Case Manager, Misdemeanor Alternatives to Incarceration

Center for Justice Innovation•New York, NY

2d•$52,000 - $65,400•Onsite

About The Position

Manhattan Justice Opportunities seeks to rethink justice in Manhattan and build a justice system that is more responsive to individuals’ and communities’ needs. Manhattan Justice is a centralized, court-based screening, resource, and referral hub that provides judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys at New York County Criminal Court and Supreme Court with a wide array of social service-based sentencing options in misdemeanor and felony cases. Manhattan Justice offers onsite case management, psycho-educational groups, and restorative justice programming, and provides referrals to community-based service providers for mental health, substance use, employment, primary health care services and more. These services, which are open to anyone who needs them—including mandated participants’ families and friends, and others affected by the criminal justice system—help people address underlying issues in their lives, build stability, and decrease their likelihood of further justice involvement. Manhattan Justice is seeking a case manager to provide alternative-to-incarceration programming for people charged with misdemeanors. Reporting to the Clinical Supervisor, the case manager plays a critical role in Manhattan Justice’s work with court-mandated and voluntary participants. Among other responsibilities, the case manager will conduct assessments with new participants and provides ongoing case management services to a caseload of mandated and voluntary participants. Manhattan Justice strongly encourages and seeks applications from women; people of color; members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities; as well as individuals with prior contact with the criminal justice system.

Requirements

Bachelors degree or 3-4 years of experience working in a social service setting
Experience working in a court or criminal justice setting strongly preferred
Knowledge and/or lived experience related to the criminal justice system and its impact on communities
Experience with substance use treatment, mental health services, co-occurring disorders, trauma-informed and strengths-based approaches preferred
Commitment to being participant-centered and using holistic and strengths-based approaches, as well as the cultural humility to work with people from diverse backgrounds
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
Excellent organization and time management skills
Strong writing and verbal communication skills
Bilingual (English and Spanish-speaking) strongly preferred

Responsibilities

Conduct intakes and needs-based screenings for newly mandated and voluntary participants
Provide comprehensive case management services to a caseload of participants to address needs such as substance use, mental health issues, housing, employment, and educational and vocational needs as well as other challenges in a participant’s life
Help participants process their experience with the justice system and orient them to Manhattan Justice’s work and programming
Provide referrals to community-based services that address issues such as substance use, mental health issues, trauma, domestic violence, housing, and educational/vocational needs; and other challenges in participants’ lives (e.g. family court cases and other civil legal issues)
Facilitate a range of on-site psycho-educational groups, as necessary
Manage and monitor compliance with treatment mandates, including care coordination with providers
Provide written and verbal compliance reports to legal parties and coordinate responses to non-compliance issues, including re-engaging participants and arranging return on warrants
Provide crisis intervention and de-escalation, as needed
Conduct outreach to participants and defense attorneys to ensure all mandated participants are effectively engaged, including rescheduling services when necessary
Enter and maintain appropriate up-to-date participant information, including assessment, case management, attendance, and case outcome data
Provide services as described above to program participants on a voluntary basis post-mandate
Facilitate coordinated service delivery from on-site agencies and community-based partners for mandated services and voluntary referrals
Collaborate closely with case managers, social workers, and other staff to effectively serve participants
Collaborate closely with staff at the Midtown Community Justice Center and other Center for Justice Innovation operating projects
Participate in clinical group supervision, staff meetings, and trainings, as scheduled
Greet individuals in the reception area, as needed
Attend evening court and community-based events and meetings, as needed
Assist with other programmatic and administrative tasks to support Manhattan Justice’s activities, as assigned by the project’s Clinical Coordinator and Project Director