The Causeway
The monthly newsletter for the Franklin County Bar Association
"The law is a causeway upon which, so long as he keeps to it, a citizen may walk safely" Robert Bolt, playwright
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Book Sale to Benefit Franklin County Legal Services |
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Volunteers Needed for WFH on April 29th |
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FCBA YLD & FCB Foundation host Law Day contests |
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Join the FCBA YLD at the Race Against Poverty |
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The FCBA YLD is proud to participate in this year's Race Against Poverty. The FCBA YLD has sponsored a race team every year since 2014.
We hope you can join us for the 13th Annual Race Against Poverty, June 2nd in downtown Chambersburg!
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President Judge Meyers & FCBA receive award at CCBL |
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The PA Bar Association recognized President Shawn D. Meyers and the Franklin County Bar Association at their annual Conference of County Bar Leaders on March 3, 2023. The FCBA assisted with President Judge Shawn D. Meyers of the 39th Judicial District Court of Commons Pleas to provide a series of four civic engagement ceremonies: May 18, 2022 - Celebrating 300 years of the Pennsylvania judiciary; June 17, 2022 - Juneteenth program featuring Stephanie Jirard, professor of criminal justice and chief diversity officer for Shippensburg University; July 1, 2022 - Declaration of lndependence observation of July 4 and ratification of the Pennsylvania Constitution featuring Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice P. Kevin Brobson; and Sept. 16, 2022 -Adoption of U.S. Constitution by the delegates of the Constitutional Convention and ratification of the Bill of Rights featuring Judge John E. Jones III, retired chief judge of the U.S. Middle District Court of Pennsylvania and current president of Dickinson College.
Pictured: FCBA president Anthony J. Cosentino presents award to President Judge Shawn D. Meyers
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FCBA representatives receive award at CCBL on behalf of the FCBA. Pictured l-r: Amelia Ambrose, executive director FCBA; Jay N. Silberblatt, president PBA, Kristen B. Hamilton, immediate past president FCBA, Cayla E. Amsley-Mummert, secretary FCBA, Janice M. Hawbaker, pro bono committee chair FCBA, Andrea B. Pattine, president CCBL; Allison M. Freeman, vice chair young lawyers division FCBA; and Abigail J.W. Salawage, at-large board member FCBA. |
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These CLEs are available in our Chambersburg office! |
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April 11th @ 9 am - 12:15 pm
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April 24th @ 9 am - 12:15 pm
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April 25th @ 9 am - 12:15 pm
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Press Releases, Memos and Important Notices |
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Court Calendaring and Wayfinding
The 39th Judicial District is now live with modern Court Scheduling for events, officials, and Courtrooms.
Through CountySuite/Teleosoft, Court Scheduling is online for public court matters, and includes Courthouse Wayfinder.
The Wayfinder feature provides a scrolling display of all scheduled events for public viewing in general areas of the Courthouse in the Franklin County Branch of the 39th Judicial District and is integrated with CPCMS (Common Pleas “Criminal” Case Management System).
Below is the link for public view online:
The link can be found on the Franklin County website at www.franklincountypa.gov under the Judicial Tab and then by clicking on the Court Calendar Tab. You may also find this link on our FCBA website, on the Judicial District page:
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The Disciplinary Board
of the Supreme Court of PA
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Read the latest news and statistics from the Supreme Court of PA.
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Guardianship Tracking System Online Workshops offered by AOPC - April, May, and June |
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Please see below for a brochure regarding the next round of GTS Guardian Workshops for court-appointed guardians. This series offers sessions in April, May, and June.
Guardians who participated in any of the prior workshop/webinar sessions will not need to attend since the material being presented is essentially the same. This series is again being offered exclusively as ‘Online Workshops’. The online webinars have been very successful and convenient for the guardians since various dates and times are being offered to accommodate their schedules, and also travel is not required.
The guardians will need to register online so that the trainers can appropriately plan and staff the sessions based on the number expected to participate.
