision of The 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre.
TPR Brock Coutu
Coutu is a member of Connecticut State Police’s 126th Training Troop. His current assignment is the Physical Fitness and Wellness instructor of the State Police Training Academy. TPR Coutu is a member of the Connecticut State Police Tactical Team within the Emergency Services Unit. TPR Coutu holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Kearney Nebraska where he was on the wrestling team, during which time they won two National Championships Team Titles, and he became an All American.
Captain Garon DelMonte
DelMonte is the Director of Policy and Training for the SWLE Project. He graduated from the University of New Haven in 2008 and has been a member of the Milford Police Department for over 14 years. In such time he has served as a Field Training Officer, DARE Officer, School Resource Officer and Special Investigation Unit Detective. Captain DelMonte is a Blue Courage and Police Officer Standards and Training Council Instructor in Juvenile Law and Missing Persons. He is also the current Administrative Captain which oversees Internal Affairs, Recruitment, Records and the Police Social Workers.
Casie DeRosier, LMSW,
DeRosier has more than ten years of experience in direct clinical services and five years of supervisory experience. Casie is a licensed alcohol and addiction counselor, a licensed master’s level social worker and currently holds a state certification as a community health worker and certified peer recovery specialist. Casie has extensive experience as clinician working with highrisk populations at the Community Renewal Team. Casie oversaw the Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) early in her tenure at the Community Renewal Team, and began to create collaborative relationships working with mandated referral sources such as the Department of Corrections, and The United States Federal Probation Office. Since 2018, Casie has been the Project Director for two Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) grants, multiple grants with Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DHMAS) grants, and a grant with the City of Hartford. Casie leads the Medicated Assisted Team, The Transitional Case Management (TCM) team, Opioid Education Family Support (OEFS) team, and the Community Response Services (CRS) programs. Specifically, she has direct experience working with clients who have criminal justice involvement and a strong background in substance use and crisis management. Her experience is helpful in the management of client care and with unequivocal understanding of behavioral intervention, observations, and motivational interviewing. She currently sits as a board member for the Connecticut Certification Board (CCB) and the DARC Advisory Group of CT.
Ronald Dolon, Ed.D., LCSW
Dolon has 50 years of experience as a social worker and social work educator. Dr. Dolon is currently a Professor of Social work at Ball State University. Professor Dolon has worked as a caseworker with the elderly, child welfare worker, school social worker, caseworker supervisor, staff development consultant, adult protective service investigator, and mental health consultant. Dr. Dolon has served as a consultant for the Victim’s Advocacy Program with the Muncie Police Department. Professor Dolon has presented at national and international conferences and has published research in the following journals: Journal of Police Science and Administration, Journal of Gerontological Social Work, Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect, and Victimization of the Elderly and Disabled.
Captain James “Jimmy” Donovan
Donovan has been a member of the Somerville Police Department (SPD) for twenty-three years. During his tenure with SPD he has had the honor of serving as a Patrol Sergeant, Patrol Lieutenant, Sergeant of the Gang Unit, Detective Lieutenant, and Chief of Detective prior to being promoted to Captain in 2013. Prior to joining the Force Captain Donovan was the Assistant District Attorney in the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office for two years. Today he is a proud father of four and oversees the Patrol Operations Division in the Department.
Brandon Evans, LCSW
Evans is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Social Work at Ball State University. He has a Bachelor of Social Work degree from Ball State University and Master of Social Work degree from Indiana University with a focus on Mental Health and Addictions. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and also a certified Senior Facilitator for Batterers Intervention Programming under the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ICADV). He is passionate about ending domestic violence and has worked with perpetrators of abuse in Batterers Intervention Programming since 2012.
Detective Keith Edele
Edele is a fourteen-year veteran of the Willimantic Police Department. During his career, he has served as a Patrol Officer, Detective, and Corporal. Additionally, he was the SWAT Team Medic for twelve years. Detective Edele is a Tactical Medicine, Active Shooter/Building Search, and Patrol Preparations & Techniques instructor. He was also the Treasurer for the Willimantic Policemen’s Benevolent Association for eight years, where he spent time raising money and coordinating events to give back to the Willimantic community. Prior to his law enforcement career, Detective Edele spent ten years in the United States Navy. He was deployed to the Western Pacific region twice, as well as the Mediterranean and the Northern region. He demonstrated exemplary service in several assignments, to include the fighter air squadron VF-2 “Bounty Hunters” aboard the USS Constellation CV-64, the USS Miami SSN-755 after completing SUB school, and the Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut.
Marissa Exchange
Exchange is one-half of the Alternative Response Team within the Portland Police Department’s Behavioral Health Unit. She is currently a clinical mental health counseling graduate student. During her time working in the mental health field, she has worked in various settings from psychiatric hospitals to within the community, and has held roles such as Mobile Crisis Responder and Transitional Services Coordinator. Marissa has considerable experience in working with adults diagnosed with serious mental health disorders and teenagers exhibiting significant behavioral struggles. She is also passionate about partnering with community resources to proactively connect individuals with support and services.
