FORENSIC SPECIALIST

About the role

New Horizons is the largest mental health and addiction recovery provider on the Treasure Coast (and beyond), serving 15,000 children and adults annually through inpatient crisis services, a 24‑hour help line, mobile response team, and outpatient programs across Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie counties. The agency also assists 22,000 students in area schools and collaborates with courts, law enforcement, jails, and hospitals to improve community health. New Horizons is a nonprofit agency seeking a caring and compassionate Forensic Specialist in its Forensic division to monitor forensic individuals with mental health and/or co‑occurring disorders who have committed felony charges. The ideal candidate is eager to teach, seeks meaningful work with growth opportunities, and believes their efforts can make a difference in the lives of those served.

Responsibilities

• Monitor identified mentally ill individuals in jail at risk for commitment to the Department of Children and Families pursuant to Chapter 916, F.S.
• Conduct forensic activities for assigned individuals, including service brokering, monitoring, and advocacy.
• Maintain close working relationships with local jail mental health personnel, judicial assistants in the circuit, the Office of the Public Defender, the Office of the State Attorney, and the Clerk of the Court's Office.
• Attend all scheduled court hearings involving mentally ill individuals adjudicated incompetent to proceed or not guilty by reason of insanity, including competency determination hearings.
• Prepare for and discuss alternative dispositions at hearings.
• Participate in the development of the psychosocial assessment and the service/treatment plan within 30 days of admission.
• Conduct visits to individuals within 10 days of notification of conditional release to evaluate and assist with transition to the community.
• Develop a community transition strategy for each identified client and work closely with the individual, authorized family members, local mental health provider agency staff, state treatment facilities, District/region SAMH office, and placement sites.
• Conduct forensic activities for state hospital individuals to ensure continuity of care and coordination of appropriate service provision throughout hospital admission and transition.
• Track individuals on conditional release.

Requirements

• Minimum of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college with major coursework in a human services field OR a Bachelor's degree in an unrelated field and two (2) years of human services experience.
• Two years of human service experience if the degree is not in Criminal Justice or Human Services.
• Must pass Level 2 Background through DCF and AHCA Clearinghouse. For more information, see: https://info.flclearinghouse.com.

Benefits

• Health Insurance (covers mental health)
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Disability Insurance (STD; LTD)
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Sick Leave
• Paid Training
• Employee Assistance Program
• Life Insurance
• Retirement plan (403b)