Lead Case Manager - Inmate Reentry and Education

The Lead Case Manager – Inmate Reentry and Education is responsible for overseeing day-to-day case management operations within the Inmate Reentry and Education program. This position provides direct supervision, coaching, support, and quality assurance for a team of four Case Managers and one Dignity staff member while also ensuring residents receive comprehensive, individualized, gender-responsive, trauma-informed, and reentry-focused services. The Lead Case Manager supports the development and implementation of screening, assessment, care planning, in-jail service coordination, court navigation support, and structured transition planning. This position ensures case management services are delivered consistently, ethically, and in alignment with agency policies, jail procedures, PREA standards, confidentiality requirements, and program goals. The Lead Case Manager works collaboratively with correctional staff, reentry staff, medical and behavioral health professionals, legal partners, courts, program providers, community agencies, and institutional leadership to promote safety, stability, dignity, rehabilitation, and successful reentry for residents. Key Responsibilities Team Leadership and Supervision Provide daily leadership, guidance, and support to a team of four Case Managers and one Dignity staff member. Assign, monitor, and balance caseloads to ensure equitable distribution of work and timely service delivery. Conduct regular individual and team check-ins to review resident needs, case progress, barriers, and service coordination. Provide coaching, mentoring, and professional development support to case management staff. Support staff in navigating complex cases, crises, court-related needs, and reentry barriers. Promote a team culture rooted in accountability, dignity, collaboration, professionalism, and resident-centered care. Assist leadership with onboarding, training, and orientation of new case management and dignity staff. Program Coordination and Implementation Support the implementation of reentry, education, dignity, and stabilization initiatives within the jail setting. Coordinate daily case management workflows to ensure residents are screened, assessed, and connected to appropriate services. Help develop and maintain consistent procedures for intake, care planning, reentry planning, documentation, and warm handoffs. Identify gaps in services, barriers to implementation, and opportunities for program improvement. Collaborate with leadership to strengthen reentry pathways, educational opportunities, dignity-based supports, and community partnerships. Participate in program planning, evaluation, and quality improvement efforts. Screening, Assessment, and Care Planning Oversight Ensure Case Managers conduct timely screenings and assessments to identify residents’ strengths, needs, risk factors, protective factors, and goals. Review individualized care plans to ensure they are complete, appropriate, resident-centered, and responsive to identified needs. Ensure care plans address in-jail programming, behavioral health and medical needs, education and employment goals, legal and court-related needs, reentry planning, safety planning, and community stabilization. Guide staff on complex care planning needs, including relapse prevention, housing safety, family reunification, and victim safety considerations. Monitor whether care plans are reviewed and updated consistently in collaboration with residents. Case Management Support Provide direct case management support as needed, particularly for high-need, complex, or priority cases. Support Case Managers in connecting residents to in-jail programs, treatment services, educational opportunities, vocational resources, and internal supports. Ensure residents receive consistent contact, follow-up, coaching, and support throughout incarceration and transition planning. Assist staff in resolving service access barriers and coordinating with internal and external partners. Support residents and staff in navigating behavioral health, medical, substance use, parenting, housing, employment, education, and stabilization needs. Reentry and Transition Planning Ensure reentry planning begins at intake or as early as possible. Oversee the development of structured, individualized reentry plans that include housing stabilization, employment and education pathways, behavioral health and medical continuity of care, benefits navigation, family reunification when appropriate, and community-based treatment coordination. Coordinate and monitor warm handoffs to community providers before release. Support staff in preparing documentation for court, probation, parole, release planning, or supervision requirements. Assist with the coordination of reentry support groups, transition-focused programming, and skill-building workshops. Help strengthen partnerships with housing providers, workforce organizations, treatment providers, educational institutions, and community-based organizations. Criminal Justice Navigation and Advocacy Support staff in helping residents understand court processes, charges, supervision requirements, and release conditions within the appropriate scope and without providing legal advice. Coordinate with defense attorneys, prosecutors, probation/parole officers, court personnel, and other legal partners when appropriate. Review and support preparation of case summaries, service updates, or documentation to assist court-informed decision-making when appropriate. Advocate for appropriate service referrals, diversion opportunities, treatment pathways, and stabilization supports when available. Dignity Services Oversight Supervise and support the Dignity staff member responsible for resident dignity, basic needs, and stabilization-related supports. Coordinate access to dignity-based resources such as clothing, hygiene, documentation support, family connection resources, release preparation items, and other approved