Katie Heffernan Farrell, LCSW
Farrell is the Chief Social Worker for the Division of Public Defender Services. She has been with our agency for 25 years working within GA and JD offices and with the CT Innocence Project. She has extensive experience as a crisis and mobile clinician, direct practice clinician and supervisor with clients who suffer from psychiatric and cognitive disorders, substance abuse and homelessness. She co-wrote our Division’s Mandated Reporter Policy and is our liaison with the Department of Children and Families to provide mandated reporter training to our social workers and attorneys. She is also our liaison to the Department of Developmental Disability to access legal representation when the police intend to question their clients. As a volunteer with the Connecticut Innocence Project, she was the social worker on the team that found the first inmate in Connecticut innocent after serving 18 ½ yeas of a 45-year sentence. She has a Masters of Social Work from Southern Connecticut State University. Her internships included working on the competence to stand trial assessment teams and restoration units along with conducting 6-month risk assessments for clients acquitted of NGRI. Her thesis was entitled The Perceptions of Mental Health Providers on Predictability of Violent Behavior in Mentally Ill Individuals. She has co-authored Outreach Workers’ Experiences in a Homeless Outreach Project: Issues of Boundaries, Ethics and Staff Safety in Psychiatric Quarterly as well as Competence to Stand Trial: An Eleven-Year Case Study in Social Work and the Law: Proceedings of the National Organization of Forensic Social Work. She has presented in several forums on the topics of sex offender probation, psychiatric disabilities, cognitive disabilities and competence to stand trial. She has co-created and co-facilitated training for police officers on how to assess and communicate with individuals suffering from cognitive disabilities. She has served on the Alcohol and Drug Policy Council as the Chief Public Defender’s designee and is the tri-chair of their Criminal Justice Subcommittee. She has also served on Legislative subcommittees addressing treatment for Domestic Violence and assessment and management of sex offenders and review and revision of Connecticut’s Sex Offender Registry. She is a past President of the National Organization of Forensic Social Work and a past recipient of Social Worker of the Year from the National Organization of Social Workers’ Connecticut Chapter.
Jennifer Giordano, LCSW
Giordano completed her MSW in 1998 and worked for the following 8 years providing assessment and evaluation in the Emergency Department of St. Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury, Connecticut. She began a career with the Department of Mental Health and Addictions Services in 2004, providing clinical evaluation in the Jail Diversion program of the court system in Waterbury. In 2007 she joined the Crisis Intervention Team in Waterbury where she works to this day providing both direct clinical services as a first responder, and training and support to the Waterbury Police department.
Francelis Gonzalez Perez, LMSW
Gonzalez Perez is the Practicum Specialist and Executive Project Administrator for the SWLE Project. Additionally, she was a police social work intern with the Norwich Police Department under the SWLE Project during the 2021-2022 academic year. She earned a Master of Social Work degree from Fordham University in the Bronx, New York. For three years, Francelis worked as a school social worker at an elementary school and an assistant social worker at an alternative high school program for students with behavioral challenges. Francelis has a wide variety of experience working with clients with anxiety, depression, personality disorders, self-harm/suicidal ideation, substance/ alcohol use, bipolar disorder, developmental disabilities, and more. She is passionate about working with at-risk youth. Francelis is currently employed as a Social Worker at the Department of Veterans Affairs, where she assists Veterans, their families, and their caregivers in resolving Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) challenges to health and well-being.
Judith I. Gray, LCSW
Gray is an Associate Professor of Social Work at Ball State University with over 33 years of teaching and practice experience in social work. Her practice experience has been in clinical social work with an emphasis in inpatient psychiatric care, community mental health, women, families and older adults. As an educator, she has focused her research/grants on women’s leadership, service learning, case management training, cultural competence and virtual reality training. Most recently, she received training as member of the Macy T3 Interprofessional Education and Practice team for the College of Health and continues to help facilitate this initiative. She was involved in the College of Health’s Healthy Lifestyle Center initiative supported by the Ball Foundation. Professor Gray has presented at numerous conferences and has published articles in the Journal of Social Work Education and Practice, Professional Development: The International Journal of Continuing Social Work Education, International Journal of Lifelong Education, The Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work, The Journal of Excellence in College Teaching, The Journal of Computers and Human Services and has book chapters on the topic of service learning published by Indiana University Press and the University of Indianapolis Press. She was also an invited author for a chapter on computer assisted instruction in case management, and another on disabilities in an introduction to social work text. She currently serves as a member of the Ball State University’s Indiana Women of Achievement/ Perham Scholarship Committees, is Chair of the Departmental Scholarship Committee and Chair of the Departmental Salary Committee. She is also a Faculty Mentor for students with disabilities through Disabled Student Development and is a Wellness Ambassador with the University’s Working Well Program.
Amy Green, BSW
Green is a member of the Alternative Response Team within the Portland Police Department’s Behavioral Health Unit. She holds a Bachelors in Social Work and has a first responder background, including working as a nationally registered paramedic, firefighter, and mobile crisis responder. Amy is passionate about her work connecting individuals with mental health support and collaborating with providers and other organizations to best support her community.
