Who is Advocacy Pathways?

Brittani Berkeley, MSW, LMSW, earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh and her Bachelor of Arts from PennWest–Edinboro (formerly Edinboro University of Pennsylvania). During graduate school, she conducted individual and group therapy sessions at a substance use treatment facility serving women and mothers in recovery. She also completed biopsychosocial investigations, records collection, chronologies, assisted with juvenile life without parole (JWLOP) cases and mitigation work while interning at the Federal Public Defender’s Office in Pittsburgh, where she later worked from 2021 to 2026. During her tenure, Ms. Berkeley worked on federal criminal cases across the pretrial, trial, appellate, and habeas phases.

While completing her master’s degree and mandatory requirements in 2016, Ms. Berkeley also worked full-time as a Caseworker III in the intake unit at Washington County Children and Youth Services. Following her graduation, she was promoted to Supervisor in the ongoing department. In this role, she ensured the safety and well-being of children and families in her purview, including advocating for gender-affirming care for transgender children; developing safety plans for adults charged with sex offenses and listed on the Megan’s Law registry to ensure compliance with court-ordered psychosexual treatment; providing resources for neurodivergent children; and supporting families of adolescents diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Reactive Attachment Disorder, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder following significant abuse and neglect. She also assisted families in understanding children’s arrested development resulting from their lived experiences. Ms. Berkeley’s advocacy work began in 2005, with individuals diagnosed with developmental and physical disabilities, supporting them in living as independently as possible. For over a decade, she has worked with individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and Prader-Willi Syndrome.

Ms. Berkeley’s graduate experience further strengthened her clinical skill set, and in 2019, she became a mental health therapist with Vision Towards Peace, where she provided individual counseling services. In 2020, she transitioned into roles as a Drug and Alcohol Therapist and Crisis Counselor. In these positions, she de-escalated crises and supported clients in progressing toward the maintenance stage of change through multiple relapse cycles. She later returned to child welfare as the Permanency Supervisor at A Second Chance, Inc., where she was responsible for agency permanency outcomes and coordinated closely with Allegheny County Children, Youth, and Families.

Advocacy Pathways’ mission is to provide dual-focused support by offering mitigation and sentencing advocacy for legal teams, and consultative assistance to individuals and families navigating child and family services. It is our vision to unite these services by recognizing people as whole individuals and opening pathways toward justice, safety, and lasting change.

What is Advocacy Pathways?

Advocacy Pathways is where Brittani Berkeley, MSW, LMSW, believes people are more than the circumstances that bring them into contact with the legal or child welfare systems. Advocacy Pathways exists to ensure that individuals and families are seen, heard, and understood—especially during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Ms. Berkeley’s work centers on telling the full story. On this journey of navigating these intimidating spaces, we will utilize a person-centered approach, highlighting lived experiences, strengths, and challenges.

For attorneys and legal teams, Advocacy Pathways’ work will include in-depth investigations, comprehensive psychosocial histories, and the production of reports that contextualize cases and humanize the individuals and families.

For families, Advocacy Pathways will walk alongside you, providing critical support in navigating the child welfare and delinquency systems. Helping families to understand expectations, prepare for meetings and court hearings, and connect to community-based services. With the right information and guidance, families will gain confidence, feel empowered, and be better equipped to advocate for stability, reunification, and the well-being of their children.

Above all, Advocacy Pathways is committed to strengthening outcomes for individuals and families by ensuring their voices are heard, their stories are accurately represented, and they are met with compassion, dignity, and respect.

What Do We Do?

Family Services

Advocacy Pathways will offer guidance to parents and caregivers involved with child welfare and delinquency systems. Further assist clients in understanding system expectations, prepare for meetings and hearings, connect with resources, build documentation, and navigate service plans. Aiming to empower families with the knowledge and advocacy they need for stability during highly stressful times. Advocacy Pathways does not provide legal representation, clinical therapy, or substitute decision-making authority. All services are advocacy and support-focused and complement, but do not replace, the roles of judges, attorneys, caseworkers, and probation officers.

Services offered for Families:

• Intake assessments
• Review of case plans and court orders
• Development of an advocacy plan
• Attendance at hearings and meetings
• Education regarding Child Protective Services Law and any systemic barriers

Mitigation Services

Services offered for Mitigation:

• Written Reports
• Biopsychosocial Assessments
• Family and Collateral Witnesses Interviewed
• Records Requested, Reviewed, and Analyzed
• Expert Recommendations
• Testimony