Social Worker, Youth Engagement

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Brooklyn Mental Health Court (BMHC), a project of the Center for Justice Innovation, launched in 2002 as NYC’s first mental health court, serving individuals charged with felony offenses who are living with serious and persistent mental illness.

Since then, it has successfully diverted over 1,000 participants from jail or prison by conducting clinical assessments and then connecting them with long-term treatment in the community, along with rigorous judicial monitoring.

In recent years, Brooklyn Mental Health Court has expanded to also serve individuals diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders, linking them to long-term treatment as an alternative to incarceration.

The Brooklyn Mental Health Court is seeking a Youth Engagement Social Worker who will report to the Clinical Director. The Social Worker will be responsible for providing clinical assessments, case management and providing short-term individual and group counseling sessions for 18 - 24 year old participants, among other duties.

Members of the Mental Health Court team must be creative, flexible, and effective at devising new solutions to tough problems.

Team members will need a sincere willingness to share responsibilities and exchange roles with each other when necessary to ensure program success.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to :

• Provide comprehensive, clinically informed case management services to both youth and adult clients that address issues such as substance use, mental health issues, trauma, domestic violence, housing, and vocational needs;
• Conduct comprehensive psychosocial evaluations and draft reports for BMHC stakeholders;
• Perform a variety of professional tasks related to assessment, community referrals, and court monitoring;
• Develop and facilitate psycho-educational and support groups for BMHC’s youth cohort;
• Schedule events / outings for our youth cohort;
• Manage, monitor, and report on participant compliance with court mandates;
• Provide clinical recommendations to the court for mandated services and treatment;
• Maintain appropriate client information in electronic databases and paper files;
• Establish and maintain linkages with community partners who can provide appropriate interventions and services to court-involved individuals;
• Provide written and verbal compliance reports to the court and other court staff;
• Assist with the development and implementation of new programs, initiatives, and / or interventions;
• Participate in staff meetings, in-service trainings, and off-site visits;
• Serve as a court liaison / resource coordinator standing on the record in court, when needed;
• Assist with administrative tasks as needed; and
• Additional relevant tasks, as needed.

Qualifications : The ideal candidate will have the following :

• Be a LMSW with at least two years of relevant experience. Candidates with a MSW will be required to obtain their license within 90 days of employment;
• A minimum of 2 years’ experience working in a social justice or social services setting required, with experience serving youth / young adults strongly preferred;
• SIFI certification preferred;
• Experience with mental health services, co-occurring disorders, trauma-informed and anti-oppressive practice is preferred;
• Experience working with clients diagnosed with serious and persistent mental illness and treatment modalities is a must;
• Ability to effectively work with diverse client populations, as a team member in a multiracial setting, and collaborate with on-site partner agencies and court personnel is required;
• Candidate must be comfortable working in a court-based setting and with court personnel, and partners. Court-based social work is a unique and demanding area of practice, and candidates must be open to constructive engagement with other professionals who have differing and, at times, competing perspectives;
• Candidate must excel at client engagement and be comfortable working with a wide range of clients with complex mental health needs;
• Strong organizational and excellent time management skills;
• Must have strong writing skills; and
• Bilingual (English / Spanish) preferred.

Position Type : Full-time, the standard work week is 35 hours, Monday through Friday.

Position Location : Brooklyn, NY

Compensation : The compensation range for this position is $57,500 - $73,500 and is commensurate with experience. The Center for Justice Innovation offers an excellent benefits package including comprehensive healthcare with a national network, free basic dental coverage, vision insurance, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance, and flexible spending accounts including commuter FSA.

We prioritize mental health care for our staff and offer services like Talkspace and Ginger through our healthcare plans.

We offer a 403(b) retirement plan with a two-to-one employer contribution up to 5%.