Clinician, Community-Based

Job Description

Job Description

THE ORGANIZATION

The Center for Justice Innovation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing community safety and racial justice. Since 1996, we’ve worked alongside communities, courts, and those most directly affected by the justice system to build stronger, healthier, and more equitable neighborhoods. With a team of over 900 staff and an annual budget of $130 million, the Center carries out its mission through three core strategies:

1. Operating Programs that pilot new ideas and address local challenges;
2. Conducting original research to evaluate what works—and what doesn’t; and
3. Providing expert assistance and policy guidance to reformers across the country and beyond.

Backed by decades of on-the-ground experience and nationally recognized expertise, we bring innovative, practical, and lasting solutions to justice systems nationwide.
Learn more about our work at

THE OPPORTUNITY

Brooklyn Justice Initiatives (BJI), the largest operating project of the Center, seeks to re-engineer the experience of criminal court in Brooklyn, New York, by providing judges and attorneys meaningful alternatives to bail, fines, and jail sentences. Operating out of Kings County Criminal Court and community-based offices, BJI is a team of social service providers, court-based resource coordinators, mental health practitioners, compliance specialists, and others who seek to improve the quality of justice. Supervised Release offers an alternative to jail by providing pretrial supervision, case management, and voluntary social services to people charged with misdemeanor and felony offenses, and in doing so, uses an arrest as a window of opportunity to change the direction of a participant’s life, avoiding the harmful effects of incarceration. Program participants are monitored to ensure their appearance at court dates and mandatory programming, and receive referrals to services like job training, drug treatment, and mental health counseling.

BJI seeks Community-Based Clinicians for the borough’s Supervised Release Program (SRP). Reporting to the Clinical Manager, Clinicians are the front line of service delivery and key to ensuring that the program meets its mandate. Clinicians play a key role in providing timely emergency referrals, delivering crisis intervention and de-escalation support, and conducting intakes and assessments for participants. Clinicians also work with participants to identify and address barriers to compliance and court attendance; conduct outreach to participants, court stakeholders, community-based service providers, and collateral contacts; lead cognitive behavioral therapy-informed sessions and other suitable programming; connect participants to appropriate services in the community to support their stabilization; and ensure accurate and timely court reporting on participants’ compliance with program requirements. Accurate and timely data entry is a core responsibility for this position. 

• Conduct intakes and holistic assessments; 
  • Create voluntary service and resource plans that address criminogenic needs and responsivity factors; 
  • Make referrals to address immediate needs;
  • Provide assistance to participants to support engagement with referrals made, as needed; and
  • Provide participants with information regarding any additional court mandates, including, but not limited to, mandatory programming and Tactics and Choices class.
• Work with supervisors to complete and submit mandatory programming recommendations to court;
• Determine case assignments and facilitate warm handoffs to case managers:
  • Schedule participants for their first check-in with their assigned case manager;
  • Case conference with case managers to discuss participant needs and/or service and resource plans and/or mandatory programming, as appropriate;  
• Facilitate mandated and voluntary evidence-based practice sessions to enhance motivation for change and engagement in services; 
• Develop and facilitate group and individual programming to address participant needs and court mandates;
• Provide comprehensive, clinically informed case management services:
  • Orchestrate internal and external resource allocation and service referrals;
  • Work with participants to identify and address barriers to compliance with supervision requirements and court attendance;
  • Monitor participants’ compliance with supervision requirements; and
  • Conduct outreach to participants, their collateral contacts, and defense attorneys to maximize compliance with supervision requirements.
• Provide de-escalation and emergency intervention in response to incidents occurring in the courthouse and offices;  
• Maintain accurate and timely data entry and case documentation aligned with the program model, court reporting obligations, and best practices; 
• Submit accurate and timely reports to court within designated time frames, including compliance, noncompliance, rearrest, and mandatory programming court notifications;
• Maintain professional, productive, and positive relationships with external stakeholders, including court staff, judges, and attorneys;
• Consistent and effective cross-team communication and collaboration to proactively identify successes, challenges, and opportunities to strengthen programming, create opportunities for meaningful collaboration, and maximize internal and external resources and expertise; 
• Participate in individual, group supervision, and regular staff trainings to develop program expertise and related skill sets; 
• Attend project events, community events, and meetings after hours, as needed;
• Please note that this role is eligible for clinical hours; and
• Additional relevant tasks, as necessary.

Qualifications:

• Master's degree in social work or a mental health field and 3 years direct practice (e.g. therapeutic or case management or counseling) experience required, LMSW or mental health license preferred;
• Experience working in pretrial, court-based, or criminal legal system strongly preferred;
• Experience with crisis intervention and de-escalation required; 
• Must be detail-oriented with strong organizational and time management skills; 
• Experience working with people needing substance use treatment, mental health services, or other services related to co-occurring disorders, or adolescent development, strongly preferred; 
• Experience using trauma-informed and strength-based approaches, Motivational Interviewing and CBT strongly preferred;
• Comprehensive knowledge and experience with local social service providers preferred;  
• Must be able to work effectively independently and as part of a highly interdependent, multi-disciplinary team within a fast-paced and dynamic work environment; 
• Professional demeanor and ability to work collaboratively and effectively with a variety of program stakeholders, including judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, court staff, and site partner agencies; 
• Openness to work collaboratively with people from diverse backgrounds in a culturally-competent manner; and
• Bilingual (English-Spanish) preferred. 

Position Type: Full-time in-person work required; weekend and evening hours required, as needed.

Position Location:  Brooklyn, New York.

Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $61,000 - $78,500 and is commensurate with experience. 

Benefits: The Center for Justice Innovation offers an excellent benefits package including comprehensive healthcare with a national network, free basic dental coverage, vision insurance, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance, and flexible spending accounts including commuter FSA. We prioritize mental health care for our staff and offer services like Talkspace and Ginger through our healthcare plans. We offer a 403(b) retirement plan with a two-to-one employer contribution up to 5%.

Note: This position is part of the NOLSW, UAW 2320 bargaining unit.

The Center for Justice Innovation is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, national origin, age, military service eligibility, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or any other category protected by law. We strongly encourage and welcome applications from women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and individuals with prior contact with the criminal justice system. Our goal is to create a supportive and respectful environment where everyone, regardless of background or identity, feels valued and included.

At this time, the Center is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application and throughout the duration of employment.

Candidates are expected to provide accurate and truthful information throughout the hiring process. Any misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of material facts may result in disqualification from consideration, withdrawal of an offer, or termination of employment, regardless of when discovered.

In compliance with federal law, all hires must verify their identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete the required employment verification form upon hire. Please refer to the job posting for relevant contact information. If contact details are not provided, we kindly ask that you refrain from inquiries via phone or email, as only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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