Chief Chris Hatton
Hatton is a seasoned law enforcement officer with over two and a half decades of experience in numerous agencies across North Carolina, including both a sheriff’s office and municipal police departments. He has worked extensively in undercover drug enforcement, having been sworn in as an Agent with the United States DEA for special large scale (OCDETF) investigations and recognized as the NC Narcotics Investigator of the Year in 2007. Chief Hatton holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Criminal Justice, a Master of Justice Administration, and an Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate from the North Carolina Department of Justice. He has been awarded the FBI LEEDA Trilogy Award for his accomplishments in law enforcement leadership training and is a graduate of the West Point Leadership Program. Under Chief Hatton’s leadership, the Sylva Police Department was awarded the 2023 Police Agency of the Year by the North Carolina Police Executives’ Association for its innovative approaches to law enforcement.
Jennifer Hippie, LCSW, LCAC
Hippie is Clinical Associate Professor of Field Instruction for the Indiana University School of Social Work. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Clinical Addictions Counselor, and a former Licensed School Social Worker in the state of Indiana. Her primary role is that of Field Coordinator for the MSW Direct On-line program out of the Indiana University Indianapolis Campus. She is also a part time PhD student in the Indiana University School of Social Work. Her practice experience includes work in a wide variety of clinical settings and with diverse populations. Her research interest focuses on mental health support within community and college campus settings, utilizing social work interprofessional partnerships.
Dr. Steven Hoffler, Ph.D, LCSW
Dr. Steven Hoffler is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work at Southern Connecticut State University. He also holds various consulting positions for several private and public organizations in the healthcare, educational and child welfare systems. Dr. Hoffler’s professional experience has included positions as a Mental Health Consultant for Yale Medical School and Hartford Hospital’s Institute of Living for their Juvenile Detention Program and their Child, Adolescent and Young Adult Programs. His practice experience has included clinical, supervisory and administrative positions at Yale New Haven Hospital, the Connecticut Department of Children and Families and the Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF) through Casey Family Services (CFS) where he served for ten years. Dr. Hoffler received his B.A. in History and MSW from the University of Connecticut and his Ph.D. from Smith College School for Social Work. He serves on several advisory boards, holds several professional memberships and is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. In 2007, he received the Achiever Award recognized by the University of Connecticut and the Connecticut Association of Educational Opportunity Programs (CAEOP) for his outstanding educational, community, and personal success. He was awarded the 2019 Humanitarian Award by Senator Richard Blumenthal and the Connecticut Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission. Dr. Hoffler maintains a private practice and is the father of a toddler son, Tyler.
Tiffany Hubrins, LCSW
Hubrins is a licensed clinical social worker with 11 years of experience working with children, youth, and adults with various clinical presentations. She is currently employed at Wheeler Health as the Director of Outpatient and Community Based Programs overseeing the Youth Mobile Crisis Program (MCIS). Tiffany specializes in crisis intervention with children and youth. Tiffany has also had experience in managing a crisis program within an emergency department. Tiffany is a certified trainer in Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBRIT) and Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR). Tiffany earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Alabama State University and a master’s in social work from University of Connecticut. Tiffany awarded the 2022 Wheeler Health’s Anna Tedesco Award.
Samantha Inniss, LCSW
Inniss is the Integrated Police Social Work Specialist for Municipalities for the SWLE Project. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in criminal justice from the University of Connecticut, and an MSW from Springfield College. She has experience working with young adult services and was a treatment worker for the State of Connecticut Department of Children & Families. Ms. Inniss has facilitated groups for intensive outpatient programs and relapse prevention at Intercommunity, formerly Alcohol Drug and Recovery Center. She also worked for the State of Connecticut Department of Social Services for ten years. Currently, Ms. Inniss is a Social Work Police Liaison for the Town of West Hartford. In the summer of 2022, she participated in the 2nd Police Social Work Academy hosted by the Social Work & Law Enforcement Project to strengthen her knowledge and skillset when working with the West Hartford Police Department and Town Social Services to integrate her role as a Police Social Worker.
Tina Marie James, LMSW
James is a Police Social Worker with the Milford Police Department. She earned her BSW at Southern Connecticut State University and earned her MSW at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Tina was a Police Social Work Intern through the SWLE Project with the Milford Police Department. She was hired by the Milford Police Department as a full-time PSW after becoming licensed as a LMSW. As an embedded PSW, she responds to and works with individuals in crisis by conducting on-scene assessments, providing follow-up care, reviewing case logs/reports for proactive intervention, and following up on referrals from police officers. Tina is a member of the Landlord Advisory Board and a Co-Chair of HUMAN (Homeless and Unsheltered Multiagency Network) in Milford, which is a coordinated effort from the Department of Public Health, the Milford Police Department, the BethEl Center, the mayor’s office, the library, and other community stakeholders that was designed to facilitate collaborative outreach efforts towards homeless individuals. Additionally, Tina is certified in Adult Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid. Tina has also attended the Governor’s Task Force on Justice for Abused Children.
