Social Services Advocate - PDD Framingham

Position

Social Services Advocate – PDD Framingham (260003RT)

The Public Defender Division of the Committee for Public Counsel Services, the public defender agency of Massachusetts, seeks a full‑time Social Services Advocate for its Framingham Office. As an integral part of the defense team, Social Services Advocates work closely with attorneys, investigators, and other key defense players to obtain the best possible legal and life outcomes for clients.

• Maintain close contact with clients throughout their case to build strong working relationships.
• Conduct brief and in‑depth interviews with clients, respecting individuality and cultural humility, to obtain client histories; interview collateral contacts.
• Perform needs assessments, develop treatment or service plans, refer clients to service providers, and make direct connections between clients and programs.
• Acquire comprehensive knowledge of statewide and local programming and services, and collaborate with community‑based services that support clients.
• Collaborate with defense counsel to develop defense strategies and dispositional options that demonstrate an understanding of clients’ whole lives.
• Prepare and present courtroom testimony describing services and dispositional alternatives arranged for the client.
• Prepare detailed, persuasive written advocacy for sentencing and mitigation purposes.
• Advocate for clients in a client‑directed practice to facilitate the best possible outcomes.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in a social service field and one year of related experience, or an equivalent combination of skills, education, and experience.
• Access to insured, reliable, and available transportation and a valid MA driver’s license.
• Home internet access sufficient to work remotely.

• Experience working with individuals and families of diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, educational, and economic backgrounds.
• Knowledge of social, psychological, environmental, economic, legal, and medical factors that influence behavior.
• Understanding of social structures and institutional barriers that cause disparities, such as systemic racism and poverty.
• Culturally appropriate skills in client interviewing, assessment, case management, and treatment planning.
• Knowledge of public and private social services systems and resources.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and persuasively orally and in writing.
• Proven ability to work effectively independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships within the office and the service provider community.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple clients and responsibilities.
• Availability to work occasional evenings and weekends to meet with clients, bring clients to programs, attend meetings, conduct collateral interviews, and handle emergencies.
• Knowledge of defense practice, the criminal legal system, and/or corrections is a plus.
• Bilingual abilities are a plus.

A master’s degree in social work, psychology, or a related field is strongly preferred.

Please submit a writing sample with your application. Examples of writing samples include: a redacted biopsychosocial assessment or client history, a redacted clinical assessment, an advocacy letter, or an academic paper.

The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) is an equal‑opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran or military status, genetic information, gender identity, or sexual orientation as required by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other applicable federal and state statutes and organizational policies.

Applicants who have questions about equal employment opportunity or who need reasonable accommodations can contact the Chief Human Resources Officer, Sandra DeBow‑Huang, at