On Saturday, February 15, Stephen Koonz, MA., MSW will present “Labeling the Persons with Mental Illness as Violent: Portrayal of Persons with Mental Illness in Literature”

Recently retired after 33 years of service with the NYS Office of Mental Health, Stephen Koonz spent twenty-five in direct clinical practice with a forensic mental health population (often sex offenders) with concomitant substance abuse issues. His work involved sex offender evaluations for the Sexually Violent Predator initiative under Governor Pataki and with the passage of the Sex Offender Management and Treatment Act, overseeing clinical and operations for sex offender treatment programs. Most recently he initiated and oversaw sex offender management of insanity acquittals and those determined unfit to stand trial. With master’s degrees in both criminal justice and social work, Steve teaches at local colleges on related topics, including sex offenders, forensic mental health, the mentally ill offender, criminology, corrections, juvenile delinquency, a survey of social work theory and practice, the nature of crime, and power and privilege.

The Maven’s meeting will be held at the Bethlehem Public Library in Delmar (451 Delaware Avenue). The meeting starts at 10:30 am, and the program will begin at 11:00 am.