Senior Social Worker

Department of Veterans Affairs•Los Angeles, CA

37d•Onsite

About The Position

The VJP Social Worker provides jail outreach to incarcerated Veterans, works with courts, a member on the Veterans Treatment Court team, collaborates with VAPD, law enforcement to provide education and training, completes assessments with Veterans involved in the justice system, make referrals to VA services including, housing, treatment, employment, and VA benefits

Responsibilities

Communicate/meet with judges, officers of the court, correctional administrators and staff on a regular basis to design and/or maintain appropriate policies and procedures required for each setting.
Attend justice system staff trainings relevant to working with offenders and high-risk populations and represents the VA at community meetings, seeking or maintaining membership on relevant boards, councils and task forces.
Collaborate with other Justice Outreach clinicians to support engagement in care for eligible Veterans recently discharged from correctional institutions.
Maintain relationships and routinely collaborates with providers who serve Veterans by contract or formal agreement with the VA, government staff, social, financial, legal, health and mental health agencies, Veterans and/or their families/relatives, Veterans' conservators, friends, employers, landlords, police, attorneys, judges, and probation and parole officers.
Conduct active outreach to Veterans involved with the justice system, including those who may be participants, or candidates for participation, in treatment court programs, including Veterans Courts. This outreach may also include field interviews, assessments and referrals for Veterans contacted in community settings, courts and/or prior to release in jails or prisons, as well as those referred by VA residential programs, medical centers or outpatient clinics.
Assess high risk factors, acuity, and the need for services. This Justice Outreach Social Worker has the ability to serve Veterans who tend to have frequent and severe crises, lack family or an adequate community support network, be poor at self- monitoring, frequently fail to comply with instructions and treatment, or have significant deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychosocial support.
Identify and interviews justice-involved Veterans in the appropriate setting to conduct needs assessment and determine appropriate referrals, linkage and coordination for VA and non-VA services to enhance function in the community, including in transition from jail or prison.
Perform work in maximum, medium, or minimum-security correctional institutions usually under a "no hostage" policy. The Justice Outreach Social Worker observes established VA safety precautions while working in correctional facilities and/or in community settings. The work environment may involve unclean settings. There is ongoing exposure to individuals with psychiatric and physical illness and disabilities, which can include acute infections, violent or aggressive behavior, or chronic psychiatric and medical problems.
Function as an ongoing case manager for justice-involved Veterans who are being monitored by treatment courts (and as needed for Veterans released from correctional institutions) by performing duties to facilitate independent community living by coordinating mental health and community care.
Collaborate with county probation officers, prosecutors, public defenders, retained defense counsel, and parole officers as appropriate to develop a post- release plan and/or community-based alternatives to incarceration.
Participate in development of a treatment plan for each Veteran contacted through outreach. The treatment plan includes individualized goals and measurable objectives based on relevant psychological, medical, and psychiatric information. The Justice Outreach Social Worker is responsible for the assessment, identification, facilitation, referral and linkage to appropriate medical and psychiatric services for Veterans identified as eligible for services.
Facilitates outreach endeavors as required by facility, program, and supervisor's direction.