Senior Counselor, Jail Diversion

THE ORGANIZATION

The Center for Justice Innovation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing community safety and racial justice. Since 1996, we’ve worked alongside communities, courts, and those most directly affected by the justice system to build stronger, healthier, and more equitable neighborhoods. With a team of over 900 staff and an annual budget of $130 million, the Center carries out its mission through three core strategies:

1. Operating Programs that pilot new ideas and address local challenges;
2. Conducting original research to evaluate what works—and what doesn’t; and
3. Providing expert assistance and policy guidance to reformers across the country and beyond.

Backed by decades of on-the-ground experience and nationally recognized expertise, we bring innovative, practical, and lasting solutions to justice systems nationwide.
Learn more about our work at www.innovatingjustice.org.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Center for Justice Innovation is seeking a Senior Counselor, Jail Diversion to lead a team of counselors who assess the clinical and services needs of defendants currently being held in pretrial detention. This will include coordinating closely with the Manhattan Felony Alternative to Incarceration (ATI) Court to identify and assess potential participants. The ATI Court, which is led by Administrative Judge Ellen Biben, seeks to forge a new response to individuals charged with felonies by linking them to community-based social services. The Court is the first of its kind, providing an innovative model for other jurisdictions seeking to develop and implement meaningful post-conviction sentencing options for individuals facing felony charges.

Reporting to the Clinical Director, the Senior Counselor, Jail Diversion will lead a team that conducts independent clinical assessments and drafts treatment recommendations for defendants being held in pretrial detention. The Senior Counselor will supervise a team of counselors and oversee the referral, assessment, and treatment planning process—ensuring adherence to a strict timeline and that the process is completed as quickly as possible. They will also regularly conduct assessments and prepare treatment plans, including for more complex and demanding cases. Additionally, in coordination with the Clinical Director, the Senior Counselor will design and refine workflows for the team, and oversee data entry. The goal is to provide information that will enable defense attorneys, prosecutors, and judges to resolve cases as quickly as possible, significantly reducing the time people spend in pretrial detention.

An essential and dynamic feature of the Senior Counselor’s role will be close collaboration with key external stakeholders. They will work regularly with New York City’s public defense organizations and other defense attorneys, prosecutors from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor, staff at the Department of Correction and Correctional Health Services, the judge and court staff from New York County Supreme Court who oversee the Felony ATI Court, and an array of community-based alternative to incarceration and community-based providers. Court-based clinical work is an exciting, unique and demanding area of practice, and the Senior Counselor role involves navigating and constructively engaging with differing and, at times, competing stakeholder perspectives. 

• Manage and provide support to a team of social workers, counselors, and interns, in coordination with the Clinical Director;
  • Please note any clinical supervision will be provided by the Clinical Director;
• Manage the referral, assessment, and treatment planning process for people held in pretrial detention; 
• Design and revise internal workflows for this new initiative and ensure that the initiative meets all required timelines and deliverables;
• Coordinate with the Center’s Jail Population Review team to ensure an efficient referral and assessment process for potential participants held in pretrial detention;
• Conduct individualized clinical assessments for people incarcerated in pretrial detention;
• Develop treatment recommendations that address issues such as substance use, mental health, trauma, domestic violence, housing, education, and employment, among other needs;
• Ensure that all assessments are completed and all recommendations are submitted according to a strict timeline, including closely tracki