Social Worker - Public Defenders Office

Under the supervision of the Chief Public Defender and Deputy Chief Public Defender, provide social worker services to clients appointed to the Office of the Public Defender. To the extent resources and confidentiality allow, may be called upon to provide services to other adults charged with crimes in Ingham County who are deemed eligible for a court appointed attorney. Acts as a liaison with community partners who offer substance abuse programs, mental health services and other community resources necessary for client to be able to participate equitably in the criminal justice process. Maintains a database of those community resources to leverage client success. Works with clients, and attorneys to develop mitigating information and sentencing memoranda to supply information about client needs as they relate to release into the community.
1. Work collaboratively with staff attorneys to advocate for reduced sentences or other alternatives to incarceration for clients by:
      a. Finding or developing mitigating information through interviews and obtaining records.  Act as primary liaison with entities that are providing competency  evaluations and reports on criminal responsibility;
      b. Research and recommend alternatives to incarceration;
      c. Assess individual clients for on-going need for services, make appropriate referrals and follow up to ensure needs are being addressed;
      d. Develop and maintain relationships with at risk clients to mitigate self-harm and encourage participation in the legal process.
      e. Develop and maintain relationships with community partners to be able to make appropriate recommendations for social service needs of clients; (drug treatment, mental health treatment, jobs training, housing, literacy and others);
      f. Write, or assist the paralegals and staff attorneys in writing sentencing memoranda to advocate for alternatives to incarceration.  Also assist with other pleadings that address social service needs of the client.

2. Supervise, under the direction of the Chief Public Defender and Deputy Chief Public Defender, externs in social work programs or related fields providing services to clients of the Office of the Public Defender and, resources allowing, other indigent adults charged with crimes.  

3. Make referrals to other appropriate agencies and advocate for client access to their resources.

4. Seek out grants to leverage the resources of the Office of the Public Defender.  Maintain data related to grant opportunities and as appropriate, act as grant manager for successful applications.  


Other Functions:

• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Must adhere to departmental standards in regard to HIPAA and other privacy issues.
• During a public health emergency, the employee may be required to perform duties similar to, but not limited, to those in his/her job description.
• Must be able to learn new software programs and be able to generate memoranda, reports and other documents without clerical support.
• Must have well developed organizational tools and skills to manage high volume, fast paced involvement in the lives of people who are sometimes in crisis.
• Ability to speak with people for whom English is not the primary language. Fluency in other language(s) would be a plus.
  

(An employee in this position may be called upon to do any or all of the above tasks. These examples do not include all of the tasks which the employee may be expected to perform.)Education:  Master’s degree in Social Work. Clinical licensure is a plus but not a requirement to apply.
    
Experience:  Two years working with people in marginalized situations (homelessness, mental illness, incarceration, etc.) in a direct service capacity. Experience could be waived to candidate whose other qualifications are fully met.
    
Other Requirements:

• Valid Michigan Driver’s license.
• Ability to travel for work to include gaining entrance to jails, prisons, mental health facilities, etc.
• Must be able to use own or public transportation for work related travel.

Demonstrates effective communication skills by engaging, interacting and working with all individuals to ensure clarity and understanding in all interactions.

(The qualifications listed above are intended to represent the minimum skills and experience levels associated with performing the duties and responsibilities contained in this job description. The qualifications should not be viewed as expressing absolute employment or promotional standards, but as general guidelines that should be considered along with other job-related selection or promotional criteria.)Working Conditions:

1. This position works in an indoor environment. There is no planned exposure to prominent lights, noises, odors, temperatures or weather conditions.
2. This position is exposed to individuals in crisis. These individuals may suffer from mental or emotional illness, have violent tendencies or be unconcerned with their personal safety and hygiene.
3. This position is required to travel for meetings and appointments.

Physical Requirements:

• This position requires the ability to sit, stand, walk, traverse, climb, balance, twist, bend, stoop/crouch, squat, kneel, crawl, lift, carry, push, pull, reach, grasp, handle, pinch, type, endure repetitive movements of the wrists, hands or fingers.
• This position’s physical requirements require periodic stamina in climbing, balancing, stooping/crouching, squatting, kneeling, crawling, pushing, pulling, handling and pinching.
• This position’s physical requirements require regular stamina in walking, traversing, twisting, bending, lifting, carrying, reaching, and grasping.
• This position’s physical requirements require continuous stamina in sitting, typing and enduring repetitive movements of the wrists, hands or fingers.
• This position performs sedentary work requiring a negligible amount of effort in the physical requirements above.
• This position primarily requires close visual acuity to perform tasks within arm’s reach such as: viewing a computer screen, using measurement devices, inspecting and assembling parts, etc.
• This position requires the ability to communicate and respond to inquiries both in person and over the phone.
• This position requires the ability to operate a PC/laptop and to enter & retrieve information from a computer.
• This position requires the ability to handle varying and often high levels of stress.

(This job requires the ability to perform the essential functions contained in this description. These include, but are not limited to, the requirements listed above. Reasonable accommodations will be made for otherwise qualified applicants unable to fulfill one or more of these requirements.)
            
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