Tyler Jean, MSW, MS Ed, LSW
Jean is a graduate of Purdue University-West Lafayette. Following graduation, she attended the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy, after which she worked as a Sheriff’s deputy. She then decided to go back to school to pursue a dual Masters degree in Social Work and Education, during which time she worked as a Case Manager at a community mental health center in Indianapolis. She then returned to law enforcement as a School Resource Officer and obtained her LSW. She now works part time as a mental health and addictions therapist where she leads a Batterers Intervention group and sees individual clients, while also pursuing her PhD in social work. Her research interests lie in forensic social work and the intersectionality of social work, law enforcement, and the criminal justice system.
Angela Kenbok, MSW
Kenbok is the Senior Police Social Worker at the Hampton Police Department located in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, where she developed and implemented the police social worker position. Angela graduated with her Master of Social Work from Slippery Rock University in 2020 where she focused on Forensic Social Work. She is certified in CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and holds an Advanced Certification of Forensic Social Work. Her experience consists of 10 years in the substance abuse and mental health fields. Angela focuses on offering ongoing interventions in a therapeutic capacity to enhance functioning and improve lives of the residents of Hampton.
Vamsi Koneru, Ph.D
Koneru is a clinical psychologist in private practice at Koneru Psychotherapy, LLC, his work focuses on the intersection of trauma and mindfulness and he specializes in providing compassionate, evidence-based psychotherapy for adolescents, adults and families. Dr. Koneru is a certified mindfulness teacher with the Engaged Mindfulness Institute – an institute dedicated to traumainformed mindfulness and supporting individuals in at-risk situations and communities that have been marginalized and underserved. He is a passionate social activist and focuses his work on the intersection of the carceral system and mental health. Towards this, he volunteers with Stop Solitary – CT, an organization that aims to end the use of solitary confinement in jails, detention centers and prisons across Connecticut, replacing it with humane, safe, and effective alternatives. Additionally, he serves on the Forensic Counseling team at Community Mental Health Affiliates, Inc. where he provides individual therapy for individuals who have been diverted from or recently discharged from incarceration. Dr. Koneru is an enthusiastic teacher and serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and a facilitator with the Copper Beech Institute - a center dedicated to mindfulness practice and compassionate action. Dr. Koneru completed his MS and PhD at the University of Miami, his clinical internship at the Yale University School of Medicine and his postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School/VA Boston Healthcare System.
Jennifer Korn, LICSW, CCHP
Korn has been the Co-Director of the Metro Boston CIT TTAC and COHR (Community Outreach, Help, and Recovery) Unit, located in the Somerville Police Department for almost 5 years. Jennifer has an extensive history of working with criminal justice involved individuals, prior to her work with the police she worked at MCI-Framingham women’s prison for 12 years. Jennifer coordinates and presents the Metro Boston CIT, provides CPI training to community members, and has trained clinicians and officers in QPR. In 2023, Jennifer presented at the Mental Health and Law Enforcement Conference on Essential Skills for Defusing and De-escalating Individuals in a Behavioral Health Crisis. Jennifer has been awarded the CIT Excellence Award for her work with coordinating monthly CIT training for over 70 law enforcement agencies, and received The Charles Gaughan Award exemplifying the spirit of humanity and compassion for her work with incarcerated females. She is passionate about working with marginalized, underserved populations and thinking creatively to support and assist them as well as the law enforcement partners who encounter them with increasing frequency during calls for service.
Galadriel LaVere, MSW, LCSW-A
LaVere is the Community Care Coordinator at the Sylva Police Department in Sylva, NC. As a 2023 graduate of Western Carolina University’s MSW program, she received the MSW Excellence in Service award for her field placement work in police social work. As the Community Care Coordinator, she accepts referrals those involved in, or in danger of being involved in, the justice system, co-responds with law enforcement officers, and oversees a community resource meeting to promote collaboration and systemic change. Once connected with an individual she provides case management, advocacy, and brief therapeutic interventions.
Isabel Logan, Ed.D, LCSW
Logan is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Social Work & Law Enforcement Project. She earned a BSW from Saint Joseph College (Presently the University of Saint Joseph), an MSW from Fordham University, and a Doctorate of Education from the University of Hartford. Dr. Logan is an Associate Professor of Social Work at Southern Connecticut State University. She maintains a small consulting and clinical practice. Dr. Logan began her career in academia as a professor of Social Work at Eastern Connecticut State University in 2016. Before working in academia, she worked 20 years as a social worker for the Connecticut Division of Public Defender Services in New Haven Superior Court and Superior Court for Juvenile Matters at Hartford. In 2001, Dr. Logan was selected by American University to assist with developing the Cultural Proficiency in Drug Court Practice: Training of Trainers Manual for Drug Court Professionals. Her research interests include bilingual professionals, microaggressions, cultural, ethnic, and linguistic issues impacting human service delivery, and, police social work. In 2013, Dr. Logan received The Mary Rosa
McDonough Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Saint Joseph, and in 2019, she received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Award from Eastern Connecticut State University. Additionally, in 2021, she was awarded a Letter of Appreciation by the Willimantic Police Department. In June 2023, Dr. Logan received the Humanitarian Award from the NAACP Windham/ Willimantic Branch in Connecticut and in October 2023 the NASW-CT Chapter Social Worker of the Year Award for her work in Police Social Work.
