Ex-official surrenders her license

HARRISBURG – A former Luzerne County juvenile probation department official who admitted altering a juvenile court record connected to the judicial corruption probe has agreed to permanently surrender her license to practice social work in Pennsylvania.

The agreement between Sandra M. Brulo and the Department of State comes several weeks after Brulo pleaded guilty to federal charge of obstruction of justice.

“The guidance and protection of our children is among the most profound responsibilities we are entrusted with – one which has been breached in this judicial corruption case,” Secretary of the Commonwealth Pedro A. Cortes said in a prepared statement.

“We acted swiftly to ensure Ms. Brulo will never again practice social work in Pennsylvania.”

As deputy director of forensic services for juvenile probation, Brulo was responsible for making treatment recommendations. She was charged on Feb. 20 with alerting a document in a juvenile’s file to indicate she had recommended probation when in fact she had recommended the child be detained.

Authorities said she took the action in order to shield herself from liability in connection with a class-action lawsuit in which she had been named a defendant. That suit alleges hundreds of youths were improperly detained by former judge Mark Ciavarella.

Ciavarella and former judge Michael Conahan pleaded guilty in February to accepting more than $2.6 million in kickbacks from the owner the PA Child Care juvenile detention facility. Several lawsuits that have been filed allege Ciavarella ordered children be detained there in order to benefit himself financially.

Brulo pleaded guilty on March 26 to obstruction of justice, a felony, and has agreed to cooperate with authorities.

The Department of State licenses and regulates social workers and other professionals. Conviction of a felony is a violation of the state’s social workers practice Act.

“Our close cooperation with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare allowed us to reach a swift conclusion on this case,” said Basil Merenda, commissioner of the department’s Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs.