Social Work Program Development

BDEP welcomed its first two interns from the Chico State School of Social Work during the 2022–2023 academic year. Their work focused on research and program development at the intersection of social work and criminal defense, helping to lay the foundation for BDEP’s holistic defense model. One intern developed a local social services resource guide for defense attorneys and shadowed a public defender in practice, while the other conducted national outreach to holistic defense organizations, participated in social work support networks, and attended trainings for social workers across California.

The Social Work Internship Program was launched under the leadership of Ann Peterson and has continued to grow since its inception. BDEP is currently continuing the social work program into the 2026–2027 academic year, reflecting our ongoing commitment to integrating social work into public defense. Our current social work internship advisor, Rebecca Mata, is a former BDEP social work intern, who brings valuable institutional knowledge and lived experience to the supervision and mentorship of new interns.

Our partnership with Chico State remains active, and we anticipate hosting social work interns whenever opportunities allow. BDEP is also committed to ongoing collaboration with social work organizations throughout the United States. For more information about the development and evolution of the Social Work Internship Program, click the link below to be directed to our History tab.