Forensic Social Worker, Mitigation Specialist

WAGE: $32.91 - $49.36

DEPARTMENT: Weber Public Defender Group

PERSONNEL STATUS: Full Time Grant Funded

BENEFITS: Health Dental Vision Retirement 401k match Sick/Vacation Life Insurance Short-term Disability Accident Critical Illness; Parental Leave; Maternity Leave

IMPORTANT NOTE:

This position is grant funded. The position will exist only so long as the funding from the grant is available.

JOB OVERVIEW:

The selected candidate will work directly under the Forensic Social Work Division Director of the Weber Public Defender Group in a growing county-based public defender office. The position entails working as a core member of the defense team directly with defendants and generating written work product. Candidates require effective diagnostic and clinical skill in addition to operating under ABA and Utah State Bar ethical rules.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Weber Public Defender Group is looking for a social worker to provide Holistic Defense support and perform the role of Mitigation Specialist. Exclusively serving indigent defendants this position entails working as a core member of the legal defense team under ABA ethics and guidelines. Operating on the front lines of social justice applicants must have the ability to apply the NASW Code of Ethics in working with defendants accused of crimes ranging from misdemeanors drug offences to felony sexual assault arson homicide etc.

Clinical skill is foundational to this role including the ability to identify comorbid and differential diagnostics and engage in direct client management throughout case adjudication. Additional skillsets include a high degree of personal organization to maintain deadlines self-directed task follow up effective understanding of Utah Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure understanding of death penalty mitigation standards and the ability to coordinate within a multidisciplinary team.

Direct responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Psychosocial evaluation of defendantsboth in and out of custodyto identify all potentially mitigating factors.

Follow-up investigation with collateral interviews and records review (e.g. medical psychiatric psychological treatment educational vocational etc.).

Carry out evidence-based assessments to quantify mitigating information including criminogenic risk and needs trauma history family systems issues ASAM assessments etc.

Review relevant case discovery materials which may include recorded interviews as well as autopsy and crime scene photos.

Refer and coordinate treatment and community support services as clinically indicated. This may include addiction treatment behavioral/psychiatric care medical care and relevant resources for intellectual disabilities.

Provide consultation to defense counsel regarding defendant competency mental state at offence and statute-driven mitigation options.

Identify retain and coordinate with appropriate forensic experts in the fields of psychology psychiatry traumatology neurology toxicology etc.

Generate attorney work product including documenting defendant interactions and authoring mitigation reports and audiovisual presentations to support case resolution; attain treatment/program acceptance letters.

Provide trial assistance including jury selection and client management.

Client management as needed including conflict resolution defusing triangulation advocating for defendant needs within corrections systems.

Any one position may not include all of the duties listed nor do the listed examples include all duties which may be found in positions of this class. Applicants must be prepared to demonstrate the ability to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

None.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:

Education: Master of Social Work or affiliated clinical Masters Degree.

Licensure: CSW or related clinical sublicense (e.g. ACMHC) or actively working with DOPL to obtain licensure. Mitigation Specialist certification through the NOFSW (preferred) or NACDL or NAPD. Certification or training in administering criminogenic risk-need-responsivity tools such as the LSI series and the STABLE/ACUTE-2007 preferred.

Experience: Two (2) years of clinical experience in any applicable setting (e.g. behavioral care hospital social work addiction treatment etc.)

Preferred Experience: MSW in forensic social work. LCSW or other independent clinical licensure. Two (2) years of experience in forensic social work medical social work or psychiatric social work. Direct experience working within a Death Penalty defense team.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSA):

Knowledge of: Specialized training in national Death Penalty case work such as the Santa Clara Law Death Penalty College. Registered notary public.

Skills and Abilities to: Extensive skill in differential diagnostics including altered mental states of a medical psychiatric drug-induced or neurological origin. Fluency in speaking writing and reading Spanish preferred.

YOUR SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS:

Due to the nature of this position the successful candidate may be required to complete a pre-employment background check prior to starting the position.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.