Through a grant made possible by IOLTA, the Office of Indigent Defense Services is pleased to announce that Carla Huff, LCSW, will serve as the IDS Recruitment and Training Coordinator. Her start date was Monday, April 24, 2023.
Carla will be working with staff to implement strategies for recruiting and retaining a strong, diverse, and vibrant attorney corps. She will develop trainings related to adverse childhood experiences (ACES) and provide professional development relevant to IDS practices.
Originally from Montana, Carla came to North Carolina by way of the military, where she served in the United States Army, stationed at Ft. Bragg (soon to be Ft. Liberty). Carla trained in military intelligence and police work during her time on active duty and served as a Military Honor Guard for active duty and veteran funerals.
Following military service, Carla worked as a social worker for the Department of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention in Raleigh and, later, Wake County Public Schools. She comes to IDS after working at Alliance Health for eight years, which is based in Morrisville. There, she covered multiple counties and was part of two pilot programs—one providing support to caregivers of children with complex health needs; the other supporting community inclusion for individuals transitioning out of long-term care.
Carla earned master’s degrees in social work and education at North Carolina State University. While in the MSW program, she was selected as a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Scholar. Carla’s interests include the impact of trauma on development and trauma recovery, community inclusion, military veterans post-deployment, and epigenetics.
Carla’s current priority is to provide education on the impact of trauma and how to support both clients and defenders. She will also collect input and feedback to assess current recruitment and retention strategies and develop plans to move this work forward. To reach Carla, send an email to Carla.Huff@nccourts.org.