Social Services Advocate Supervisor - PDD North Region

Committee for Public Counsel Services • Boston, MA

6d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Public Defender Division of CPCS is seeking applicants for the position of Social Services Advocate Supervisor for the state’s North Region, covering Middlesex and Essex Counties. This includes the offices in Framingham, Lowell, Malden, Lawrence, and Salem. Under the direction of the Director of Social Services Advocates, the SSA Supervisor will assist in the hiring, supervision, and training of staff Social Service Advocates in their region, as well as collaborating with and supporting the work of the SSA Director and CPCS management. The SSA Supervisor will carry their own reduced client caseload and will work alongside attorneys in the region’s offices as part of the defense team. In this capacity, the SSA Supervisor can assist on cases through written or direct advocacy to support a positive legal and life outcome for our clients. This work includes bio-psychosocial interviewing and assessment, social history investigation, forensic case management, advocacy for clients within court, carceral, mental health, and social service systems, fostering family interactions and intervention, treatment and sentencing planning, report writing, testifying, and making direct connections between clients and programs. Social services intervention occurs at all stages of the court process, from the initial arraignment through resolution and post-conviction. The SSA Supervisor’s primary base of operation will be in a CPCS office that is located within this geographic region.

Requirements

• A master’s degree in social work, psychology, or related field
• A minimum of three years of experience providing social services to clients, including clinical assessments and community referrals
• Insured, reliable and available transportation, and a valid MA driver’s license
• Access to home internet access sufficient to work remotely
• Experience working with individuals and families of diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, educational, and economic backgrounds
• Knowledge of social, psychological, environmental, economic, legal, and medical factors that influence behavior
• Understanding of social structures and institutional barriers that cause disparities, such as systemic racism and poverty
• Culturally appropriate skills in client interviewing, assessment, case management, and treatment planning
• Knowledge of public and private social services systems and resources
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and persuasively orally and in writing
• Proven ability to work effectively independently and as part of a team
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships within the office and the service provider community
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple responsibilities (strong organizational skills)
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends to handle emergencies
• Knowledge of defense practice and the criminal legal system
• Strong writing and editing abilities
• A demonstrated commitment to the development and training of CPCS Social Services Advocates and advancement of holistic practice in the legal defense field

Nice To Haves

• Social Work Licensure (LICSW)
• at least one year of supervisory experience
• Ability to supervise master level social workers for LICSW licensure preferred
• Strong interpersonal, management, leadership, and supervisory skills
• Bilingual abilities are a plus

Responsibilities

• Regular one-on-one meetings with individual supervisees, as well as group meetings, to ensure quality of services to both clients and referring defense attorneys
• In-the-field supervision, including accompanying supervisees on client interviews, including jail visits and in-court appearances and court testimony to support ongoing training
• Overseeing the development of community resource information and relevant clinical research data
• Collecting, monitoring, and analyzing caseload statistics to ensure that caseloads are appropriate
• Responding to requests for consultation from attorneys in the assigned region
• Collaborating with Attorneys in Charge of offices in the region on annual performance evaluations of assigned supervisees
• Assisting in hiring new staff by reviewing application materials, interviewing applicants, and conducting reference checks
• Providing back-up coverage for SSA referrals as needed
• Other duties as assigned
• Providing orientation and ongoing training to new SSA hires
• Assisting in developing, enhancing, and providing training programs and opportunities, for incoming as well as experienced staff
• Assisting in training CPCS staff attorneys
• Maintaining close contact with clients over the duration of their case to build a strong working relationship
• Conducting both brief and in-depth interviews with clients respecting their individuality and with cultural humility to obtain client histories
• connecting with and interviewing collateral contacts
• Performing needs assessments, developing treatment or service plans, referring clients to service providers, and making direct connections between clients and programs
• Gaining comprehensive knowledge of statewide and local programming and services, and working collaboratively with community-based services that support clients
• Collaborating with defense counsel to develop defense strategies and dispositional options which demonstrate an understanding of the complexities of our clients’ whole lives
• Preparing and presenting courtroom testimony to describe services and dispositional alternatives arranged for the client
• Preparing detailed and persuasive written advocacy for sentencing and mitigation purposes
• Advocating for clients in a client-directed practice to facilitate best possible outcomes

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level