PUBLIC ADVOCATE, COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY

Position:

The Public Advocate is the Chief Administrator of the Department of Public Advocacy, an independent Executive Branch agency within the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet in Frankfort, Kentucky. The Public Advocate leads the statewide public defender system, creates a vision for the direction of the agency, administers a $40 million annual budget, sets policy for the agency and its employees, and oversees over 500 employees in 32 offices across the Commonwealth. The Public Advocate also provides oversight to the Protection and Advocacy Division, which is a semi-independent agency placed within the Department. The Public Advocate is supervised by and works with a 12-person oversight Commission. The Public Advocate collaborates with others in leading the criminal justice system to ensure the fair administration of justice, including the Kentucky Court of Justice and the Kentucky Bar Association, as well as national bodies including the American Council of Chief Defenders and the National Legal Aid and Defender Association. Work involves managing the budget, reviewing and presenting testimony on proposed criminal justice legislation, developing policies and procedures, and developing a strategic plan. Position has direct oversight responsibility for Executive Staff.

.DUTIES OF THE STATE PUBLIC ADVOCATE INCLUDE:

• Makes recommendations to the Commission and the legislature on how to establish and maintain, in a cost-effective manner, the delivery of legal services to persons entitled to and financially eligible for appointed counsel in criminal proceedings at state expense under Kentucky law and the Constitution;
• Oversees budget preparation and manages budget allocation;
• Develops and implements a strategic plan for the delivery of public defender services;
• Defines organizational culture, sets standards for intra-agency practices, facilitates communication;
• Implements and ensures compliance with contracts, policies, procedures, standards, and guidelines adopted by the Commission or required by statute and regulations;
• Appears before the Legislature and various committees on the budget to report on the activities and needs of the Department, provides testimony regarding various pieces of criminal justice legislation.
• Seeks alternative funding streams via grant process or donations to support the system.
• Participates in the process to challenge or revise criminal and civil rules of the Kentucky Supreme Court.
• Develops policies, standards, guidelines, and procedures for the statewide delivery of public defender services in accordance with Chapter 31;
• Serves on the Kentucky Criminal Justice Council, the Kentucky Corrections Commission, and the Governor’s Domestic Violence Commission and other committees and organizations, as necessary.