Overview
Federal Defenders of New York (FDNY) is seeking applicants for a Mitigation Social Worker position in our Manhattan office. FDNY is a federal public defender office that provides legal representation to indigent persons accused of federal crimes in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. We are not a government agency and our employees are not government employees. Our mission is straightforward: although we provide our services free of cost, our clients should receive the finest legal representation available at any price. We are vigorous in the defense of our clients, and we are seeking applicants with a similar level of dedication and passion for the work. Our mitigation social workers assist the attorneys on collaborative defense teams by supporting clients through the pendency of their cases and as they reintegrate into the community.
Responsibilities of the Social Worker/Mitigation Specialist include, but are not limited to:
· Prepare written mitigation materials, re-entry support plans, and alternative disposition requests through client and family interviews, records collection, and social science literature research. Propose alternatives to incarceration where appropriate.
· Maintain individual client caseload serving as advocate and providing intensive case management services including vocational and educational development; pretrial and supervised release support; community integration; substance abuse and mental health treatment; family and interpersonal relationship support; health and trauma counseling; and facilitate referrals for community-based services for clients out on bail, as well as incarcerated clients.
· Gather and summarize the client’s psychological, educational, and medical records for mitigation development, program referrals and benefits advocacy.
· Meet with clients in the office, in the community, in the jails and at court.
· Develop and maintain professional relationships with community service providers, probation officers, psychologists and psychiatrists, attorneys, and Federal Bureau of Prisons staff.
· Assist in data collection, program development and program evaluation initiatives.
· Stay abreast of local and national public policy, public benefits, community resources and processes.
Qualifications: The position requires an LMSW and a minimum of two years post-masters experience; or a bachelor’s degree in a related field and at least five years of relevant experience in a public defense setting. The candidate must have:
Two years of social work or mitigation experience within one or more of the following
o criminal defense (federal, state, or capital defense)
o civil defense (family court on behalf of clients charged with abuse or neglect, housing court on behalf of clients facing eviction, immigration on behalf of clients facing deportation)
o impact litigation (human rights, Section 1983 litigation)
· An understanding of the intersectionality of the criminal legal system and the lived experiences of our clients. Experience in the application of knowledge and engagement in dialogue around race, implicit bias, power & oppression.
· Knowledge of programs and services in NYC that address the needs of our clients: housing/shelter, mental health, substance use, vocational/educational, and reentry – and how to access those services. Experience with addiction and mental health treatment, trauma, and social service systems a plus.
· The ideal candidate will be a motivated and organized self-starter with excellent communication, writing and advocacy skills. We are looking for an individual who can communicate well with clients, attorneys, prosecutors, judges, experts, BOP staff and community providers. Candidate should be comfortable with public speaking and training.
· The ability to work both independently and in an interdisciplinary legal setting and to relate well to incarcerated individuals, formerly incarcerated individuals, and their families is critical. Travel to prisons in NYC and NJ required. Candidate will also be expected to visit clients in the community and establish an ongoing relationship with community-based programs.
· Bilingual in Spanish highly desired.
The salary is consistent with the federal pay scale and will depend on years of experience. The salary range for the Mitigation Social Worker position is $85,326 to $121,485. Excellent benefits. We strongly encourage people from underrepresented groups to apply. Federal Defenders is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and we are committed to creating a work environment that fosters inclusion and belonging for all employees