California Defense Social Workers
The California Defense Social Workers (CDSW) is a professional workgroup comprised of Forensic Social Workers from the Northern California region focused indigent criminal defense.
This site is for use for all CDSW members to help facilitate discussion, networking, and furthering the purpose of indigent criminal defense. Please check our calendar for the most up to date information regarding meetings and discussion panels.
CDSW holds quarterly in person meetings in Northern and Central California.
Upcoming General Meetings:
December 4, 2024 - San Francisco - SF Public Defender's Office, 555 7th St, San Francisco, CA, 2nd Floor - Topic: Participatory Defense: Strategic Tools & In practice - Agenda
February 5, 2025 - Santa Cruz
August 6, 2025 - Open, Please Host!
November 5, 2025 - Open, Please Host!
CDSW also hosts monthly remote practice area subgroup meetings:
1. Mitigation subgroup is held remotely on the 2nd Thursday of the month from 12pm-1pm on Teams. Please contact Ronda Swenson to join the Pretrial Services listserv and to obtain a link to this meeting: rswenson14@gmail.com.
2. Post-Conviction Services subgroup is held remotely on the 3rd Thursday of the month from 12pm-1pm on Teams. Please contact Harpreet Samra to join the Post-Conviction Services listserv and to obtain a link to this meeting: harpreets@smcba.org.
3. Youth Defense Subgroup is held virtually on the 4th Thursday of the month from 12pm-1pm. Please contact Emma Germer to join the Youth Defense Subgroup listserv and to obtain a link to this meeting: Emma.Germer@acgov.org.
4. The Mental Health Diversion subgroup is held virtually on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from 12pm-1pm. Please contact Sascha Atkins-Loria to join the Mental Health Diversion Subgroup listserv and to obtain a link to this meeting: Sascha.Atkins-Loria@acgov.org.
5. The Supervisor subgroup is held virtually on the 1st Thursday of each month from 11:30m-12:30pm. Please contact Ivana Carter to join the Supervisor subgroup listserv and to obtain a link to this meeting: carteia@fresnocountyca.gov.