|
Listening Session: Safety Concerns and Strategies when Conducting Field Visits
SESSION INFO
Sunday, June 30, 2024
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Session Type: Workshop
Following the deaths of several probation officers, APPA began engaging in conversations with community corrections colleagues about officer health and safety. As a leader and resource for the field, APPA must be a key part of the efforts to bring attention to improving officers’ health and safety and contribute to strategies to help minimize tragic incidents. Recognizing occurrences like these, fortunately and thankfully, are few and far between for our field, albeit even one is too much. Plans are underway to host a series of gatherings on this topic including but not limited to webinars, listening sessions, an annual Health and Safey Colloquium. The ultimate goal is to provide the industry with practical steps that can be taken to improve officers’ health and safety – via meaningful, relevant training, policy recommendations, etc.
During this training institute, the listening session is just the first of many steps APPA will take to launch this much-needed discussion aimed at identifying special health and safety issues impacting pretrial, probation, and parole.
|
|
|
SESSION PRESENTERS
Magdalena Morales-Aina, LPC-S
Director, El Paso County CSCD
Magdalena Morales-Aina, LPC-S, LPCC, currently serves as the Director of the El Paso County Community Supervision and Corrections Department (El Paso County CSCD). With 29 years of experience in criminal justice and 18 years as a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor (LPC-S) in El Paso, Texas, she has established herself as a seasoned professional.
Ms. Morales-Aina's expertise extends to program development and training, where she has played a significant role in promoting Best Practices in Community Supervision. She has made considerable contributions to the areas of Jail Diversion, Competency Restoration, and Civil & Forensic Commitments, demonstrating her comprehensive understanding of the intricacies of the justice system.
Her passion for ensuring equity and inclusion has led her to become a skilled presenter in various domains, including Cultural Competence, Behavioral Health, Trauma-Informed Care, Specialty Courts, and Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) within the context of justice settings.
In 2011, Ms. Morales-Aina was appointed as the Director of the El Paso County Community Supervision & Corrections Department. In this role, she serves as a key figure, reporting directly to judges overseeing criminal cases in El Paso County, Hudspeth County, and Culberson County. Her responsibilities encompass the overall administration, management, and supervision of departmental operations.
Beyond her directorial role, Ms. Morales-Aina actively participates in numerous multidisciplinary committees at local, state, and national levels. Her commitment to improving the criminal justice system is exemplified through her active membership in Texas Probation Association (TPA) and American Probation and Parole Association (APPA). She is a faculty member of All Rise (formerly NADCP) and serves as a Senior Consultant for SAMHSA's GAINS Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Transformation.
In 2024 she was appointed as a Commissioner for the Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health (JCMH). Her extensive experience, relentless dedication, and unwavering commitment to improving the criminal justice system make her a prominent figure in the field. Ms. Morales-Aina remains committed to sharing her expertise with passion and humility. Her contributions and leadership continue to shape and elevate the standards of justice and care for justice-i
|
|
|
|
|
|