Court Clinician 2 #00000340-23100, Full-Time, Perm in Santa Fe, NM

Full-time, permanent position in Santa Fe, NM.

About the role

The First Judicial District Court is seeking a Court Clinician 2 to independently manage cases, conduct assessments of highly conflicted individuals and families involved in child custody disputes, and provide recommendations to the court. This role involves managing complex cases, gathering and analyzing pertinent documents, and collaborating with various community providers.

Responsibilities

• Prepares priority and/or advisory consultation reports and recommendations to assist the court in custody determinations.
• Appears in court as an expert witness to provide testimony on information gathered in family court or domestic violence court cases.
• Develops and prepares custody plans, temporary and stipulated agreements for court approval.
• Conducts mediation and settlement facilitation for cases referred by family court, children’s court, or domestic violence court involving child custody, abuse neglect, and open adoption cases.
• Conducts evaluations and consultations, including advisory and priority consultations.
• Clinically assesses the developmental and psychological needs and emotional functioning of children, parents, and families through information gathering, observation, and interviewing.
• Administers, scores, and interprets psychological testing if credentialed or under supervision of a licensed psychologist.
• Administers, scores, and interprets parenting and other psychological inventories as appropriate.
• Conducts crisis interventions and assesses emergencies on an on-call basis as requested by the court.
• Makes referrals to community providers based on family assessments.
• Collaborates with community providers such as mental health, education, child protective services, medical, and law enforcement.
• Collaborates with the Judicial Education Center to provide training for court clinicians.
• Reviews psychological tests and assessment instruments used in custody and competency evaluations.
• Conducts incident debriefing for jurors in criminal and civil cases.
• Conducts General Information Sessions on Children and Separation or General Information Session on Children and Kinship Guardianship.
• Composes memorandums of understanding and prepares for cross-examination by parties and the court.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

The successful applicant should demonstrate knowledge in the following areas:

• Crisis prevention and intervention techniques
• Advanced clinical assessment, clinical interviewing, and counseling procedures
• Negotiation, mediation, and facilitation techniques and procedures
• Ethical standards
• Clinical interviewing
• Child development and psychopathology
• Family systems theory and therapy
• Substance abuse, domestic violence, and child abuse
• Child protective services procedures
• Cultural diversity
• Assessment and treatment planning
• Community resources
• Family court guidelines
• Psychological testing procedures
• Rules of civil procedure related to family cases
• New Mexico State Statutes and laws
• New Mexico Licensing Board rules and regulations for Psychology, Counseling, and/or Social Work
• American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines and standards

Work Environment and Physical Demands

• Work is performed in an office or court setting.
• A valid driver’s license and travel may be required.
• The assigned work schedule may include nights, weekends, holidays, and overtime.
• Regular interaction with coworkers, clients, the public, judges, and justices.

Qualifications

• Education: Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in Psychology, Counseling, Social Work, or other mental health-related field.
• Forty (40) hours of basic mediation training (or to be completed within twelve (12) months from the date of hire).
• Forty (40) hours of family mediation training (or to be completed within the first two (2) years from the date of hire).
• Licensure: Must possess and maintain a license to practice in the State of New Mexico as a Licensed Professional Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LPCC), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Licensed Masters Social Worker (LMSW), Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), or Licensed Clinical or Counseling Psychologist.
• Experience: Five (5) years of experience working with families and children in a clinical setting, of which three (3) years must have been in family-related issues, mediation, or evaluation of child custody cases.
• Experience Substitution: A licensed Ph.D. in Psychology, Counseling, or other mental health-related field may substitute for two (2) years of experience.

Pay

Target pay range: $36.541–$45.676 per hour or $76,005.28–$95,006.08 annually.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and prescription coverage
• Short and long-term disability insurance programs
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• State-paid life insurance, with options for supplemental and dependent life insurance
• Optional flexible spending accounts for medical, day-care, and travel expenses
• Paid time off (up to eight weeks)
• Eleven paid holidays
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• Deferred Compensation 457(b) plan
• Lifetime Defined Benefits Retirement Plan
• Flexible work schedules and alternative work locations
• Free health care, prescriptions, and lab work at the Stay Well Health Center in Santa Fe, NM
• Bilingual compensation (varies by job classification or need)
• Training and career development opportunities
• Higher education opportunities and educational leave
• Eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)
• Overtime, holiday, or shift differential pay (varies by job classification or need)
• Physical fitness leave (varies by job classification or need)