Social Worker, Family Advocacy & Support Services

The Mental Health Advocacy Services has a vacancy. This job title has an assigned pay grade of SS-415. Our mission is to ensure that our clients’ voices are heard and that they receive every right and remedy afforded them under law. Our goal is to provide high-quality legal counsel and representation to our clients, address systemic issues that affect the rights of more than one client and require a remedy, act as a clearinghouse for information relative to adults and children with mental health diagnoses and children in need of care, and provide training to various individuals/agencies.

This position was created within the MHAS Child Advocacy Program, to institute a multidisciplinary team approach to children's legal representation. National child welfare representation organizations have conducted extensive empirical research to determine that the multidisciplinary model is the best practice for children's legal representation. This allows MHAS staff to make tailored recommendations and advocate to increase the rate and speed of reunifications from foster care, decrease the time spent in foster care for youth who get adopted or live permanently with a relative, and effectuate a successful transition to adulthood for those teenage clients aging out of the system.

Possession of a current Louisiana license to practice as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) plus: A master's degree in social work followed by three years of social services experience.

The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.

• Serves as a primary social work consultant to attorneys and multidisciplinary staff by assisting with client engagement, case evaluation, and the development of effective case strategies.
• Conducts initial client assessments to identify service needs, support systems, crisis situations, and recommended treatment or intervention strategies.
• Assists attorneys in understanding clients’ mental health and social service needs, prepares clients for court participation, and advocates on their behalf with courts, service providers, and DCFS representatives.
• Attends case team meetings to provide recommendations, consultation, and strategic guidance on both assigned and unassigned cases.
• Conducts investigative and case support activities including client visits, background research, record requests, subpoenas, and case documentation.
• Prepares professional social work reports such as assessments, social histories, and case summaries; monitors service outcomes for quality assurance; and represents the program through participation in committees, special projects, conferences, and peer mentor training.

• Provides holistic support to legal representation teams by addressing clients’ social, emotional, and developmental needs while allowing attorneys to focus on legal strategy.
• Evaluates clients with complex clinical, trauma-related, or special needs concerns and recommends appropriate services, resources, and referrals.
• Collects, analyzes, and interprets educational, medical, and social service records to support case planning and advocacy efforts.
• Participates in multidisciplinary planning meetings such as Family Team Meetings, ISP meetings, treatment team meetings, and IEP conferences, while maintaining regular communication and check-ins with clients.
• Collaborates with DCFS staff, foster parents, CASAs, service providers, and case team members to share information, address concerns, and advocate for appropriate resources and services.
• Maintains consistent client engagement through regular visits, case documentation in PRIME,…