Social Services Advocate Supervisor - PDD North Region

Overview The Public Defender Division of CPCS is seeking applicants for the position of Social Services Advocate Supervisor for the state’s North Region, covering Middlesex and Essex Counties. This includes the offices in Framingham, Lowell, Malden, Lawrence, and Salem. Under the direction of the Director of Social Services Advocates, the SSA Supervisor will assist in the hiring, supervision, and training of Social Service Advocates, and will also have their own reduced client caseload. The SSA Supervisor will carry their own reduced client caseload and will work alongside attorneys in the region’s offices as part of the defense team. In this capacity, the SSA Supervisor can assist on cases through written or direct advocacy to support a positive legal and life outcome for our clients. This work includes bio‑psychosocial interviewing and assessment, social history investigation, forensic case management, advocacy for clients within court, carceral, mental health, and social service systems, fostering family interactions and intervention, treatment and sentencing planning, report writing, testifying, and making direct connections between clients and programs. Social services intervention occurs at all stages of the court process, from the initial arraignment through resolution and post‑conviction. The SSA Supervisor’s primary base of operation will be in a CPCS office that is located within this geographic region. Qualifications Minimum entrance requirements A master’s degree in social work, psychology, or related field; A minimum of three years of experience providing social services to clients, including clinical assessments and community referrals; Insured, reliable and available transportation, and a valid MA driver’s license; and, Access to home internet access sufficient to work remotely. Social Work Licensure (LICSW) and at least one year of supervisory experience preferred. Please submit a writing sample with your application. Examples of writing samples include: redacted biopsychosocial assessment or client history, redacted clinical assessment, advocacy letter, or academic paper. Qualifications/Skills Experience working with individuals and families of diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, educational, and economic backgrounds; Knowledge of social, psychological, environmental, economic, legal, and medical factors that influence behavior; Understanding of social structures and institutional barriers that cause disparities, such as systemic racism and poverty; Culturally appropriate skills in client interviewing, assessment, case management, and treatment planning; Knowledge of public and private social services systems and resources; Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and persuasively orally and in writing; Proven ability to work effectively independently and as part of a team; Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships within the office and the service provider community; Ability to prioritize and manage multiple responsibilities (strong organizational skills); Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends to handle emergencies; Knowledge of defense practice and the criminal legal system; Ability to supervise master level social workers for LICSW licensure preferred; Strong interpersonal, management, leadership, and supervisory skills; Strong writing and editing abilities; A demonstrated commitment to the development and training of CPCS Social Services Advocates and advancement of holistic practice in the legal defense field; and, Bilingual abilities are a plus. Responsibilities Responsibilities The supervisory duties of the Social Services Advocate Supervisor include: Regular one‑on‑one meetings with individual supervisees, as well as group meetings, to ensure quality of services to both clients and referring defense attorneys; In‑the‑field supervision, including accompanying supervisees on client interviews, including jail visits and in‑court appearances and court testimony to support ongoing training; Overseeing the development of community resource information and relevant clinical research data; Collecting, monitoring, and analyzing caseload statistics to ensure that caseloads are appropriate; Responding to requests for consultation from attorneys in the assigned region; Collaborating with attorneys in charge of offices in the region on annual performance evaluations of assigned supervisees; Assisting in hiring new staff by reviewing application materials, interviewing applicants, and conducting reference checks; Providing back‑up coverage for SSA referrals as needed; and, Other duties as assigned. The training duties of the Social Services Advocate Supervisor include: Providing orientation and ongoing training to new SSA hires; Assisting in developing, enhancing, and providing training programs and opportunities, for incoming as well as experienced staff; Assisting in training CPCS staff attorneys; and, Other duties as assigned. The direct client duties of the Social Services Advocate Supervisor include: Maintaining close contact with clients over the duration of their case to build a strong working relationship; Conducting both brief and in‑depth interviews with clients respecting their individuality and with cultural humility to obtain client histories; connecting with and interviewing collateral contacts; Performing needs assessments, developing treatment or service plans, referring clients to service providers, and making direct connections between clients and programs; Gaining comprehensive knowledge of statewide and local programming and services, and working collaboratively with community‑based services that support clients; Collaborating with defense counsel to develop defense strategies and dispositional options which demonstrate an understanding of the complexities of our clients’ whole lives; Preparing and presenting courtroom testimony to describe services and dispositional alternatives arranged for the client; Preparing detailed and persuasive written advocacy for sentencing and mitigation purposes; Advocating for clients in a client‑directed practice to facilitate best possible outcomes; and, Other duties as assigned. EEO Statement The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran or military status, genetic information, gender identity, or sexual orientation as required by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other applicable federal and state statutes and organizational policies. Applicants who have questions about equal employment opportunity or who need reasonable accommodations can contact the Chief Human Resources Officer, Sandra DeBow‑Huang, at View email address on click.appcast.io #J-18808-Ljbffr Committee for Public Counsel Services