Court Program Specialist I (Mental Health Case Manager) - Mental Health Division (State Funded)
About The Position
The Court Program Specialist I (Mental Health Case Manager) works in the Mental Health Division and provides guidance and support to judges on substantive and procedural legal matters, particularly felony mental health cases. The Case Manager serves as a liaison between the Judiciary and courts, the Clerk of Courts, attorneys, community-based service providers, treatment providers, and involved parties, helping improve access to the court for agency partners and litigants. Under the general supervision of a Mental Health Program Coordinator, the Case Manager provides case-related information to court personnel, coordinates cases and referrals to community-based services, and prepares cases for hearings. Duties also include briefing judges, attending hearings, maintaining filing systems and case notes, scheduling hearings, addressing the court, completing related clerical work, and contributing to improvements in work methods and procedures.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Psychology, Social Work, Criminal Justice, or a related field; additional relevant experience may substitute for the recommended educational level on a year-for-year basis.
- Two years of related work experience; additional relevant education may substitute for the recommended experience on a year-for-year basis.
- Strong understanding of the criminal justice system, including court functions and jurisdiction.
- Familiarity with local providers offering mental health, substance-use, and residential facilities for forensic clients.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, and Excel, and general office equipment such as scanners and copiers.
- Ability to follow written and verbal instructions and make decisions consistent with laws, regulations, and departmental policies.
- Skill in maintaining accurate case documentation and preparing written materials.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to express ideas clearly and succinctly.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with judges, attorneys, colleagues, service providers, and the public.
Nice To Haves
- Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish.
Responsibilities
- Consult directly with judges on cases involving defendants diagnosed with mental illness or intellectual disabilities.
- Coordinate community-based services, including residential, psychiatric, and substance-use treatment for criminal defendants.
- Develop conditional release plans and draft orders for judicial approval.
- Manage a caseload of supervised defendants and monitor compliance with court-ordered conditions.
- Prepare cases for court, attend hearings, brief judges, and maintain case notes and filing systems.
- Screen and schedule cases, notify all parties of court dates, and assist with scheduling outpatient evaluations.
- Serve as a liaison between the court, attorneys, service agencies, and treatment providers.
- Deliver transport orders to the Department of Corrections Transportation Unit.
- Upload case-related documentation to the Mental Health Administrator’s database.
- Contribute to the development and improvement of work methods and procedures.
- Perform additional duties as assigned.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
