Kat Layton
Biography
Kat Layton joined the Center for Behavioral Health and Justice (CBHJ) as a Project Coordinator for juvenile justice projects in January 2023. Before working for the CBHJ, Kat worked for various public defender organizations, including Neighborhood Defender Service of Detroit and Ingham County Office of the Public Defender, as a Criminal Defense Social Worker. Kat’s interest and passion to change the criminal legal system took root through personal experiences but is sustained by dedicating her career to working with communities to promote positive social change. In her free time, Kat is part of numerous mutual aid efforts, such as creating a clothing closet for returning citizens coming home after incarceration, in the Ypsilanti community. Kat is eager to use the knowledge gained from her direct service experience with justice-impacted individuals to shape and inform changes needed for the criminal legal system as a Project Coordinator.
Responsibilities
As the project coordinator for juvenile justice projects at the CBHJ, Kat coordinates efforts between the center and various youth justice partners, including courts, community mental health, behavioral health clinicians, and other agencies engaged with youth directly impacted by or in contact with the legal system. She also coordinates efforts on data-focused projects including the state-level data integration project led by the CBHJ.
Degrees and Certifications
- Licensed Master Social Worker - Clinical (LMSW)
- M.S.W., University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
- B.S., The University of Texas at Austin
Pronouns
She/they