Academy Hosts State Attorney

A return visit paves the way for a valuable partnership

We love when visitors return to the Academy to learn more about our services, so we were thrilled that Ed Brodsky, State Attorney for Florida’s 12th Judicial Circuit, and Craig Schaeffer, Chief Assistant State Attorney for Sarasota County, returned for a tour and lunch. The two first became familiar with Academy services in 2018, when they attended a regional Mental Health Court Seminar that the Academy hosted for Judge Erika Quartermaine.

This time they had a personal tour from member Paul Hennekes, who guided them through our vocational areas—including Arts, Business & Technology, and Culinary—to meet our members and hear about their individual journeys. Already supporters of the rehabilitation process, Ed and Craig were inquisitive about Academy services and expressed interest in exploring avenues of collaboration and partnership with the Academy.

The State Attorney’s office is committed to building safe communities and working with community partners to address citizens’ needs and promote a high quality of life in Manatee, Sarasota, and DeSoto Counties. District Attorney Brodsky and his team recognize that supporting the recovery of persons living with mental health challenges will help strengthen their mission, so we see much potential for collaboration. We look forward to building our partnership, and we await a future visit from their leadership team for a Lunch & Learn!