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Mono County Board authorizes application for expanded public‑defense grant to fund holistic defense worker
Summary
The Board unanimously authorized county staff to apply for a two‑year, $359,812 Office of the State Public Defender grant to fund a social‑worker supervisor position to support holistic defense work for justice‑involved people.
MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. — On Oct. 21 the Mono County Board of Supervisors authorized the county to apply for an expanded public‑defense grant from the Office of the State Public Defender to fund holistic defense services.
County staff said the grant would pay for non‑attorney support — for example social work or marriage and family therapy — intended to connect justice‑involved people with services that could reduce recidivism. The application requests $359,812 to fund a social‑worker supervisor position for two years, a figure staff described as “fully loaded.”
County counsel called the item to the board and noted that local access to attorneys is limited, increasing the value of social‑work supports for people involved in the justice system. The board voted in favor of authorizing the application; staff will proceed with filing the grant request.
Vote and process
The board took a single motion to authorize the county to apply; the motion passed with all supervisors voting in favor on the floor. Staff said the county’s fiscal exposure is limited to the local match elements detailed in the application if an award is made; the grant request itself covers the salary and benefit costs proposed in the application.
What happens next: Staff will submit the application to the Office of the State Public Defender. If awarded, the county would bring implementation steps back to the board for any budget adjustments and for formal recruitment of the funded position.
