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<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u201cI had to be revived in the ambulance, LifeFlighted to Vanderbilt, and then put into a medically induced coma while I recovered from a traumatic brain injury,\u201d she recalled. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After numerous surgeries and years of rehabilitation, Hazelwood was finally healthy enough to pursue her education in 2018. She enrolled at Motlow State Community College for her associate degree in social work, then transferred to Middle Tennessee State University for her bachelor\u2019s and master\u2019s degrees in social work, with a new dream \u2014 to help others as a social worker once helped her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hazelwood said her decision to pursue social work, especially in the criminal justice system, felt predestined. One of the requirements for her bachelor\u2019s degree was a 400-hour internship. When the internship she had lined up fell through at the last moment, her field advisor recommended the public defender\u2019s office in Coffee County. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWithout any other options, I decided to apply,\u201d she admitted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Initially, Hazelwood imagined working with children or becoming a victim\u2019s advocate, so the idea of working with adults facing criminal prosecution didn\u2019t seem appealing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI went into the interview with absolutely no idea what a social worker would do in a public defender\u2019s office or whether I would be a good fit,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, as she interviewed with John Nicoll, the district public defender in Coffee County, his vision for the social work program moved her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s now four years later, and I have fallen in love with this work,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve learned what a positive impact I can have on our clients\u2019 lives by helping them overcome adversity and rewrite their own stories just as I did in my own life.\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hazelwood can\u2019t imagine doing anything else. Making a difference in her clients\u2019 lives is her morning fuel,\u00a0resources that can impact their and their family\u2019s well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She spends her days between the jail, the courtroom, and her office, reviewing medical records, conducting client assessments, and coordinating services. She listens to clients\u2019 success stories with a sparkle of excitement in her eyes. The pride of watching her clients achieve something they didn\u2019t think was possible feels invigorating. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Most of Hazelwood\u2019s clients have faced more adversity than anyone should ever experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMany clients are in the criminal justice system because they are battling substance abuse, mental health issues, homelessness, or unemployment,\u201d she explained. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Each success reminds her and her clients that they don\u2019t have to face this seemingly grueling process alone. This collective success benefited individual clients and also enhanced the quality of the broader program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Together with her team at the public defender\u2019s office, Hazelwood has helped the social work program grow considerably. The initial stages were challenging, but now the office serves as a prototype for best practices in rural districts statewide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere were growing pains at first,\u201d she said. \u201cWe didn\u2019t have established models to replicate in rural communities, and it took time to educate other stakeholders in the criminal justice system about the role of a forensic social worker.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Since then, Hazelwood has contributed to interprofessional collaborative training for staff in 13 other districts, hoping to expand the use of forensic social workers across Tennessee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Aside from the training programs, Hazelwood finds her greatest reward is witnessing the personal transformations her work supports. She is especially proud of three clients who, after completing treatment programs, now work as peer support specialists or house managers, helping others on their path to recovery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPeople can\u2019t change the past, but they don\u2019t have to be defined by it either,\u201d she said. \u201cIf I can help clients find their inner strength to make positive changes, our community improves, one client at a time.\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In the future, Hazelwood hopes to continue expanding forensic social work in public defender offices across the state. She plans to grow the internship program and eventually develop a curriculum to train future forensic social workers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hazelwood\u2019s story has evolved from the depths of uncertainty and disarray into a source of inspiration for many. Her trials have given her the insight and strength to help others learn to dream again and rewrite their stories. She has proven that healing and hope are always possible, no matter how bleak the path may seem. GN\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Growing up in a world of unpredictability, where stability was a luxury and trust a fragile commodity, was the reality for Mary Hazelwood. As a child, Hazelwood experienced the instability of the foster care system, moving between two homes for a year before her father regained custody. Through this tumultuous period, though brief, Hazelwood found […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":23506,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23504","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/manchester\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/01\/3-2-1024x683.png\")
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