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Do you have a updated FCBA member list? |
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The complete member list is updated quarterly and available to you and your staff two ways.
You may download and print a PDF from the members' section of our website (log in required). Or you may email Amelia at director@franklinbar.org to receive a PDF or excel document anytime.
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Coffee Corner
"Coffee Corner" is a periodic column in The Causeway by Bar members Annie Gómez Shockey, Brandon Copeland, and Erich Hawbaker.
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The Intersection of Legal and Social Services:
Collaboration to Benefit Our Community
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I recently spoke to a woman facing an eviction who had health issues and was also caring for her grandchildren. While she called me because she needed legal help, I could tell that she needed support beyond what I, as an attorney, could provide. The reality for many of my clients is that their legal need is often a symptom of a larger struggle. I could try to help delay her eviction to give her time to find another place, but was I really setting her up for success? The need for social services comes up in custody, immigration, and a myriad of other areas of practice as well. As attorneys, our job is to represent our client’s legal interests but that isn’t always the end of the story. |
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Prior to working for Franklin County Legal Services, I worked for a nonprofit that provided case management services. My exposure to the wonderful social workers at that organization helped me to better understand the ways in which poverty impacted my clients. The concept of Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) was a topic that specifically stuck with me as a topic frequently discussed by my prior coworkers. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines SDoH as “conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.”[1] What this means in practice is that someone who does not have access to healthy food will be more likely to develop conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Chronic health problems can result in loss of employment that can then lead to an eviction. As attorneys, we know what the legal ramifications are for an eviction, but what we may not consider are the ways in which that eviction (or another legal matter) may be impacting our client’s health and overall wellbeing.
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From my prior work experience, I took with me an understanding that sometimes I need to look at my client’s situation holistically and see whether there is a service in the community that can help meet their needs. I can’t solve every problem facing my clients, but I can take the time to make a referral to an organization that can help. Many times, my clients have better outcomes in their legal matters when they do have support from social services in their communities. I spoke to Clint Barkdoll about his experience working with social services in our community. He has had social services involved in a myriad of legal cases and has found that “the social service intervention was critical in achieving a favorable outcome for the client.” Kristen Hamilton also works significantly with social services in our community including Service Access Management Services (SAMS), Justice Works, and Children and Youth Services General Protective Services to name a few. Recently, she reports utilizing “the Office of Aging and some other programs to try to help older clients who are having difficulty navigating what I need to represent them to the fullest.”
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While there are many programs available in our community to support our clients, there are times when a program or resource is simply not available or there is a waitlist. The inability to access social services can be both frustrating for ourselves and our clients, especially if accessing those resources is court ordered. Behavioral health services are a particular struggle for our community, and my clients have had challenges accessing programs like reunification therapy or Parent Child Interactive Therapy. Attorney Barkdoll has similarly seen a lack of services in certain areas, commenting that he has “had cases where local clients go to Frederick or Harrisburg for mental health services.” It is also challenging when we as attorneys do make a referral and the client doesn’t follow-up. In this situation, I try to evaluate whether my client’s failure to follow-up is because of a barrier such as lack of transportation or a language difference. As Attorney Hamilton notes, “I also think that the stigma associated with “social services” is quite often a deterrent for using them, making the gap unnecessarily larger.” While lack of services or follow-through can be frustrating, it should not be a deterrent for us to continue to make those referrals to social services. |
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As attorneys, we find ourselves in a unique place where people expect us to solve problems that are often of their own making. In trying to address a person’s legal matter, we can take the time to evaluate whether a referral to a social service program might also help to meet the person’s needs. Accessing social services may benefit our client’s legal case, but it also could help our clients address some of the root causes that result in a legal dispute including improving SDoH. I don’t know if my client facing eviction will find herself on better footing once her case is complete with my office. I do know, however, that I connected her to case management services, which will benefit her and her grandchildren beyond my legal representation. |
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Franklin County Bar Association
100 Lincoln Way East, Suite E, Chambersburg, PA 17201
717-267-2032
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