The mission of CASES is to increase public safety through innovative services that reduce crime and incarceration, improve behavioral health, promote recovery and rehabilitation, and create opportunities for success in the community.

• We are committed to helping people—regardless of their past choices, present struggles, or future obstacles—to build the capacity and courage to change their lives.

• We tailor our services to each individual’s unique needs, risks, and strengths and believe the most effective programs are evidence-based, family-focused, and trauma-informed.
• We are committed to engaging the community by leveraging partnerships and resources to maximize our clients’ opportunities for success.

Our team:

We recognize that each CASES staff member is critical. We are a team strengthened by our diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and talents and united by a common purpose.

We are determined to continuously enhance our knowledge and skills, evaluate our results, and learn from our successes and failures.

Our impact on the community:

We believe public safety is best protected through alternatives to incarceration that combine accountability and support with empowerment and opportunity.

We are committed—through continuous innovation and the strategic disruption of ineffective responses to crime, addiction, and mental illness—to creating solutions for some of the city’s most difficult public safety and public health challenges.

Reports to: Arraignment Supervisor and Arraignments Team Leader

Overview: CASES seeks social workers to conduct screening evaluation interviews for the Manhattan newSTART alternative-to-incarceration (ATI) program. The intake specialist works in the busy arraignment courtrooms of the Manhattan Criminal Court. The intake specialist identifies defendants at risk of jail sentences and conducts interviews to screen for mental health and substance use needs and to assess suitability for diversion to the newSTART program’s case management and other specialized program services. The intake specialist also may assist with screening for Supervised Release, an alternative to detention project. When the defense attorney and defendant agree, the intake specialist advocates before the judge for the individual to be released to participate in START. This position is located in the Manhattan Criminal Court and requires significant interface with defense attorneys, prosecutors, judges and other court personnel.  We will conduct interviews on a rotating basis, in order to build a pool of potential hires for future openings.

Responsibilities:

• Screen court paperwork to identify eligible individuals based on program legal eligibility criteria;
• Conduct screening interview using program protocol to inform eligible defendants about program services and engage them to consider the ATI disposition for the resolution of their case or supervised release, pending resolution of their case;
• Administer and score standardized instruments per the program protocol during the eligibility screening process in court;
• Conduct clinical screening interviews for women and defendants that are flagged by standardized screening instruments as having indications of mental health needs. Provide initial diagnostic impressions and screening confirmation of suitability for community case management services;
• Communicate with community treatment providers and significant others such as family members, housing and shelter providers to establish participants’ status and the appropriateness of participation in newSTART, and establish collaboration strategies to support court advocacy and diversion engagement;
• Work collaboratively with court staff including court officers, defense attorneys, assistant district attorneys and judges to facilitate program admissions;
• Advocate for the individual’s admission to the program by appearing before the criminal court judge to explain the defendant’s suitability for program services;
• Conduct outreach with defense attorneys to ensure they utilize program services in suitable cases;
• Conduct outreach to criminal court judges to ensure they are familiar with program services and program outcomes to support our advocacy efforts;
• Assist as needed in providing program compliance information to the court;
• Meet monthly intake goals established by supervisory staff;
• Enter screening and intake information into program database;
• Provide motivational interventions to individuals released to the program to ensure they complete the court mandate;
• Inform case management staff about directives given by judges to individuals released to participate in program;
• Provide case management staff with critical information about participants to support their ability to engage and respond to participants risks and needs;
• Work with program case management staff and supervisor to conduct outreach as needed to facilitate participant completion of program services;
• Provide culturally competent services in accordance with CASES policies and practice, and
• Complete any other duties as required by the Program Director and supervisory staff.

• NYS LMSW/LCSW
• At least three years of experience providing services to adults with serious mental illness and behavioral health problems;
• Experience conducting screening interviews;
• Knowledge of the criminal justice system, court processes and alternative to incarceration services;
• Spanish speaking a plus.

Salary: Competitive salary with excellent benefits, starting at $50,000.

In one document, attach your resume, and a list of 3 professional references in PDF or Word format.  This document can also include your cover letter, or you can write an email cover letter.  The cover letter should address why you are a good fit for this position. No phone calls please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.

CASES is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment with CASES is based solely on qualifications and competence for a particular position, without regard to race, color, ethnic or national origin, age, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or marital, military, or citizenship status. We also actively recruit individuals with prior involvement in the criminal justice system.Your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.