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Silent Struggle Episode 16: Mental Health Court And The MDC Public Defender’s Office
Joining Robert Asencio and David Magnusson this morning at the Miami Community News Studios in South Miami was the Honorable Carlos J. Martinez, Public Defender, from Miami Dade County, 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida.
The discussion covered a gamut of issues as they relate to the Public Defender’s Office but homed in on the stresses that afflict not just his public defenders but public defenders throughout the country. The idealistic
professionals who make up his office have been through the burn out, the vicarious trauma, the moral injuries, and compassion fatigue, not to mention living through the criminalization of mental illness. Additionally, these stressors
magnified 10-fold during the height of the COVID Pandemic.
Mr. Martinez discusses the steps he has taken to bring awareness to the issues that affect his office as well as the proactive measures put in place to lessen the mental strain of an incredibly stressful job. As he said “Those folks don’t complain. They do their work. They go in. They know the fight.” It is a very eye-opening episode surely that will have you look at things you may not have considered before.
