Social Worker

Overview

NEIGHBORHOOD DEFENDER SERVICE

POSITION AVAILABLE : Social Worker Criminal Defense Team (San Marcos TX)

Neighborhood Defender Services Hays County Criminal Defense Team is a nonprofit client-centered collaborative holistic public defense office created to provide criminal defense representation and related services to residents of Hays County Texas. The office opened in January 2023.

Clients are represented by teams composed of lawyers investigators social workers client advocates and team administrators. NDS adheres to a client-centered approach to

representation that emphasizes a heightened responsiveness to clients needs prior to arrest while a case is pending and after the case concludes.

The Social Worker is an integral part of the defense team who demonstrates a commitment to serving marginalized persons and communities. As a member of the organization the Social Worker will help shape our present and futurecontributing to a collaborative environment and culture of excellence in alignment with our values. At NDS Texas how we represent our clients is as important as individual case outcomes and our ideal Social Worker approaches the cultivation of a positive office culture and the representation of indigent clients with equal rigor and commitment.

Responsibilities

RESPONSIBILITIES : Reporting to the Managing Director of NDS Texas or one of the Supervising Attorneys of NDS Hays County the Social Worker will carry a caseload of their own cases and clients as well as coordinate resources on behalf of attorneys for their clients. The individual in this role will :

1. Embrace NDS philosophy of clientcentered communitybased holistic representation and commitment to excellence by providing vigorous representation with energy and enthusiasm to clients.

2. Work closely with team members to advocate for reduced sentences and / or alternatives to incarceration for clients. This advocacy includes :

• Gathering factual mitigation through interviews and obtaining records;
• Analyzing records;
• Researching and recommending alternatives to incarceration;
• Writing pre-pleading memoranda to judges and prosecutors seeking reduced sentences and alternatives to incarceration.

3. Work closely with clients to :

4. Visit clients in custody to conduct initial assessments screenings and interviews.

5. Work with confinement facilities to ensure clients are being treated for physical and behavioral health issues including receiving the proper medications if appropriate.

6. Work as part of the interdisciplinary team including attorneys and other non-attorney advocates to determine case strategy

7. Provide clinical or non-clinical social services to individuals families groups organizations and communities.

8. Apply social work theory knowledge methods and ethics to restore or enhance social psychosocial or bio-psychosocial functioning.

9. Maintain accurate and confidential client records documenting all interactions and interventions.

10. Interview family friends and others to obtain a complete picture of the clients situation.

11. Obtain clients records from all relevant sources; review records; and prepare summary of records

12. Develop mitigation evidence for attorneys to use in pre-trial negotiations trials and sentencing purposes.

13. Adhere to all relevant federal and state laws and agency policies and procedures including HIPAA and other confidentiality regulations.

14. Demonstrate cultural competence awareness and respect for diverse cultures and individual differences.

15. Provide basic needs counseling and problem-solving assistance or case management services for clients and their families.

16. Establish and maintain a database of local and state services and treatment options

17. Provide supervision coaching and direction to the client advocate

18. Maintain a safe cordial and healthy workplace environment

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS : The ideal candidate will bring :

1. A demonstrated commitment to criminal justice indigent defense racial equity and social justice issues and a substantive understanding of the biases impacting our clients.

2. An ability to quickly build relationships with people of varying identities income levels races and ethnicities.

3. A high level of organization and administrative skills to handle a high caseload and multi- task in a very fast-paced environment.

4. Must possess excellent interpersonal analytical writing and communication skills

5. Energy enthusiasm and ingenuity to gather and develop information from a broad spectrum of sources ranging from community residents to county state and federal agencies.

6. An ability to work cooperatively in a team setting and independently with minimal oversight.

7. Knowledge and experience with Windows and iOS

8. Knowledge of Adobe Pro and Microsoft Office Suite

9. Must possess experience working in an interdisciplinary setting

10. Must be comfortable in a jail and / or court environment

11. An MSW degree

12. Licensed as an LMSW in the state of Texas or able to attain licensure within six months of being hired

13. Spanish language fluency is mandatory.

Compensation : Compensation is commensurate with directly relevant work experience and is in adherence to the NDS compensation scale. Exceptional benefits package includes full medical and dental for employees and family retirement life and AD&D insurance paid vacation holiday and sick time. This is a full-time exempt position.

Salary Ranges

1 - 5 Years $65248.69 - $69810.84

6 - 11 Years $70955.28 - $76660.83

The salary benefits and employment policies relevant to this position are governed by the CBA between NDS and the NDS Union part of ALAA UAW 2325.

How to Apply : Interviews are being held on a rolling basis and applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Interested applicants should email apply on the NDS careers portal at more information about NDS please visit our website at .

Dont meet every single requirement Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At NDS we are dedicated to building a diverse inclusive and authentic workplace so if youre excited about this role but your experience doesnt align perfectly with every qualification in the job description we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Neighborhood Defender Service is committed to creating a diverse environment that reflects the community we serve. NDS is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race religion gender gender identity or expression sexual orientation national origin genetics disability age or veteran status. NDS values and specifically seeks applicants who are people with incarcerated loved ones formerly incarcerated people people of color women queer transgender gender nonconforming and gender fluid people.

Key Skills

Motivational Interviewing,Acute Care,Crisis Intervention,Behavioral Health,Intake Experience,Hospice Care,Case Management,Home Care,Child Welfare,Experience with Children,Social Work,Addiction Counseling

Employment Type : Full-Time

Experience : years

Vacancy : 1

Monthly Salary Salary : 65248 - 69810