supports. Ensure dignity services are integrated with case management and reentry planning. Promote respectful, humane, and trauma-informed interactions with residents. Identify recurring dignity-related needs and report trends to leadership for planning and resource development. Documentation, Compliance, and Quality Assurance Review case documentation for accuracy, timeliness, completeness, HIPAA confidentiality, and compliance with agency expectations. Ensure Case Managers complete required assessments, care plans, progress notes, reports, referrals, and data tracking. Monitor adherence to jail policies, PREA standards, confidentiality laws, ethical guidelines, and program procedures. Track service delivery, resident outcomes, staff productivity, and program performance indicators as assigned. Prepare reports, summaries, and updates for leadership as needed. Identify documentation trends, training needs, or compliance concerns and address them promptly with staff and leadership. Collaboration and Liaison Responsibilities Serve as a primary liaison between the case management team and correctional staff, behavioral health providers, medical staff, legal partners, courts, community-based organizations, housing providers, employment partners, and institutional leadership. Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings and ensure relevant updates are communicated to staff. Build and maintain partnerships that support resident rehabilitation, stabilization, dignity, and successful reentry. Represent the case management team in meetings, planning sessions, and collaborative initiatives as assigned. Promote clear communication, shared problem-solving, and coordinated service delivery across systems. Counseling, Support, and Crisis Response Provide supportive counseling and coaching within the scope of practice. Guide staff in using strengths-based, trauma-informed, and gender-responsive approaches. Support the development of safety plans in response to risks such as self-harm, relapse, unsafe relationships, housing instability, or other identified concerns. Respond to crises in coordination with correctional, medical, and behavioral health staff. Assist with de-escalation, conflict resolution, and stabilization efforts when appropriate. Institutional and Program Support Participate in staff meetings, trainings, supervision, and leadership briefings. Support institutional efforts aligned with rehabilitation, education, reentry, dignity, and resident stability. Help ensure the case management team contributes to a safe, respectful, and professional jail environment. Perform other duties as assigned by leadership. This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee in this position. Management may, at its discretion, assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in social work, Psychology, Criminal Justice, Human Services, Public Health, Counseling, Education, or related field. Minimum of five years of experience in case management, behavioral health, corrections, reentry services, human services, community-based services, or related field. Knowledge of reentry systems, court processes, jail operations, behavioral health systems, public benefits, housing systems, and community resource networks. Demonstrated ability to lead a team, manage competing priorities, and coordinate services in a correctional environment. Strong understanding of trauma-informed, gender-responsive, strengths-based, and culturally responsive practices. Ability to review documentation, monitor compliance, and support quality improvement efforts. Strong organizational, communication, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and respond calmly to high-stress situations. Ability to work effectively with correctional staff, residents, clinical providers, legal partners, community agencies, and leadership. The following qualifications are not mandatory but may be given additional consideration: Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, Criminal Justice, Human Services, Public Administration, Education, Public Health, or related field. Licensed or license-eligible clinician, such as LCSW, LPC, LMFT, LCDC, or related credential, where applicable. Two years of lead, supervisory, coaching, training, or program coordination experience. Prior supervisory or lead worker experience. Experience working with vulnerable, justice-involved, incarcerated, or reentry populations. Experience developing or implementing reentry, diversion, education, behavioral health, dignity, or stabilization programs. Experience facilitating groups, staff training, or multidisciplinary meetings. Knowledge of benefits navigation, housing systems, workforce development, education pathways, and community-based treatment resources. Experience coordinating care across systems, including corrections, courts, behavioral health, housing, employment, and community services. Bilingual skills preferred. Work Environment Work is performed in a secure jail environment. Regular interaction with incarcerated individuals. Frequent collaboration with correctional officers, medical and behavioral health providers, legal partners, community agencies, and institutional leadership. May involve exposure to high-stress situations, crisis intervention needs, and complex resident circumstances. Must be able to maintain professionalism, confidentiality, and composure in a correctional setting. Physical Demands This role is sedentary; however, the ability to lift and carry up to 10 pounds is required to move files and/or boxes of documents, etc. Position Type and Typical Hours of Work This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are typically Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Hours may vary based on the department's business needs. Equal Opportunity Statement Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, or any other protected class in accordance with applicable federal and state laws. #J-18808-Ljbffr Harris County Sheriff's Office