GREENFIELD — Connecting people who are coping with legal matters with vital services can help prevent recidivism. It was with this in mind that the Franklin County Justice Center was chosen as the site of a Community Resource Fair featuring roughly 30 local providers, educational institutions and businesses.

The free event on Thursday was open to the public and served as one of at least 80 community engagement events being hosted by the Massachusetts Probation Service. Participating agencies included the Greenfield Fire Department, the Community Health Center of Franklin County and Learn to Cope, a peer-led support network that offers education, resources and hope for family members and friends who have loved ones affected by substance use disorder. The fair was part of a community engagement effort spearheaded by new Probation Commissioner Pamerson Ifill and his executive leadership team.

“The Massachusetts Probation Service and the Massachusetts Trial Court really work hard with community vendors, like providers, career agencies, people that provide ancillary support services, and it’s a priority of the new commissioner of probation that we kind of bring … these groups into the court so that people who are here for court can directly connect with them,” said Antoinetta DeAngelis, chief probation officer at Greenfield District Court. “These are all providers that we utilize in the Trial Court. The Trial Court is not a direct service provider. We have to utilize other agencies to provide these support services.”

Emily Chiara, program manager at Just Roots, set up a table on the third floor to share information about a few of the nonprofit’s programs. She explained the upcoming Three Season CSA runs from November through May with monthly pickups, “and folks can pay for their [farm] share using SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and HIP (Healthy Incentives Program), as with all of our CSA programs.”

“I’m also here to give out general information about how HIP works, for anyone unfamiliar with the program,” Chiara added.

Also on the third floor was a table set up by David Cole, school liaison at the Community Action Family Center. Cole explained he works with children who require court-mandated assistance.

“And then what we try to do is keep them out of the courts and prevent that by giving parent education and kid education classes about how to work with each other,” he said.

Cole said the Community Action Family Center also hosts play groups for children under 5 years old, various workshops and a program for new mothers.

Leigh Faulkner, Greenfield District Court’s probation office manager, set up a table near the metal detectors on the first floor to highlight the Greenfield Recovery Court, for people with substance use disorder, and the Collaborative Treatment Court, for those with mental health issues.

Recovery Court is “more of an incentive-based probation, where you meet weekly with the judge and, rather than just penalties and sanctions, you get encouragement and it’s more one on one,” she said. “They’re both alternatives to regular probation.”

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.