Jail Diversion Liaison

Job Description

Job Description

Treatment Engagement Specilist

Embracing Lightshare's mission, vision and our five Pillars is important for our work at Lightshare.  Our five pillar embrace the following:: Compassion (show empathy and genuine care for the well-being of our colleagues, the people we serve and our community); Acceptance (create an environment where everyone feels valued and included; foster creativity through the richness of our differences); Respect (treat every individual with dignity, courtesy and consideration; value the opinions and contributions of others); Empowerment (take ownership of your work, seek growth opportunities to reach your full potential and actively contribute to our success); Stewardship (responsibly manage the resources and assets entrusted to us). 

The Jail Diversion Liaison serves as the primary point of contact between the criminal justice system, treatment providers, and individuals eligible for jail diversion. This position coordinates Screening for Restore program and other jail diversion programs designed to redirect eligible individuals — particularly those with mental health, substance use, or Co -occurring — away from incarceration and into appropriate community-based treatment and support services. Liaison monitors compliance with court orders, tracks criminal background information, coordinates transportation, and ensures all court hearing deadlines and requirements are met.

Screening and Assessment

• Conduct and coordinate Screening evaluations for individuals referred through the jail diversion process
• Review referrals to determine eligibility for diversion programs based on clinical, legal, and risk criteria
• Collaborate with clinicians, case managers, and jail medical/mental health staff to gather relevant history

Criminal Background and Records Management

• Review and interpret criminal background checks, arrest records, and case histories to inform eligibility determinations and program placement
• Maintain accurate, confidential records of criminal history in compliance with applicable privacy laws (e.g., HIPAA, CJIS)
• Flag disqualifying offenses or risk factors per program guidelines and communicate findings to the appropriate treatment team and court

Court Order and Legal Compliance

• Track, interpret, and ensure compliance with court orders related to diversion, competency restoration, probation, or conditional release
• Serve as liaison between the court, public defender/prosecutor offices, probation, and treatment providers
• Prepare and submit required status reports, compliance updates, and progress documentation to the court in a timely manner
• Monitor deadlines and other legally mandated benchmarks

Court Hearing Coordination

• Maintain a master calendar of client court hearings, review dates, and filing deadlines
• Attend court hearings as needed to represent program status and provide updates to the judge, attorneys, or court liaison
• Coordinate continuances or scheduling changes with court staff when necessary

Transportation Coordination

• Arrange and coordinate transportation with Sarasota County jail
• Maintain transportation logs and troubleshoot scheduling conflicts

General Program and Case Coordination

• Serve as the central point of contact among jail staff, courts, attorneys, treatment providers, and families
• Maintain case files and enter data into program tracking/database systems accurately and on schedule
• Participate in interagency meetings, staffing, and case conferences
• Ensure compliance with agency policies, funding requirements, and applicable state/federal regulations

• Bachelor's degree (or equivalent combination of education and experience)
• 2+ years behavioral health, case management, or diversion program services 
• Strong understanding of confidentiality requirements (HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2, CJIS)
• Excellent organizational skills with ability to manage multiple deadlines and court schedules simultaneously
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including report writing for court submission
• Ability to build effective working relationships with judges, attorneys, jail staff, and clinical teams
• Crisis de-escalation and trauma-informed care skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office

Equal Employment Opportunity

Lightshare Behavioral Wellness & Recovery is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.

Lightshare provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities during the application and hiring process. If you require an accommodation to apply, please contact Human Resources.

All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, business needs, and other lawful considerations.