Social Worker, Mental Health

Innocence & Justice Louisiana is seeking a full-time social worker to work alongside a team of passionate and dedicated advocates. The Social Worker will provide clinical and case management support to people who have been wrongfully convicted or unjustly sentenced, preparing to be released from incarceration, and after they have been released. The Social Worker will also supervise staff in the Client Services Division.

This position will report directly to IJLA’s Executive Director.

Innocence & Justice Louisiana frees innocent people sentenced to life in prison and those serving unjust sentences. We recognize the root causes of wrongful convictions and unjust sentences as systemic racism and inequities. We work to expose and address these root causes by sharing our clients’ stories in court, the legislature, the community and the media. We support our clients living well and fully in the world after their release.

Innocence & Justice Louisiana, formerly Innocence Project New Orleans, is the only nonprofit law firm in Louisiana focused on non‑capital post‑conviction relief representation and long‑term support after release. We also drive systemic reform—challenging the laws and practices that have made Louisiana the most incarcerated place on Earth and one of the wrongful conviction capitals of the world.

Founded in 2001, IJLA, has freed or exonerated 77 people. IJLA developed and teaches the first Wrongful Conviction Clinic at LSU Law School, built and is continually expanding the Louisiana Law Enforcement Accountability Database () to promote transparency and accountability in policing, and advocates for law and policy changes to make our criminal legal system more just and fairer.

The Social Worker is the supervisor of IJLA’s Client Services Division. The Client Services Division provides comprehensive support to IJLA’s clients before and after their release from prison, support which can go on for many years. IJLA clients are freed or exonerated through our Post‑conviction Innocence Representation Program or our Unjust Punishment Project (UPP), which frees individuals given overly harsh sentences grossly disproportionate to the crimes of which they were convicted.

Many of IJLA’s clients have served decades in prison fighting for their freedom. In prison, they have been denied adequate medical and mental health services, meaningful opportunities to gain life and work skills, and have encountered and endured physical harm, emotional distress and trauma.

The Social Worker supervises a client advocate, a peer mentor and a social work fellow assisting with re‑entry support. The Social Worker also coordinates directly with IJLA’s attorneys and investigators to identify additional client needs.

As the supervisor of the Client Services Division, the Social Worker ensures we help our clients and their loved ones prepare mentally, emotionally and practically for release while our clients are still in prison, then helps them transition and navigate the daily challenges they may face upon release. The struggle of adjusting to life outside prison after being freed has been described by some clients as much more challenging than they anticipated.

Such challenges may include finding secure and safe housing, getting connected to benefits and social services, re‑uniting and renegotiating family relationships after prison, financial fluency, learning technology, seeking medical and/or mental health evaluations and follow‑up, counseling, and so much more. IJLA does not have a re‑entry program, in the sense of support that is time‑limited or follows a pre‑determined curriculum or structure.

We support clients based on their individual evolving needs for as long as they need our support.

• Meet with incarcerated clients pre‑release to begin building a relationship, evaluate needs (mental health, substance use, medical, etc.), and develop a plan for support both pre‑ and post‑release. This may include trauma assessments and bio‑psycho‑social evaluations. Gather and evaluate information relating to employment history and barriers to employment, housing,…