Court Support Specialist at Center for Alternative

Job Summary:                                                   

CASES is seeking a dedicated Court Support Specialist to assist a new initiative within our Supervised Release program. The Court Support Specialist will involve working in court during critical night hours to support arraignments and building a caseload from the courtroom to the community. The Court Support Specialist will liaison between outreach and community meetings and working in the courtroom, interfacing with court personnel.

CASES’s Court Services department plays a pivotal role, offering court-mandated or endorsed programs throughout the criminal legal process. These programs, which include alternatives to detention and incarceration, are supported by the New York State Office of Court Administration and are integral to the judicial process. CASES collaborates with a broad network of stakeholders to provide these program options, benefiting thousands of defendants across various boroughs. The arraignment team's diligent screening of defendants for program eligibility, along with the intake assessment team's efforts to divert individuals into community-based programs, underscores CASES's commitment to its mission.

Salary:  The salary range for the Court Support Specialist role is $55,000 - $57,000 per year.

Shift Hours/Days: Sunday through Thursday from 9am - 5pm or 2pm - 10pm. Shift will require community fieldwork throughout the 5 boroughs.

 Workplace Flexibility:  In person

Location Address: 200 Broadway, New York, NY 10038

What you will be doing: 

• Be flexible and innovative in the first of its kind position at CASES of court and community work.
• Provide support for Manhattan Supervised Release participants immediately upon release from their court appearance.
• Maintain a caseload of all eligible participants to be seen at the mandated frequency by the court at a minimum and multiple other community contacts.
• Provide field work outreach and support to clients in the community.
• Assist in the implementation of the Intensive Services Unit subsection of Manhattan Supervised Release program.
• Engage and gain rapport with clients to assist in compliance with SRP court mandates.
• Assist in de-escalation of and crisis management, when appropriate after the client's release.
• Assess and provide services to clients to address housing, income support, education and vocational training, social supports, employment, and primary care needs.
• Provide transitional support for clients to their home, shelters, treatment programs and/or other services to ensure and secure connection to programming.
• Assist clients with linkages to and systems navigation within the behavioral health, human services, and criminal justice systems as appropriate.
• Provide mobile crisis response to clients in distress from their court appearance and possible aid their transport to a hospital.
• Devote substantial time creating and maintaining relationships with human service providers around NYC who are receptive to accepting CASES clients directly from arraignments.
• Develop and maintain excellent professional relationships with judges, prosecutors, defense counsel, and other court partners to facilitate program admissions and maintain CASES’ credibility in the Manhattan Criminal and Supreme Courts.
• Provide culturally competent and anti-racist services in the court 1) in accordance with CASES’ policies and the delivery of excellent court services to address the needs of youth and young adults, adults, and individuals with behavioral health needs and 2) that are responsive to the race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, and criminal legal history of program participants.
• Work a regular schedule and adhere to schedule changes to ensure SRP consistently maintains coverage for all court shifts; perform other related duties as assigned by supervisors and senior staff.
• Participate in supervision, case review and staff meetings, and in-service trainings to develop professional skills.
• Complete all other tasks as noted by supervisors.

What we are looking for: 

• Bachelor’s degree in related field
• At least 5 years of work experience providing peer support to individuals with serious mental illness and criminal justice involvement.
• Proficiency with computer and electronic case records.

Preferred but not required:

• Spanish speaking is a plus.
• CASAC or CASAC-T preferred.

Benefits:

CASES cares about employee wellbeing, and we offer a comprehensive benefits package to support you and your family, including:  

• Medical 
• Dental 
• Vision 
• Vacation and Paid Time Off – starting at 25 days-off annually
• 12 Paid Holidays per year
• Retirement 403b Competitive matching up to 6%
• Employee Referral Program
• Visit www.cases.org/careers/ to learn more about benefits offered by the CASES 

  Although we would love to learn about the skills of every candidate, only selected candidates that are selected will receive a response. We encourage you to apply for any position(s) you feel you are qualified for.  

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 legal system.