Senior Social Worker, Felony Alternatives to Incarceration

Job Description

Job Description

THE ORGANIZATION

The Center for Justice Innovation (formerly the Center for Court Innovation) is a non-profit organization that works with communities and justice systems to advance equity, increase safety, and help individuals and communities thrive. The Center's goal is to identify and resolve as early as possible the challenges that bring people into the criminal and civil legal systems. It does this in a number of ways—by developing and running programs that reduce the need for incarceration and enhance economic opportunity, conducting original research to identify what works, and sharing what we learn from our programming and research with those seeking to transform the justice system around the world.

The Center is an 800-employee, $100 million nonprofit that accomplishes its vision through three pillars of work: creating and scaling operating programs to test new ideas and solve problems, performing original research to determine what works (and what doesn’t), and providing expert assistance and policy guidance to justice reformers around the world.

Operating Programs

The Center’s operating programs, including the award-winning Red Hook Community Justice Center and Midtown Community Court, test new ideas, solve difficult problems, and attempt to achieve systemic change within the justice system. Our projects include community-based violence prevention programs, alternatives to incarceration, reentry initiatives, and court-based initiatives that reduce the use of unnecessary incarceration and promote positive individual and family change. Through this programming, we have produced tangible results like safer streets, reduced incarceration, and improved neighborhood perceptions of justice.

Research

The Center's research teams are staffed with social scientists, data analysts, and lawyers who are academically-trained or have lived experience and who conduct research in the U.S. and globally on diverse criminal-legal system and justice issues. Their work includes evaluating programs and policies; conducting exploratory, community-based studies; and providing research translation and strategic planning for system actors. The Center has published studies on topics including court and jail reform, intimate partner violence, restorative justice, gun violence, reentry, sixth amendment rights, and progressive prosecution. The research teams strive to make their work meaningful and actionable to the communities they work with, policymakers, and practitioners.

Policy & Expert Assistance

The Center provides hands-on, planning and implementation assistance to a wide range of jurisdictions in areas of reform such as problem-solving courts (e.g., community courts, treatment courts, domestic violence courts), tribal justice, reducing incarceration and the use of fines/fees and reducing crime and violence. Our current expert assistance takes many forms, including help with analyzing data, strategic planning and consultation, policy guidance, and hosting site visits to its operating programs in the New York City area. 

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Center for Justice Innovation is seeking a Senior Social Worker to join a team of staff—including social workers and case managers—who work with defendants participating in the Manhattan Felony Alternative to Incarceration (ATI) Court. The ATI Court, which is led by Administrative Judge Ellen Biben, seeks to forge a new response to individuals charged with felonies by linking them to community-based social services. The Court is the first of its kind, providing an innovative model for other jurisdictions seeking to develop and implement meaningful post-conviction sentencing options for individuals facing felony charges.

Reporting to the Clinical Director, the Senior Social Worker will be part of a team that provides neutral, third-party assessments and case management services to the ATI Court. The Senior Social Worker will conduct independent clinical assessments, provide referrals to community-based services, offer comprehensive clinical case management, and monitor participant compliance. The Senior Social Worker will be primarily responsible for supporting a caseload of high risk/need program participants and supervising a group of case managers and/or social workers. Additionally, in coordination with the Clinical Director, the Senior Social Worker will help coordinate compliance updates on ATI Court calendar days, help identify gaps in services and forge new partnerships with community-based providers to fill those needs, serve as the team’s training liaison to identify internal training needs and coordinate trainings for staff; and coordinate with the Office Manager regarding participant supplies and other needs.

An essential and dynamic feature of the Senior Social Worker’s role will be close collaboration with key stakeholders. The Senior Social Worker will work regularly with the judge and court staff from New York County Supreme Court who oversee the Felony ATI Court, as well as with other stakeholders, including the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and New York City defense organizations. Court-based social work is an exciting, unique, and demanding area of practice, and the Senior Social Worker role involves navigating and constructively engaging with differing and, at times, competing stakeholder perspectives.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Conduct detailed clinical assessments for potential felony ATI Court participants;
• Develop treatment recommendations for potential ATI participants to court stakeholders (judge, defense counsel, prosecutor, and court staff);
• Provide comprehensive, clinically-informed case management services to a caseload of high risk/need pre-plea and court-mandated ATI participants to help address issues such as substance use, mental health, trauma, domestic violence, housing and vocational needs, and other challenges in a participant’s life (e.g. new arrests, family court cases, and other civil legal issues);
• Make appropriate community-based referrals for a variety of social service needs;
• Manage and monitor compliance with treatment mandates, including care coordination with providers, and provide written treatment updates for court stakeholders for all court-involved participants;
• Supervise and provide support and guidance to case managers, social workers, and interns, in coordination with the Clinical Director;
• Manage social work internship recruitment, placement, and supervision;
• Participate in regular interdisciplinary case conferences with court stakeholders;
• Coordinate with court stakeholders on any non-compliance issues and assist clients in getting back into compliance, including re-engaging clients, arranging returns on warrants, and implementing graduated responses to encourage future compliance;
• Attend court as needed to help clients navigate court, to support staff, and to collaborate with court staff and stakeholders;
• Collaborate and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including court resource coordinators, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and other court and programmatic staff;
• Connect participants to toxicology testing and report on results, as needed;
• Provide crisis intervention and de-escalation, as needed;
• Provide voluntary referrals to community-based services, as needed;
• Establish and maintain linkages with community partners who can support program work, and assist the Clinical Director in identifying gaps in services and forging new partnerships to fill those needs;
• Assist the Clinical Director with the development and implementation of new initiatives, including best clinical practices and appropriate evidence-based interventions;
• Identify internal training needs and coordinate the delivery of such trainings for staff, in coordination with the Clinical Director;
• Enter and maintain appropriate up-to-date participant information, including assessment, case management, and case outcome data;
• Provide clinical services as described above to program participants on a voluntary basis post-mandate;
• Participate in clinical group supervision, staff meetings, and trainings;
• Attend evening community-based meetings and events, as needed; 
• Coordinate with the Office Manager regarding participant supplies and other needs;
• Assist with other programmatic and administrative tasks to support the Felony ATI Court’s activities;
• Additional relevant tasks, as needed.

Qualifications:

• LMSW and a minimum of five years' experience in criminal justice and/or a related field;
• Experience in a court or criminal justice setting preferred;
• SIFI-certified or eligible;
• Willingness and ability to work collaboratively with a variety of court personnel and on-site partner agencies in a high-pressure/fast paced work environment;
• Skill and openness to constructive engagement with differing and, at times, competing stakeholder perspectives;
• Commitment to, and experience using, holistic and strengths-based approaches, meeting participants where they are, as well as the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds in a culturally responsive manner;
• Experience working with drug/alcohol treatment, mental health services, co-occurring disorders, trauma-informed and strengths-based approaches strongly preferred;
• Experience working with and addressing the specific needs of young adults, LGBTQ+ people, and women strongly preferred;
• Excellent organization and time management skills;
• Strong writing and verbal communication skills; and
• Bilingual (English-Spanish) preferred.

Position Location: Manhattan, NY

Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $66,490 - $72,600 and is commensurate with experience. 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%.

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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