Social Worker in Behavorial Health

About the role

The Social Worker/Social Services Advocate position is a part of the social service team that works collaboratively with attorneys in the Behavioral Health Unit to provide comprehensive and holistic legal representation to our clients within the criminal justice system.

Responsibilities

• Prepare in-depth, comprehensive mitigation reports of the life histories of clients based upon documentation and interviews.
• Investigate and gather all documentation relevant to the defense or mitigation of the client’s case including education, employment, medical, treatment, psychological, military, prison, DHS involvement, and any other relevant information.
• Provide detailed recommendations/progress reports to attorneys and connect our clients to needed services and supports.
• Manage a caseload of clients who are defendants in pending criminal matter and assist defense counsel and the client throughout all phases of the criminal prosecution.
• Conduct in-person interviews with incarcerated clients as well as frequent court appearances.
• Support, as needed, for Assistant Defenders by appearing in court to provide testimony and social work interventions.
• Identify community resources conducive to a client’s needs, refer clients to such programs, advocate for their connection to services, and provide follow up services.
• Develop individualized, community-based treatment plans to focus on a person’s underlying needs and challenges.
• Cultivate relationships with community partners and stakeholders to foster increased alternatives for re-entry and treatment options.
• Prepare written reports/memoranda of client communications, referrals and work product to be forwarded to and made a part of the legal file, and/or discussed with the assigned attorney.
• Maintain statistical tracking of client outcomes and work activities.
• Document all work on behalf of each client in office-wide database.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree is required. B.S.W. or M.S.W., is preferred.
• Experience: Minimum of 2-years of direct client-service experience in a social worker or case manager role, preferred. Working knowledge of the adult criminal justice system, preferred. Substantive knowledge of local community-based resources, including behavioral health treatment, housing assistance, and re-entry services, is preferred.

What You’ll Do

• Client Management & Support: Manage a caseload of clients who are defendants in pending criminal matter and assist defense counsel and the client throughout all phases of the criminal prosecution. Conduct in-person interviews with incarcerated clients as well as frequent court appearances. Provide support, as needed, for Assistant Defenders by appearing in court to provide testimony and social work interventions.
• Investigation & Mitigation: Investigate and gather all documentation relevant to the defense or mitigation of the client’s case including education, employment, medical, treatment, psychological, military, prison, DHS involvement, and any other relevant information. Prepare detailed client social summaries, re-entry plans, treatment plans, and mitigation memorandums/reports to identify and humanize the client’s life circumstances in a manner likely to have a meaningful impact on the client’s legal case.
• Community Resources & Referrals: Identify community resources conducive to a client’s needs, refer clients to such programs, advocate for their connection to services, and provide follow up services. Assist with the development of community resource information and sharing same with unit colleagues and Defender Association staff. Cultivate relationships with community partners and stakeholders to foster increased alternatives for re-entry and treatment options.
• Administration & Documentation: Prepare written reports/memoranda of client communications, referrals and work product to be forwarded to and made a part of the legal file, and/or discussed with the assigned attorney. Maintain statistical tracking of client outcomes and work activities. Document all work on behalf of each client in office-wide database.

Additional Duties

• Other duties as assigned, including becoming cross-trained on civil commitment hearings.

What You’ll Need

• Education: Bachelor’s degree is required. B.S.W. or M.S.W., is preferred.
• Experience: Minimum of 2-years of direct client-service experience in a social worker or case manager role, preferred. Working knowledge of the adult criminal justice system, preferred. Substantive knowledge of local community-based resources, including behavioral health treatment, housing assistance, and re-entry services, is preferred.
• Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrated ability to establish rapport and conduct trauma-informed interviews with clients from diverse backgrounds, including those experiencing severe mental illness, substance use disorders, or incarceration. Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to draft compelling mitigation reports.
• Organization Skills: Very good organizational skills and be proficient in multi-tasking.

Benefits & Perks

• Comprehensive Benefits: Affordable medical care options plus employer paid vision, dental, life and long-term disability insurances
• Generous Time Off: 25 days of paid time off (PTO) annually, in addition to all federal holidays
• Wellness Initiatives: Dedicated, separate sick leave policy alongside organizational programming to support your physical and mental health
• Family Support: 10 weeks of paid parental leave
• Retail: Generous retirement savings plan with Employer Match
• Commute: Free Septa All Access Key card
• Union Membership: This role is represented by AFSCME, District Council 47, Local 3190
• PSLF: We are a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligible employer
• Culture: Meaningful, mission-driven work within a supportive, learning-focused, and collaborative environment.

The Defender Association

The Defender Association of Philadelphia is more than just a law firm. We’re the community’s lawyers. The Defender team – more than 500 attorneys, social workers, investigators, administrators, and other staff – make sure that everyone, regardless of income, has access to high-quality defense when facing criminal charges. Our mission-driven, client-centered model focuses on outcomes that support a system that is fundamentally fair and creates safer, stronger communities.