Ripped From the Headlines, Mental Illness and Violence

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Shanan Aven obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Human Services specializing in Criminal Justice and a minor in Psychology from Wayland Baptist University in 2006. In 2011 she graduated from Argosy University with a Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology. In 2007 she was instrumental in the creation of a re-entry program for Arizona Department of Corrections to help offenders’ transition from prison to the community, which the department adopted and still uses to this day. In 2010 Shanan worked with the Arizona Governor's Office for Children, Youth, and Families helping to oversee the Governor's Meth Task Force to help combat the methamphetamine crisis throughout the state of Arizona. In 2012 she became a case manager working with the mentally ill population on both a supportive team and an Assertive Community Treatment team (ACT). Then in 2015 Shanan joined Maricopa County Adult Probation, working as a probation officer supervising the Seriously Mentally Ill caseload and is now an officer in the Intensive Probation Unit.

. Naomi Eubank obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with minors in Spanish and Sociology from Arizona State University in 2007. In 2010 she graduated from Argosy University with a Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology. She has over 10 years of community involvement working with at risk youth to include affiliations with the City of Avondale. Naomi co-founded a woman’s resource group and a Latino based sister company. She has over six years of case management experience working in the Arizona Foster Care and Adoption system. She has been with the department for over four years, entering the Maricopa County SMI Adult Probation unit upon graduation of the academy. She has also worked with the CANVAS program within Superior Court for approximately one year prior to rotation of Commissioner Morton.

Fred Wilhalme graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, with a concentration in Criminal Justice, from Monmouth College in New Jersey. He has been a probation officer for over thirty-four years and has been assigned to the SMI Unit for the past sixteen years. Fred was named the Maricopa County Probation Officer of the year and the Arizona Line Officer of the Year by the Arizona Chief’s Association in 2016. Fred has also received an award as a Crisis Officer of Distinction, from the David’s Hope Organization, in 2015, for his work with mentally ill individuals.