CASES keeps people out of jail and prison by engaging them in effective services that help them achieve success in the community. We specialize in serving youth and young adults and people with behavioral health needs. CASES is a leading New York City provider of alternatives to incarceration, a key solution for a fairer criminal justice system. This is an important time at CASES. New York City is on track to create a smaller, safer, and fairer criminal justice system. Working at CASES is more than a job. It is an opportunity to promote justice for New Yorkers with access to high-quality and evidence-based court services.

The Criminal Justice Specialist leads activities related to the coordination of communication between the ACT team and criminal justice personnel to promote participant successful reentry from jail or prison, completion of community supervision mandates including AOT orders, and continuity of care in the event of detention or incarceration. This is a field-based position and requires 80% of services to be provided in the community. The Specialist completes assessments using the Level of Service Case Management Inventory and HCR-20 and identifies objectives for the comprehensive service plan that address criminogenic risk and needs and factors potentially contributing to harmful behavior. Services are delivered to participants within the framework of core ACT principles of recipient self-determination, recovery, cultural competency, and responsivity to criminal behavior and violence risk. The Specialist works with participants with a range of need and risk factors (very high to low) for criminal and other harmful behavior. Using risk-responsive, evidence-based cognitive behavioral interventions supports participants to reduce criminal recidivism, engage in pro-social behaviors and effectively utilize essential mental health and integrated substance abuse treatment offered by the ACT team.  

All applicants must comply with CASES/NYC's vaccination policy. Individuals selected for employment cannot begin working until they provide verification that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (with an FDA-authorized vaccine) or submit and gain approval for a Medical or Religious Exemption. Individuals approved for exemption must submit weekly PCR test results.

Reports to: FACT Team Leader  

We believe that in-person operations are the best way to serve our clients, both directly and through essential operational support. ​This job requires work in our offices and/or the community.

• Assess consumer risk levels for criminal and/or violent behavior and develop recommendations for ACT treatment and rehabilitation services to address related risk and needs  
• During the assessment obtains information: a) to establish the participant’s criminogenic/violence-related risk and needs and required level of cognitive behavioral interventions to mitigate risk factors and b) direct ACT team to needed interventions 
• Complete any required parole, probation, or court progress reports and escort consumers to related hearings and appointments 
• Involve family, significant others, housing providers, defense attorney, and/or community corrections in service provision
• Assist the ACT team and consumer in the development of service plan goals and objectives that promote reductions in criminogenic risk and prosocial community living 
• Collaborate with consumer in the development of comprehensive service plan goals and regularly review and revise goals  
• Provide at least 55 face-to-face contacts per month to consumers in the community 
• Provide individual cognitive behavioral interventions to moderate- to very high-risk consumers to ensure successful completion of any court or community supervision mandates and mitigation of risk factors 
• Provide full range of ACT recovery treatment and rehabilitation services 
• Coordinate with jail and prison reentry coordinators and visit consumers during detention to facilitate their safe and successful reentry
• Coordinate, advocate and liaise with probation and parole officers 
• Complete all required training including in core ACT modalities
• Participate in on-call 24-hour/7 day a week emergency roster 
• Serve as a member of the First Responder Cohort as outlined in CASES’ First Responder Policy and Procedures
• Complete assessments, progress notes and data collection 
• Provide culturally-competent services in accordance with CASES policies and practice
• Other duties and defined by the team leader and designated staff 
• Attend and prepare for organization and team meetings and supervision sessions  
• Any other duties as required by the team leader and directors  

• LMHC, LMSW, LCSW with current NYS license
• At least three years of experience working in human services with individuals with serious mental illness and criminal justice involvement 
• Two years of experience working with formally incarcerated clients and/or working with justice involved clients. Knowledge of violence risk assessments and court procedures are plus. 
• Experience understanding various models and theories pertaining to evidence-based treatment for serious mental illness, and risk-need-responsivity to criminal behavior 
• Knowledge of social learning theory and competence in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) models 
• Skilled in delivery of motivational interviewing 
• Excellent oral communication skills 
• Excellent writing skills 
• Highly organized and self-motivated 
• Proficient in computers  
• Fluency in Spanish preferred 

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.