Senior Clinician

THE ORGANIZATION

The Center for Justice Innovation is a community justice organization that centers safety and racial justice. Since our founding in 1996, the Center has partnered with community members, courts, and the people most impacted to create stronger, healthier, more just communities. Our decades of experience in courts and communities, coupled with our field-leading research and practitioner expertise, help us drive justice nationwide in innovative, powerful, and durable ways. For more information on how and where we work, please visit www.innovatingjustice.org.  

The Center is a 900-employee, $100 million nonprofit that accomplishes its vision through three pillars of work: creating and scaling operating programs to test new ideas and solve problems, performing original research to determine what works (and what doesn’t), and providing expert assistance and policy guidance to justice reformers around the world.

Operating Programs

The Center’s operating programs, including the award-winning Red Hook Community Justice Center and Midtown Community Justice Center, test new ideas, solve difficult problems, and attempt to achieve systemic change within the justice system. Our projects include community-based violence prevention programs, alternatives to incarceration, reentry initiatives, and court-based initiatives that reduce the use of unnecessary incarceration and promote positive individual and family change. Through this programming, we have produced tangible results like safer streets, reduced incarceration, and improved neighborhood perceptions of justice.

Research

The Center's research teams are staffed with social scientists, data analysts, and lawyers who are academically-trained or have lived experience and who conduct research in the U.S. and globally on diverse criminal-legal system and justice issues. Their work includes evaluating programs and policies; conducting exploratory, community-based studies; and providing research translation and strategic planning for system actors. The Center has published studies on topics including court and jail reform, intimate partner violence, restorative justice, gun violence, reentry, sixth amendment rights, and progressive prosecution. The research teams strive to make their work meaningful and actionable to the communities they work with, policymakers, and practitioners.

Policy & Expert Assistance

The Center provides hands-on, planning and implementation assistance to a wide range of jurisdictions in areas of reform such as problem-solving courts (e.g., community courts, treatment courts, domestic violence courts), tribal justice, reducing incarceration and the use of fines/fees and reducing crime and violence. Our current expert assistance takes many forms, including help with analyzing data, strategic planning and consultation, policy guidance, and hosting site visits to its operating programs in the New York City area. 

Center Support

A dedicated support team within the Center ensures the smooth functioning of operations across various domains, including finance, legal, technology, human resources, fundraising, real estate, and communications. Comprising 15% of the organization's staff, these teams provide essential infrastructure support and innovative solutions aligned with the Center's mission and values. 

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Brooklyn Mental Health Court (BMHC) launched in 2002 as NYC’s first mental health court, serves individuals charged primarily with felony offenses who are living with serious mental illness. The program diverts participants from jail or prison by conducting clinical assessments and then connecting them with long-term treatment in the community, along with rigorous judicial monitoring. The court aims to strengthen the justice system’s ability to identify, assess, and monitor individual participants, to create linkages between the justice and mental health systems, and to improve public safety by ensuring that participants receive high quality community-based services.

The Brooklyn Felony ATI Program utilizes a similar model to Brooklyn Mental Health Court, serving individuals facing felony charges who are not otherwise eligible for Mental Health Court or other treatment courts in Brooklyn. The program receives referrals through two pathways: (1) the dedicated Felony ATI court part within Brooklyn Supreme Court, with a dedicated judge and supervising prosecutor; and (2) through other court parts throughout Brooklyn Criminal and Supreme Court. Regardless of the referral pathway, all participants receive individualized assessments, onsite and community-based services, compliance monitoring and judicial monitoring for the life of the case.

The Center for Justice Innovation is seeking a Senior Clinician for its Brooklyn Felony Diversion programs. The Senior Clinician will serve individuals who are mandated to Felony Alternative to Incarceration (Felony ATI) programming through the Brooklyn Supreme Court. Reporting to the Clinical Director, the Senior Clinician is responsible for conducting psychosocial assessments, linking clients to a range of wrap-around services, providing comprehensive trauma-informed case management, compliance monitoring, and reporting for clients referred to the Brooklyn Mental Health Court and Brooklyn Felony ATI programs. 

