New firm takes over for former Cantrell-releated counseling service
DRUG COUNSELING : Fresh Start will rehabilitate Lake County criminals
NWI Times
Mar 22, 2007
nwitimes.com/news/local/new-firm-takes-over-for-former-cantrell-releated-counseling-service/article_7d382b91-ee22-56d8-b994-eb41be97d42e.html
CROWN POINT | Lake County commissioners introduced a new social services firm Wednesday to take over work once dominated by the political alliance of Nancy Fromm and Robert Cantrell.
Commissioners voted to hire Veronica Ramos-Clark's Fresh Start Counseling Service to perform drug counseling to defendants sentenced for minor crimes.
Ramos-Clark's firm, which has offices in Hammond, Merrillville and Valparaiso, will receive $480 per person to shepherd clients through a 12-week program offered by Lake County Community Corrections, a work-release center funded by the state to reduce prison overcrowding.
The work formerly was done by Addiction and Family Care, a Hammond counseling service that once had contracts with the county and many state and municipal courts. Fromm received $22,000 last year under the Community Corrections contract.
Commissioners refused to renew their contract with Fromm's firm late last year after a federal grand jury indicted her on a charge of obstructing the U.S. attorney's investigation of public graft in Lake County. Fromm pleaded guilty last week and agreed to cooperate in that investigation.
Fromm has admitted paying Cantrell as a consultant to grow her list of clients. Some accused Cantrell of using strong-arm tactics to build Addiction and Family Care's business.
A federal grand jury indicted Cantrell on Wednesday afternoon on federal fraud and tax evasion charges.
Superior Court Judge Jesse Villalpando has accused Cantrell of threatening to run challengers to oppose Villalpando's re-election if the judge didn't order more people convicted of alcohol-related violations in his courtroom to undergo counseling courses at Addiction and Family Care.
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