Night Clinical Court Liaison

Center for Alternative•New York, NY

3h•$0 - $78,213•Onsite

About The Position

CASES is a New York City agency at the forefront of the intersection between behavioral health and the criminal justice system. Our mission is to increase public safety through innovative services that reduce crime and incarceration, improve behavioral health, promote recovery and rehabilitation, and create opportunities for success in the community. The CASES Court services department services court mandates or endorsed programming at all points in the criminal legal process. CASES operates, alternative to detention (ATD) and alternative to incarceration (ATI) community-based programs that are facilitated by the NYS Office of Court Administration (OCA) judiciary. CASES interfaces with multiple stakeholders to support these ATD and ATI program options for thousands of defendants in multiple boroughs. Specifically the arraignment team screens approximately 10,000 defendants a year for ATD and ATI programs, Supervised Releasee and newSTART. Additionally, the ATI intake assessment team screens 500 amount per year to divert people into 3 (three) CASES community based programs, Reframing Opportunity Alternatives and Resilience (ROAR), Nathaniel Community Success (NCS) and Nathaniel Assertive Community Treatment (NACT). All Court services teams are dedicated to the CASES mission and facilitating release and positive court outcomes.

Requirements

Master’s degree in clinical field (social work, substance abuse, mental health)
NYS licensure (LMSW, LCSW, MHC-LP, LMHC) Open to applicants that are able to obtain one of the listed licenses within 1 year upon hire.
Highly articulate, resourceful, and professional – able to stand up in court and present detailed information
Proven ability to function effectively in a high paced and stressful environment
Ability to work effectively with a diverse group of participants and staff
Interest in, and sensitivity to, issues facing justice-involved individuals
Ability to quickly gather and evaluate the accuracy of information and use good judgement within time constraints and high volume courtrooms
Excellent public speaking skills. Ability to formulate persuasive arguments for eligible defendants to be placed in CASES programs
Excellent analytical and written skills
Ability to work autonomously

Nice To Haves

Bi-lingual candidates strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Maintain excellent professional relationships with Judges, District Attorneys, defense counsel, Probation, and other Court partners to facilitate program admissions and maintain CASES’ credibility in Court.
Review referrals to determine a person’s eligibility for CASES’ programs, including arrest case information, RAP sheet, attorney recommendations, and preliminary information about participant needs.
Engage potential participants and their legal representation in and around the Courtroom.
Undertake clinical screening interviews with potential participants to explain CASES’ program(s)
Ensure participants are matched to the appropriate CASES program based on assessed needs and eligibility.
Achieve monthly intake and other performance targets.
Accompany participants to all Court appearances and advocate to judges, verbally and through written Court reports, for participants to be enrolled or maintained in CASES’ services.
Complete all necessary intake paperwork, including entering participant information into the Salesforce databases.
Ensure participants understand the conditions of their release or plea agreement and expectations regarding participation in CASES program.
Collaborate with CASES colleagues in the community, who are providing services, to ensure the Court’s community supervision conditions are being met.
Provide timely notification to the Court when participants are not in compliance, have gone missing (absconded), failed as required, been rearrested.
Collect and track information on participants’ intake and re-arrest cases, as well as warrants.
Engage in culturally-competency in accordance with CASES policies and the delivery of excellent Court services to address the needs of youth, young adults, adults, individuals with behavioral health needs, and the race and ethnicity, sexuality, gender, and criminal justice history of defendants and program participants.
Mentor less experienced colleagues in the intricacies of Court procedures, and CASES programs, especially eligibility and clinical criteria.
Participate in supervision, case review and staff meetings, and in-service trainings to develop clinical, motivational interviewing, trauma-informed, and legal system competence.
Work a regular and obscure schedule and adhere to schedule changes to ensure CASES consistently maintains coverage for all court shifts; perform other related duties as assigned by supervisors.
Perform other related duties as assigned by Supervisors.