• Conduct comprehensive psychosocial clinical assessments, draft reports, and provide recommendations to court parties for services and treatment;
• Provide clinically-informed case management services to participants that address issues such as substance use, mental health issues, trauma, domestic violence, housing, and educational/vocational needs, and other challenges in the participant's life;
• Work to ensure the provision of high-quality, evidence-based, and culturally responsive clinical assessments and treatment services across the site;
• Manage and monitor compliance with treatment mandates, including care coordination with providers and obtaining compliance updates for court;
• Provide written and verbal participant reports to the court and other court staff (e.g. prosecutors, defense attorneys);
• Coordinate and collaborate with a consulting psychiatrist;
• Work with the Clinical Director to develop project specific policies, procedures, and data collection;
• Support clients who present to the clinic in crisis or with imminent needs to be addressed;
• Coordinate with court stakeholders on any non-compliance issues and assist clients in getting back into compliance, including re-engaging clients, arranging return on warrants, and implementing graduate responses to encourage future compliance;
• Maintain appropriate client information in electronic databases and paper files;
• Make appropriate referrals to community-based organizations for additional services;
• Establish and maintain strong linkages with community partners who can provide appropriate interventions and services to court-involved individuals;
• Attend court on calendar days to help clients navigate court and collaborate with court staff and stakeholders, as needed;
• Provide coverage in court by reporting on cases;
• Accompany clients to appointments in the community, as needed;
• Participate in regular interdisciplinary case conferences with court stakeholders and treatment providers;
• Provide clinical guidance and information on trauma-informed practices to Brooklyn Felony Diversion team members;
• Assist with the development and implementation of new initiatives including best clinical practices, and appropriate evidence-based interventions;
• Assist with administrative responsibilities including data collection and management, and grant reporting requirements, as needed;
• Attend all required staff meetings and trainings;
• Attend community-based events after hours, as needed; and
• Additional relevant tasks, as needed.

Qualifications: LMSW or LMHC, with a minimum of 4 years in criminal justice and/or a related field is required. Candidates must be licensed in the state of New York. Excellent written skills are a must. Candidate must be a skilled communicator able to work in a multi-disciplinary setting and maintain strong relationships with multiple agencies and organizations both onsite and in the community. Prior experience with the criminal justice system and/or justice-involved communities is a plus – in particular, experience working with youth and young adults, individuals experiencing domestic violence, mental health issues, substance use disorder, and/or homelessness. Bilingual strongly preferred.

Position Type: Full-time.

Position Location: Brooklyn, NY.

Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $65,000 - $80,000 and is commensurate with experience. The Center for Justice Innovation offers an excellent benefits package including comprehensive healthcare with a national network, free basic dental coverage, vision insurance, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance, and flexible spending accounts including commuter FSA. We prioritize mental health care for our staff and offer services like Talkspace and Ginger through our healthcare plans. We offer a 403(b) retirement plan with a two-to-one employer contribution up to 5%.

The Center for Justice Innovation is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace, and as such, we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, national origin, age, military service eligibility, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or any other category protected by law. We strongly encourage and welcome applications from women, people of color, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, as well as individuals with prior contact with the criminal justice system. Our aim is to create a supportive and respectful environment where every individual, irrespective of their background or identity, feels valued and included.

As of February 10, 2023, New York City Executive Order 25 rescinded the requirement of the COVID-19 vaccination for City workers, new hires, and contracted employees. Accordingly, the Center does not require all new hires be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus; however, the Center recommends all staff, interns, and volunteers stay up-to-date on the vaccination.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete an employment eligibility verification document form upon hire. Kindly refer to the job posting for the relevant contact information. If the contact details are not provided, we kindly ask that you refrain from making inquiries via phone or email, as only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.