Bucks County to use opioid settlement money to help Public Defender’s Office

Bucks County will be able to use approximately $200,000 of its $21.2 million opioid settlement funds to support the Public Defender’s Office, following a reversal of decision by the Pennsylvania Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust (Trust). The Trust had initially discouraged funding public defense, preferring funds be spent on traditionally eligible uses. This decision represents a win for advocates who argue public defenders are crucial in addressing addiction and for local leaders seeking more flexibility in fund allocation. Niels Eriksen Jr., Bucks County’s chief public defender, highlighted the chronic underfunding of public defender offices compared to law enforcement. The county plans to potentially create a dedicated public defender position focused on opioid and substance use cases, with eligibility based on self-reported status or a treatment provider’s diagnosis, not the charges against the client. The reversal came after Bucks County appealed the Trust’s initial rejection of funding for an assistant public defender, arguing that the Trust’s rules did not prohibit funding existing positions and that public defenders play a vital role in treatment and diversionary programs.

(Source：Trentonian)