Joe Lopez, JD
Lopez has been with the Division of Public Defender Services since 1997 in a variety of positions. He began his career in the Bridgeport juvenile court, he worked for several years in the Bridgeport GA, and, in 2003, was appointed to the New Haven JD. In 2015, he co-founded a specialized state-wide project that handled DNA-related litigation, where he served as a training and consulting resource to public defenders and assigned counsel. In 2020, he became the Director of the Complex Litigation Unit where he handles murder cases with extensive and complicated evidence and provides training and resources to Division staff as they develop trial strategies and complex motions practice. Joe has significant felony trial experience, including several high-profile matters. Joe was the recipient of the 2005 Connecticut Law Tribune’s 2005 Advocacy Award and a former Board of Directors for the Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Association. Joe is a Mark A. Weinstein Clinical Teaching Fellow at the University of Connecticut School of Law and a frequent presenter on legal and forensic science topics.
Robert G. Madden, LCSW, JD
Madden is the Director of Practice Standards and Ethics for the SWLE Project. He is a Professor of Social Work and has been on the faculty at USJ since 1986 serving in various capacities including Department Chair (2013-17) and Special Assistant to the President (2009-2012) and MSW Program Director (2022-23). Professor Madden holds a BSW from Providence College, a MSSW from Columbia University and a law degree (JD) from the University of Connecticut. He has extensive clinical social work experience and currently provides supervision, consultation and training to the social work community. Professor Madden is licensed as an Independent Clinical Social Worker and maintains a small practice focused on trauma. Professor Madden is the co-editor of Relationship Centered Lawyering: Social Science Theory to Transform Legal Practice (Carolina Academic Press, 2010); and the author of Legal Issues in Social Work, Counseling and Mental Health: Guidelines for Clinical Practice in Psychotherapy (Sage, 1998) and Essential Law for Social Workers (Columbia University Press, 2003) as well as many journal articles related to law in social work practice. He is a frequent trainer and consultant on ethical issues and standards of care in clinical mental health practice. In 2008, Professor Madden received the Educator of the Year Award from the NASW Connecticut Chapter, in 2014 he was honored with the Stack Teaching Excellence Award from the University of Saint Joseph, and in 2022, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from NASW/CT.
Abby Wood Maldonado, MSW
Maldonado is a Behavioral Health Director with Western CT Coalition, one of five Regional Behavioral Health Action Organizations (RBHAO) across Connecticut that promote prevention and wellness across the lifespan. As part of her role as a Behavioral Health Director, she provides training to communities, agencies, and organizations, and is a certified trainer in Naloxone Overdose Response, Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) suicide prevention training, Screening Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), teen Mental Health First Aid and Search Institute’s Everyone is An Asset Builder training. Due to her passion for mental health promotion and suicide prevention, she worked closely on the development of the Gizmo’s Pawesome Guide to Mental Health Elementary Curriculum and has been a member of the Connecticut Suicide Advisory Board since 2017. Abby earned a BA in Human Development and Family Sciences and Sociology, and a Masters of Social Work with a concentration in Community Organization, both from the University of Connecticut.
Jessica Martin, LMSW
Martin worked as a police officer for the Michigan State University Police Department for over 16 years and in 2022 accepted a civilian position as the Police Social Work Supervisor with the Lansing Police Department. Jessica earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University in 2005 and her Master of Social Work degree from MSU in 2012. Jessica has worked with survivors of domestic and sexual violence, in child welfare, and those with trauma histories. She has worked in private practice, where she focused on assisting clients with PTSD or other trauma-related concerns. Jessica teaches crisis intervention skills, trauma-informed response, and self-care strategies to first responders and other social service professionals. Jessica also serves as the Co-Chair of the Board for the Tri-County Crisis Intervention Team, which offers training to first responders based on the 40-hour Memphis model of CIT. Jessica has presented at the CIT International Conference on Police Social Work programs, as well locally and nationally alongside colleagues from CMH-CEI on integrating content for substance use disorders into CIT curricula. She is a certified instructor for Mental Health First Aid and teaches continuing education classes on trauma for the MSU School of Social Work. Jessica’s passion is serving her community, helping citizens to achieve their goals and utilize their innate strengths.
