Senior Counselor, Jail Diversion

Organization

Center for Justice Innovation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing community safety and racial justice. Since 1996, we’ve worked alongside communities, courts, and those most directly affected by the justice system to build stronger, healthier, and more equitable neighborhoods. With a team of over 900 staff and an annual budget of $130 million, we pursue our mission through three core strategies:

• Operating programs that pilot new ideas and address local challenges
• Conducting original research to evaluate what works—and what doesn’t
• Providing expert assistance and policy guidance to reformers across the country and beyond

Learn more about our work ovatingjustice.org.

Senior Counselor, Jail Diversion

Lead a team of counselors who assess the clinical and services needs of defendants in pretrial detention. Coordinate closely with the Manhattan Felony Alternative to Incarceration (ATI) Court to identify and assess potential participants, and work with legal stakeholders to resolve cases quickly.

• Manage and provide support to a team of social workers, counselors, and interns, in coordination with the Clinical Director
  • Clinical supervision is provided by the Clinical Director
• Manage the referral, assessment, and treatment planning process for people held in pretrial detention
• Design and revise internal workflows to meet timelines and deliverables
• Coordinate with the Center’s Jail Population Review team for efficient referrals
• Conduct individualized clinical assessments for detainees
• Develop treatment recommendations addressing substance use, mental health, trauma, domestic violence, housing, education, employment, and other needs
• Ensure all assessments and recommendations are submitted on a strict timeline, tracking deadlines for supervises
• Share and review treatment recommendations with defense counsel
• Present treatment recommendations to legal stakeholders (judge, defense counsel, prosecutor, court staff) when necessary
• When defendants are referred to the Felony ATI Court, make appropriate community‑based referrals for social service needs
• Participate in regular interdisciplinary case conferences with court stakeholders while cases are pre‑plea
• Attend court as needed to help clients navigate court processes and collaborate with court staff and stakeholders
• Conduct warm handoffs to case management staff before participants enter their plea
• Collaborate and maintain strong relationships with prosecutors, defense attorneys, the Felony ATI Court’s resource coordinators, community‑based providers, Department of Correction, and Correctional Health Services staff
• Oversee all data entry related to referrals, assessments, and treatment recommendations
• Enter and maintain up‑to‑date participant data in the case management system
• Assist the Clinical Director with refining existing practice and implementing new initiatives, including improving assessment and treatment planning processes and implementing clinical best practices
• Identify internal training needs and coordinate delivery of such trainings for staff
• Support social work internship recruitment, placement, and training, and provide supervision to interns
• Provide crisis intervention and de‑escalation as needed
• Participate in clinical group supervision, staff meetings, and trainings as scheduled
• Attend evening community‑based meetings and events as needed
• Assist with other programmatic and administrative tasks to support Manhattan Justice’s activities, as needed
• Additional tasks as necessary

• MHC or LMSW required with 5–7 years in criminal justice or a related field (e.g., healthcare, substance use, mental health, homelessness, education, job training, child welfare, youth services, elder care, domestic violence, sex offense treatment, services for people with developmental disabilities). Experience in court or criminal justice settings preferred.
• One year of supervisory experience strongly preferred
• Experience collaborating with legal stakeholders to advance new initiatives and implement clinical programming in a high‑pressure, fast‑paced environment
• Ability and openness to engage with differing and, at times,…