Forensic Social Worker, Parole Revocation Defense Unit

MAJOR PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

The Legal Aid Society, the largest social justice public interest law firm in New York City, has an immediate opening for a dedicated and passionate court-based Forensic Social Worker in the Parole Revocation Defense Unit (PRDU) in the Bronx office to provide client services. While working closely with the Criminal Defense attorneys, the Forensic Social Worker’s (FSW) primary role is to interview clients, and any collateral contacts, with the goal of gathering a life history to highlight mitigating circumstances such as mental illness, drug addiction, trauma and/or chronic poverty leading to a client’s involvement in the criminal justice system.

 

The FSW will then advocate for an alternative to detention, an alternative to incarceration, or lesser sentence, based on mitigating factors. The FSW will evaluate clients and recommend a treatment program. The FSW will fill out necessary paperwork and provide supporting documents to facilitate a client’s interview with a program and/or to assure a client’s acceptance into a program. The FSW educates the client about treatment options, offers crisis intervention, and short-term counseling. The FSW provides essential information to attorneys about clients.

 

The Parole Revocation Defense Unit, through a dedicated team of lawyers, paralegals, investigators, and social workers, represents over 6000 parolees per year with the stated goal of both shortening their length of incarcerations on Rikers Island, and upon release, assisting parole clients in the community to avoid violations and re-incarceration.

 

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Interview the client in court, performing a thorough bio-psycho-social During this process, crisis intervention, brief treatment, or short-term counseling may also be performed
• Identify and interview collateral sources of information. Collateral interviews are done with family members, friends, teachers, social workers, community members, and others connected to the client
• Request, review, and analyze life history records (i.e., school, medical, psychiatric) to document specific arguments within written reports
• Develop casework plans in conjunction with the attorneys, develop alternative sentencing plans, and provide advocacy in court
• Assess a client’s readiness for treatment and make referrals to substance abuse treatment, domestic violence, mental health counseling, shelters,
• Conduct in-person visits to clients in the community and at jails, detention centers or hospitals.
• Other duties assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

 

Required qualifications:

• MSW degree and New York State (NYS) license in social work (LMSW or LCSW) preferred OR the ability to obtain LMSW licensure within 6 months of hire
• Strong diagnostic skills with a background emphasis in working with clients with the following special needs: MICA, physical illnesses and disabilities, mental illness, intellectual disabilities and developmental delays, and histories of substance abuse
• Ability to interface with Judges, District Attorneys and Correctional Personnel in court and detention centers
• Ability to negotiate with community-based treatment centers
• Ability to write persuasively
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Excellent organizational skills
• Strong computer skills
• Ability to work within a team model

 

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The salary range represents a good faith estimate of the range we expect to pay for this role. The actual salary offered may vary depending on many factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as collectively bargained salary steps for unionized roles.

 

Salary Range: $83,631 - $125,627

 

The Legal Aid Society offers a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability, and life insurance, and more.