Program Overview

RCW 2.70.200 authorizes WA State OPD to reimburse localities for eligible public defense costs related to representation on simple drug possession or public use charges in courts of limited jurisdiction, and authorizes OPD to contract directly with public defense professionals. Our Simple Possession Advocacy and Representation (SPAR) Program administers this resource, disbursing grant funding and contracting with social service workers to support public defense teams and their clients.

The legislature limited these funds to counties with a population of 500,000 or less, or to cities with a population of 200,000 or less. SPAR uses the annual April 1 Population Estimate for cities/counties published by OFM.

The application period for FY27 grant funding (July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027) is closed. Please check back in Spring of 2027 for more information on our next scheduled grant cycle (funding permitting), July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2028. 

Questions? Please see our FAQ below or email us at spar@opd.wa.gov. 

FY27 Grant Funding

The SPAR Program has limited funding. For FY27 all awards were half or less of what awardees requested. 

SPAR Social Services Program

SPAR makes contracted social workers and social service workers available to public defense agencies and contracted public defense firms/attorneys. Contractors temporarily join a defense team to serve a public defense client facing qualifying charges in district and municipal courts. Working alongside defense attorneys, SPAR contractors help clients address the underlying factors that contribute to legal involvement. Through case management, service coordination, and advocacy, SPAR's contracted public defense social service workers help individuals access services, meet court requirements, and build greater stability. 

SPAR rolled out its social services program in December 2024, when it contracted with its first two social workers to handle a service area that included Benton, Franklin, Walla Walla, and Yakima counties. Between March and July 2025, SPAR added three more contractors, expanding its service regions to include King, Pierce, Thurston, Lewis, Mason, Grays Harbor, and Kitsap counties, subject to the population limits set forth in RCW 2.70.200.

Caption: Since December 2025, SPAR social service workers have assisted on cases in over 40 different county and municipal jurisdictions, serving 400+ indigent defense clients and providing 4000+ direct service hours. 

If you would like to learn more, or would like to request a social service worker to join your defense team for an eligible SPAR case, contact Kaitlyn Baker, SPAR Social Services Manager at 564-999-6622 or spar@opd.wa.gov 

Frequently Asked Questions About the SPAR Program (FAQs)

What does this funding support?

This funding helps reimburse localities for public defense costs incurred in the representation of adults facing charges of misdemeanor drug possession or public use. 

How do I know if my jurisdiction is below the population threshold?

To determine whether a county has a population of 500,000 or less, and to determine whether a city has a population of 200,000 or less, State OPD consults the April 1 official population estimates from the State Office of Financial Management.

How does SPAR make funding award decisions? 

No award will be made to a city or county that exceeds the population threshold identified by the legislature in RCW 2.70.200. State OPD’s goal in awarding funding is to promote consistent, quality defense representation in courts of limited jurisdiction, and to maximize the number of jurisdictions that receive an award. In the event that funding requests exceed State OPD’s available funding, State OPD’s funding decisions will be guided by the SPAR Program Funding Application Scoring Rubric and Evaluation Form.

How are funding awards disbursed?

This funding is reimbursement-based. If you receive an award from State OPD, you will enter into a funding agreement with us. The grant period will run from July 1 to June 30 of the following year (the state fiscal year). The funding agreement will include a maximum allocated reimbursement amount. During the grant period, OPD will reimburse jurisdictions up to the maximum allocated reimbursement amount upon receipt of properly completed invoices and supporting documentation. OPD provides template invoices and forms to assist jurisdictions in completing reimbursement requests.

What kinds of costs are covered by the reimbursement grants?

Funding must be used to provide individuals with consultation and representation on qualifying cases in courts of limited jurisdiction. Permissible use of funding includes reimbursement for compensation for attorney and support staff time devoted to such consultation and representation (including some RALJ appeals), reimbursement for investigation costs on qualifying cases, reimbursement for out-of-court interpreter costs on qualifying cases, reimbursement for expert services related to qualifying charges, pre-approved training costs, and some other pre-approved indirect staff costs. Jurisdictions will be responsible for any other expense.

What’s a qualifying case?

A qualifying case is a proceeding filed against a defendant in a court of limited jurisdiction in which at least one of the charges filed, either originally or as amended, is a qualifying charge, even if later dismissed.

What’s a qualifying charge?

A qualifying charge is a charge for a misdemeanor offense under RCW 69.50.4011(1)(b) or (c), 69.50.4013, 69.50.4014, 69.41.030(2), (b), or (c); or a charge for a misdemeanor offense under a local ordinance involving allegations of possession or public use of a controlled substance, counterfeit substance, or legend drug.

How does OPD determine the reimbursement rates for jurisdictions that receive an award?

Reimbursement rates are based on a jurisdiction’s actual costs expended in defending qualifying cases. This is true whether you employ salaried public defenders or rely on indigent defense contractors. In the indigent defense contractor scenario, to determine reimbursement rates for attorney compensation, a jurisdiction generally reports the number of qualifying cases by case number handled by a contractor in an invoicing period and either 1) multiplies the number of qualifying cases by the contractor’s case rate; or 2) determines the percent of qualifying cases in an invoicing period and multiplies that by a contractor’s monthly compensation. Variations exist and State OPD will work with selected grant recipients to the best of its ability to reimburse a jurisdiction’s actual costs on qualifying cases.

How should a jurisdiction determine the amount of funding to ask for in a grant application?

Most jurisdictions estimate attorney compensation by estimating the number of qualifying charges a jurisdiction expects to have filed in a year, multiplied by the average cost of counsel per case. To that number, jurisdictions may add estimated investigation, expert and interpreter service costs related to qualifying cases/charges.

Can my jurisdiction use this funding to pay for representation on felony cases?

No. The legislature limited this funding to representation in courts of limited jurisdiction. 

Is this funding the same as the Public Defense Improvement Program (RCW 10.101) grant funding that my jurisdiction receives from State OPD?

No. A jurisdiction may receive funding under both of these State OPD programs. But, funds awarded under the Public Defense Improvement Program (PDIP) have a different purpose and structure than SPAR funding, and jurisdictions who are awarded funding from both programs should be sure not to confuse these funds. For more information on PDIP, visit its webpage. 

Does my jurisdiction need to be a grant recipient to use SPAR's contracted social service workers?

No! Subject to contractor capacity, and subject to the legislature's population caps, our contractors can assist public defenders in any jurisdiction within their services area. If you are a public defense administrator, public defender, or local official, contact our social service manager, Kaitlyn Baker, to learn if there is a contractor in your area and how to get connected. 

For other questions, please contact program staff:

• Megan Reardon, Program Analyst, SPAR Program, 360-485-2226
• Kaitlyn Baker, Social Services Program Manager, SPAR Program, 564-999-6622
• You can also email us at spar@opd.wa.gov