Forensic Social Work Practice Supervisor

New York County Defender Services is an elite public defense firm serving New York City’s most vulnerable communities since 1997. The goal of NYCDS has always been to provide the highest quality criminal representation for those ensnared in the criminal justice system. A mission like this requires an unyielding desire to serve. With a staff of attorneys, social workers, investigators, paralegals and administrative staff, we strive to provide the greatest good for our clients which not only includes legal representation but also assistance with an array of social services. To learn more about our organization, please visit our website:  www.nycds.org.

The office seeks a highly competent supervisor to co-supervise the forensic social work unit. The forensic social work unit is comprised of a dynamic team of social workers and client advocates who work with the Trial Division, the Youth Advocacy Unit, the Re-entry Unit, and the Homicide/Major Crimes Unit. Through a client-centered representation lens, the social work unit is responsible for conducting client assessments, making referrals to treatment programs and social service providers, drafting pre-pleading and pre-sentencing memoranda, and working with attorneys at various phases throughout the duration of the criminal case. The office employs a team-based client-centered representation model that incorporates outstanding interdisciplinary work and strategic decision-making.

Essential duties include:

• Assist in evaluating current social work practices and developing new protocols and strategies to respond to changing needs.
• Provide professional, supportive, equitable and culturally conscious direct supervision of social workers in the unit.
• Schedule one on one meetings on a regular basis with supervisees to evaluate workload, monitor referrals and conference cases.
• Assign cases and coordinate monthly social worker on-call schedules.
• Schedule regular team meetings where social workers can support and learn from other unit members and presenters as appropriate.
• Monitor compliance with Legal Server, the office’s internal case management system.
• Review, provide constructive feedback and workshop supervisees’ written and oral advocacy.
• Foster collaboration and regular communication between team members, including between attorneys and social workers as cases progress.
• Implement and ensure maintenance of NYCDS’ best practices, including creating processes to promote in-person client meetings with incarcerated clients.
• Maintain a positive and professional work environment
• Carry a limited caseload when appropriate.
• Collaborate with NYCDS Training Director to implement social work onboarding for new employees, as well as, addressing the professional development needs of both new and current social workers by Identifying national and local training opportunities for unit members.
• Ensure that new social workers attend trainings as needed or mandated.
• Collaborate with social work supervisor in supervising NYCDS re-entry services including criminal court re-entry services and discharge planning for clients being released from Rikers. May be responsible for recordkeeping and reporting for relevant re-entry grants.
• Assist with training new attorneys and advocates in identifying client issues, trauma-informed interviewing, and making appropriate social work and community referrals.
• Provide coverage for co-supervisor and team when needed.

Qualifications:

• Master of Social Work from an accredited Graduate School of Social Work
• New York State License in Social Work (LMSW or LCSW); LCSW strongly preferred
• Minimum of five years of public defense social work experience and/or experience working in and with racially and socioeconomically marginalized communities targeted by carceral systems.
• Knowledge and expertise on the effects of trauma, substance use disorders, mental health diagnoses, and family dynamics.

Candidates must also demonstrate:

• Passion for racial justice work.
• A commitment to inclusivity and diversity within the unit and the office at large.
• Strong engagement, interpersonal, teaching, communication, and analytical skills.
• An interest in mentorship with an eye towards professional development and growth of forensic social workers.
• Ability to effectively and respectfully communicate, collaborate, and connect with people with various backgrounds, gender and sexual identities, ethnicities, experiences, and areas of expertise.
• Knowledge of current forensic social work best practices.
• Effective verbal and written advocacy skills.
• Supervisory and leadership skills and the ability to both provide and receive intentional and constructive feedback in group settings and one-on-one.
• As a member of the leadership team, offer and exchange ideas in meetings with peers and direct reports with diplomacy.
• Ability to exercise good judgment, discretion, and confidentiality with sensitive matters.
• Spanish language speaker is a plus.

• Fully paid medical insurance coverage on our Emblem insurance plan
• Dental Benefit Reimbursement Plan
• Group Life Insurance
• Pension Contribution Plan
• Short-Term Disability Benefit
• Long Term Disability Insurance
• Commuter Transit Benefit
• Cell Phone Plan