Patricia McIntosh, LCSW, MPH
McIntosh is the Deputy Director of Social Services for the City of Hartford. She previously served as Director of Community Safety and Wellness for the City, where she was responsible for leading innovative and collaborative programming to address issues of mental health, justice involvement, community violence, housing insecurity, education access, and quality of life. In her current role, projects such as the Hartford Emergency Assistance Response Team (HEARTeam) and a Citywide Self-Care & Wellness Initiative continue to thrive and advance as tools for addressing mental health and wellness in the City of Hartford. Ms. McIntosh’s expansive professional career in major metropolitan U.S. cities, combined with her diverse cultural heritage and life experiences, accentuate her commitment to a career in service where compassion reigns, disparities are dismantled, and communities are better positioned to thrive.
Officer Mark McLaughlin
McLaughlin has been a member of the Somerville Police Department for 7 years, serving in the role of patrolman. Mark has extensive training and experience in harm reduction, crisis intervention, and de-escalation techniques. Outside of his duties as a patrolman, Mark also helps conduct Overdose Aftercare Outreach and serves as one of SPD’s CIT Coordinators. Mark has received Meritorious Service Awards in 2018, 2021 and 2023 and was awarded the MB CIT TTAC Synergy award in 2022. Prior to becoming a police officer, Mark worked as a street outreach coordinator serving homeless and at-risk youth. As an outreach coordinator, Mark operated a mobile medical clinic, providing survival needs, basic medical care, and counseling on the streets of Boston. Additionally, he was responsible for training all staff in Non-violent Crisis Prevention and Intervention tactics (CPI) and sat on the advisory board for the Y2Y homeless youth shelter. Mark has been an active member of the Somerville community his whole life and has worked to have community murals made, memorials dedicated, and has organized numerous youth events. He was also featured in the documentary films, “The COHR Solution” and “Runnin’”.
Grace Mentzer, BSW
Mentzer obtained her bachelor’s in social work from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania in 2006. She has 17 years of experience in various social work sectors, which include the criminal justice system, child welfare system, and education. Grace has been a Police Social Worker at the Lancaster City Bureau of Police in Lancaster, PA, since January 2021. She has strengthened the social work program by introducing uniforms and implementing a case management software system that informs the police social work practice. Grace is certified in Crisis Intervention Team Training (CIT), Forensic Social Work, and Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention. Grace provides short-term crisis support for community members through a trauma-informed lens and has built community partnerships that have bridged the gap between the community and the police. Grace is continuing her education and pursuing her master’s in social work from Lancaster Bible College.
Melissa Misner, LMSW-Clinical, CAADC,
GCDF, CSOTS
Misner has over 20 years of experience as a Social Worker. She is currently a Police Social Worker with the Lansing Police Department. Melissa’s work experience’s include assessment, therapy and case management services in an publicly funded mental health outpatient setting for individuals with substance use disorders, including those involved in the criminal justice system. Melissa’s previous work experience includes assisting individuals with developmental disabilities, dislocated workers, low-income adults, refugees and ex-offenders through various Workforce Development Programs. Melissa has been instrumental in the development and implementation of the Tri-County Crisis Intervention Team (Tri-County CIT). Melissa currently is the Secretary of the Tri-County CIT Board and CIT Coordinator. She has presented at several CIT International Conferences, Michigan CIT conferences, NASW-MI conference and the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan conferences on substance use disorders. Melissa holds a Master’s of Social Work in Organizational & Community Leadership degree from Michigan State University and is a Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor, Global Career Development Facilitator and Certified Sex Offender Treatment Specialist.
Jason Morrisseau, MA, MSW
Morrisseau has over 5 years of experience working within law enforcement agencies as well as multiple years as a social worker in various capacities. Jason earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Theory, a Master of Arts degree in Human and Social Development, a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan and is currently a Ph.D. candidate working on trauma and crisis responses. Jason has worked extensively with diverse populations, unhoused populations, pediatric/ family populations, and those with complex trauma histories for over 15 years. Jason’s passion is doing the “nitty-gritty” work on the ground assisting clients in crisis situations with complex needs. He is trained in multiple modalities including CIT, motivational interviewing, CBT, crisis intervention and stabilization, suicidology, and advanced critical incident stress management. Jason enjoys spending as much time outdoors as possible with his family, is an avid hunter, and volunteers to teach Ojibway culture to Indigenous youth. Jason is proud member of the Ojibway Nation.
Sabrina Ozit, BS
Ozit has been the Coordinator of Law Enforcement Partnerships with the Metro Boston Crisis Intervention Team Training and Technical Assistance Center (MB CIT-TTAC) for five years. With over seventy partners, Sabrina has the privilege of reaching out to Police Departments across the state and engaging in meaningful dialogue about the variety of best practice ways to more effectively collect and analyze data to capture the important work of First Responders. With a background in research, Sabrina enjoys working with partners to customize existing records management systems to both quantify and qualify their community needs and concerns, simultaneously also highlighting Departmental successes.
