Forensic BH Navigator- Private Counsel Navigator

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary :

The Forensic Behavioral Health Navigator supports individuals to help them remain successfully in the community, helps individuals connect to service to assist from further penetration in the criminal justice system, provides connections to services serve as alternatives to arrect and incarceration, and supports community reentry from incarceration. This position will provide dedicated support to court-appointed counsel representing individuals in local custody.

The forensic behavioral health navigator will serve all programs offered by the Behavioral Health and Justice Division of the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS) which are at the intersection of the behavioral health and criminal justice. Navigators will specialize in work at the one intercept point (i.e., police, pre-trial, jail reentry, probation and parole), and will work across intercepts in response to the needs of the population of justice involved individuals with behavioral health needs.

Duties and Responsibilities :

Forensic navigators help individuals with mental illness "navigate" the maze of treatment programs, the court system, and community support services for successful lives in the community. Navigators reduce barriers that keep individuals with mental illness from getting timely treatment by identifying behavioral health needs and diverting individuals to appropriate resources and away from jail.

Specific duties include :

• Support court appointed counsel for individuals in local custody
• Provide significant value by assisting counsel in navigating the behavioral health system on behalf of their clients
• Offers insight into reducing unnecessarily long lengths of stay for clients
• Provides a calm listening ear and constructive support.
• Facilitating linkages to community treatment and outside support systems
• Assists with referrals to obtain Medical Assistance
• Assists with referrals to obtain case management
• Arrange appointments for behavioral health, medical, and other care and services
• Works in person at various locations such as FJD, CJC, Pretrial services and Reentry trailer
• Other duties and locations can be assigned based on community needs.

Skills Required :

This position requires strong clinical skills, case management skills, and an ability to navigate systems of care, the criminal justice system, and community resources

Additional skills include :

Education and Experience :

Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology or a related clinical field with at least 2 years of experience working with individuals with serious mental illness

Candidates must have a working knowledge of the Philadelphia Behavioral Health and Criminal Justice systems

Essential Functions :

Equal Opportunity Employment :

PMHCC is committed to equal opportunity. It is our policy to support equal employment for all employees and applicants without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual preferences, age, national origin, disability, behavioral health status, military status or any other characteristic protected by law.

Americans with Disabilities Act :

Employees as well as applications who are currently, or become disabled, must be able to perform the functions of the job with either reasonable accommodation or unaided. PMHCC, Inc will examine reasonable accommodations on a case by case basis in accordance with the law.