
Our Work
APDM operates several programs designed to strengthen the Maryland Office of the Public Defender, their attorneys and staff, as well as more thoroughly meet the needs of the clients that they serve.

Justice-Involved Youth Behavioral Health Access Project
In collaboration with CareFirst and OPD, APDM works to increase access to services and improve wellness for justice-involved youth in Prince George’s County through screening, assessment, planning, ongoing support, and referrals to appropriate behavioral health treatment and community-based services.
Career Development Fund
To ensure that Maryland public defenders remain abreast of new and emerging reforms and best practices, APDM provides scholarships for OPD attorneys, social workers, and staff to pursue outside professional development opportunities, attend conferences, specialized trainings, and workshops.


Diversity Leadership Initiative
Recognizing the critical importance of racial and ethnic diversity to a public defender’s office whose clients are primarily people of color, APDM seeks to expand the pipeline of attorneys from groups traditionally underrepresented in the legal profession and to strengthen the cultural competencies of the next generation of legal service providers.
Children's Defense Intervention Project


Decarceration Initiative
Maryland Equitable Justice Collaborative
APDM manages philanthropic support for the Maryland Equity & Justice Collaborative (MEJC), which brings together experts and impacted communities to develop solutions to mass incarceration. As MEJC advances reforms through research, advocacy, and policy recommendations, APDM supports outreach, education, and engagement. Through this partnership, APDM helps amplify impacted voices and drive meaningful justice reform.