Alyssa Peters, MSW
Peters is the Police Social Worker (PSW) of Millvale Borough Police Department. Alyssa completed her undergraduate degree from Westminster College with a degree in Child & Family studies and a minor in Psychology. From there she went on to obtain her master’s degree from Slippery Rock University. Alyssa also obtained certifications in CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and Animal Assisted Therapy. She joined the Millvale Police Department as a full-time social worker in May of 2022. Alyssa’s role as the PSW consists of providing crisis intervention to residents of Millvale, collaborating with local agencies, and offering follow-ups, resources, and referrals. Alyssa is available to take referrals from not only the Police Department, but, the local EMS, Code Enforcement, Magistrate, and the Millvale Fire Department.
Lieutenant Nicholas Rankin
Rankin is the Director of Police Social Work Integration for the SWLE Project. He is a 14-year veteran of the Norwich, CT Police Department. A former CIT Officer, Field Training Officer and K-9 Handler, Lieutenant Rankin is the current head of Norwich’s Community Policing and Training & Selections Units. Lieutenant Rankin is a course creator and teacher in De-Escalation as well as Police & the Public; both of which are taught regionally. He is a founding member of the Norwich Police Department’s Recovery Coach Program and a founding member of Rose City United; a community service cooperative comprised of Norwich Police and Black Lives Matter Activists.
Timothy Rykowski, MSW
Rykowski is a recent graduate of the University of Connecticut with a master’s degree in social work. Before obtaining his MSW, he was a Lieutenant with the Norwich Police Department (2004-2021), where he held multiple positions within the agency, including Detective, Patrol Sergeant, Training and Selections Sergeant, and Patrol Shift Commander (Evening shift). He was also a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps (1999-2003) where he held two positions as infantry and security forces. Tim is a lifelong resident of Connecticut.
Jordan Sager, MSW
Sager is a master’s level social worker with nearly a decade of experience in the social work field. He holds a certification in Alcohol and Drug Counseling (CADC) through the Pennsylvania Certification Board. Jordan’s social work journey began after he enlisted in the United States Air Force following high school. As a Behavioral Health Technician in the Air Force, Jordan had the opportunity to work in mental health, substance abuse, and child welfare fields. In addition, Jordan was attached to the Traumatic Stress Response Team (TSRT) that provided 24/7 crisis support and intervention to military and community residents following traumatic incidents and natural disasters. Now, Jordan is the Social Services Coordinator at the Ross Police Department located in Allegheny County, PA. There, he provides comprehensive social services through the police department to residents of the community. Providing social services through the police department has helped reduce recidivism and improve the overall health of the community in Ross Township.
Bridgit Sliwak, LCSW
Sliwak is the Behavioral Health Coordinator for the Portland Maine Police Department. She received her undergraduate degree in sociology from George Mason University and her MSW from the University of Southern Maine. Bridgit has worked with vulnerable populations in the community as well as the criminal just system for the past decade. Prior to her current role with the Portland PD, she spent four years working in Maine’s correctional system; first as a clinician and later as the unit manager for Maine’s only medium/close custody correctional facility for women. Bridgit has extensive experience with people experiencing severe and persistent mental illness, substance use disorder, and trauma. She believes strongly in the value of building relationships and enhancing community partnerships.
Lieutenant Matthew Solak
Solak is the Law Enforcement Director and Co-Founder of the SWLE Project. He is a 17-year veteran of the Willimantic (Connecticut) Police Department, presently serving in the Administration Division. Some of Lieutenant Solak’s prior assignments have included Midnight Shift Sergeant, Community Policing, and Bike Patrol Officer, and he served on the Willimantic Police Department SWAT Team for 9 years. In 2018, Lieutenant Solak created the Willimantic Police Department’s Police-Assisted Recovery HOPE Program, and Lieutenant Solak serves as the Department’s liaison to the Willimantic Community Care Team and the Windham Opioid Task Force. As a Connecticut POSTC-certified Police Instructor, Lieutenant Solak teaches a variety of disciplines, including Instructor Development, Officer Wellness and Police Stress, and Active Threat Response. In 2021, he testified before the Connecticut General Assembly on topics pertaining to Police and Social Work Partnerships, and was a panel presenter at the first annual National Conference on Police Social Work in Bloomington, Indiana. Lieutenant Solak holds a Master’s Degree from Trinity College and is presently pursuing a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Connecticut.
Lieutenant Michael Stokes
Stokes, of the Waterbury Police Department, began his career in law enforcement in 2001. During his distinguished career spanning over twenty years, he has always been committed to crisis intervention and community welfare. Serving as an original member and later coordinator of the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) established in 2004, he collaborated with the Dept. of Mental Health & Addiction Services (DMHAS) as a mentor and leader in crisis intervention. Lt. Stokes extended his impact by becoming a certified QPR (Question Persuade Refer) suicide prevention instructor, training numerous officers in suicide prevention techniques. Certified in Critical Incident Stress Management, ASIST, and Mental Health First Aid. Lt. Stokes played a pivotal role in establishing the Waterbury Police Department’s Peer Support Team in 2018, later assuming the role of coordinator. Lt. Stokes is a 15-year member of the Waterbury Regional Hostage Negotiation Team and became the Commander in 2019. As the police liaison to the Community Care team (CCT), Lt. Stokes helps to facilitate access to essential resources, bridging gaps in care and improving outcomes for countless individuals. In 2020, as Waterbury formed an Overdose Response Team to combat the opioid crisis, Lt. Stokes supervised the team comprising of recovery coaching professionals from the Waterbury Health Department. The team responded to overdose calls, community outreach and family needs. Lt. Stokes, certified as a Recovery Coach Professional (RCP), has guided individuals, officers, and families towards treatment and support services. In 2021, the City established a Crisis Intervention Team-Youth model, with Lt. Stokes as coordinator, addressing the unique needs of youth, particularly during the pandemic. Working alongside school social workers, this initiative offers essential support to youth experiencing mental health crises beyond school hours. Lt. Stokes organizes community outreach events, uniting service providers to offer in-person assistance to the homeless and those battling substance use disorder and/or mental health issues, fostering connections and offering vital care and hope to Waterbury Community.
Mallory Swanson, MSW, LSW
Swanson is a Police Social Worker (PSW) at the Bloomington (IN) Police Department. She earned her Master’s in Social Work degree from Indiana University Bloomington and is a Licensed Social Worker. Mallory’s background includes working primarily with adults with serious mental illness, and clients in recovery for substance use. Mallory has also worked with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, at-risk youth, and families in low-income communities. Mallory assisted in developing and presenting at the first National Conference on Police Social Work. Mallory is a law enforcement spouse, married to a Major in a rural agency in Indiana. She is dedicated to serving first responders and their families to maintain and improve their overall wellness.
Leslie Swiderski, RN, LCSW
Swiderski has been employed in the Greater Waterbury healthcare system over many decades, initially as a Registered Nurse and then as a Crisis Clinician in a local hospital emergency department. For the last twenty years of her continuing career, she is utilizing both of her degrees to coordinate care and services for our community’s most vulnerable. Her expertise and years of experience have made her a trusted community resource. Leslie is currently the Associate Director of Case Management for both the Waterbury Health Access Program (WHAP) and the Waterbury Community Care Team (CCT) at StayWell Heath Center. These citywide initiatives were designed to facilitate a community collaborative approach to healing. She and her bilingual staff team provide individualized assessment and referrals to appropriate team providers/partners. Included in the near 40 project partners are: medical/behavioral health providers, community benefit organizations, law enforcement, local court system, and city, state, and federal governmental organizations.
Trooper First Class Rodney Valdes
Valdes is an 18-year veteran with the CT State Police. He is the Peer Support Coordinator, Chaplaincy Program Coordinator, and a Comfort K9 Handler. He has helped dozens of agencies develop and maintain peer support programs, teams, policies, and trainings. Growing the program to over a 100-member team, he tracks and manages all critical incident responses, first responder crises intervention, (CISM) Critical Incident Stress Management Debriefings, and peer support deployments. Rodney has earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Management with a minor in Philosophy from Post University and is currently a student at Liberty University, enrolled in their seminary program, completing his Master of Divinity. He is an ordained Pastor and has dedicated his research, study, and education to help people recover from religious causes of trauma. Rodney is a Navy Veteran and has recently submitted his package to be Commissioned as a Navy Chaplain. He sits on several boards of directors designed to serve first responders and veterans mental health needs.
Laurel Wiers, LMFT
Wiers wasn’t supposed to be an expert in triggers and trauma, or even the one training others to treat it. After successfully avoiding clients with this diagnosis for 15 years, she was the last person to talk about having success treating this group of people. However, after being trained in a therapeutic modality using the science of memory reconsolidation, everything changed. After experiencing much success with her clients, she went on to become a national trainer and teach other clinicians how to treat trauma as well. Her mission is to help others eliminate trauma and triggers with ease. She uses her skills to treat people with trauma, and/or those who don’t know how to move past the images, sensations and events that replay in their mind, inhibiting performance and holding them back from the life intended for them. Her message is clear: everyone performs better when triggers are eliminated. Laurel is a licensed marriage and family therapist and has been practicing for over 24 years. She is Master Certified in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) as well as a national trainer in ART. She is a collaborator for the recently developed therapeutic modality of Critical Memory Integration (CMI) and has trained therapists, psychiatrists and psychologists internationally. She consults for universities as well as provides continuing education for hospitals and non-clinical agencies. She is the author of Betrayed, not Broken (Morgan James, 2015) and has been featured in the Chicago Tribune, Military Life magazine and Newsweek. She own a group practice in Groton, CT and is the founder of Optimal Outcome, LLC., a coaching and consulting business that serves individuals desiring to break free from the memories and events that are inhibiting their best performance and move them to their next level of success.
Ashley Wilson, MSW
Wilson is the Social Services Coordinator at the Hampton Police Department located in Allison Park, Pennsylvania. Ashley graduated with her Master of Social Work from Slippery Rock University. Ashley holds certifications in CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), Animal-Assisted Social Work, and Forensic Social Work. Her experience in mental health and hospice social work has allowed her to offer the residents within the Township of Hampton both social and therapeutic services.