Social Services Advocate - MHLD Brockton
Company: State of Massachusetts
Location: Brockton
Posted on: September 11, 2023
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Job Description:
*** *** *** *** *** **ALL APPLICANTS MUST APPLY DIRECTLY THROUGH
THE CPCS iCIMS WEBSITE. IF YOU APPLY THROUGH MASS CAREERS AND DO
NOT COMPLETE THE CPCS iCIMS APPLICATION, YOU WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED
FOR THIS POSITION. PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING LINK TO APPLY (CUT AND
PASTE INTO YOUR BROWSER IF THE EMBEDDED LINK DOES NOT
WORK):***https://careers-publiccounsel.icims.com/jobs/2427/social-services-advocate---mhld-brockton/job
The Committee for Public Counsel Services, the Massachusetts public
defender agency, is seeking a Social Services Advocate for the
Mental Health Litigation Division Brockton Trial Office. Social
Services Advocates work with staff Trial Attorneys to defend
against civil commitment and involuntary treatment, as well as
related cases involving MHLD clients, in accordance with expressed
client wishes and preferences. *We fight for equal justice and
human dignity by supporting our clients in achieving their legal
and life goals. We zealously advocate for the rights of individuals
and promote just public policy to protect the rights of all.* *_Our
Values_* *C**ourage Accountability Respect Excellence* _DIVERSITY
AND INCLUSION MISSION STATEMENT_ * * CPCS is committed to
protecting the fundamental constitutional and human rights of our
assigned clients through zealous advocacy, community-oriented
defense, and the fullness of excellent legal representation. We are
dedicated to building and maintaining strong professional
relationships, while striving to accept, listen to and respect the
diverse circumstances of each client, as we dedicate ourselves to
meeting their individual needs. It is our CPCS mission to achieve
these goals, and in furtherance thereof, we embrace and endorse
diversity, equity and inclusion as our core values as we maintain a
steadfast commitment to: (1) Ensure that CPCS management and staff
members represent a broad range of human differences and
experience; (2) Provide a work climate that is respectful and
supports success; and (3) Promote the dignity and well-being of all
staff members. CPCS leadership is responsible for ensuring equity,
diversity, and inclusion. The ability to achieve these goals with
any level of certainty is ultimately the responsibility of each
member of the CPCS community. *AGENCY OVERVIEW* CPCS is the state
agency in Massachusetts responsible for providing an attorney when
the state or federal constitution or a state statute requires the
appointment of an attorney for a person who cannot afford to retain
one. The agency provides representation in criminal, delinquency,
youthful offender, family regulation, guardianship, mental health,
sexually dangerous person, and sex offender registry cases, as well
as in appeals and post-conviction and post-judgment proceedings
related to those matters. The clients we represent are diverse
across every context imaginable and bring many unique cultural
dimensions to the matters we address. This reality creates a
critical need for CPCS staff to be culturally competent and able to
work well with people of different races, ethnicities, genders
and/or sexual orientation identities, abilities, and limited
English proficiency, among other protected characteristics. * *
*DIVISION OVERVIEW* * * The Mental Health Litigation Division
(MHLD) provides leadership, training, support, and oversight for
four staffed trial offices, trial and support unit, training unit,
an appellate unit, and a panel of private trial and appellate
attorneys. The Division is committed to protecting the legal and
constitutional rights of persons facing civil commitment to public
and private psychiatric facilities, the involuntary administration
of extraordinary medical treatment, including anti-psychotic
medications, and the appointment of a guardian. We are dedicated to
zealous advocacy and a client centered model. * * *OFFICE OVERVIEW*
Brockton is the seventh largest city in Massachusetts and is
sometimes referred to as the "City of Champions," due to the
success of native boxers Rocky Marciano and Marvin Hagler as well
as its successful Brockton High School sports programs. Brockton
also hosts its own amateur baseball team, the Brockton Rox. The
Brockton Office is located in downtown Brockton adjacent to the
Plymouth County Judicial Complex. Brockton is a diverse community
which includes a large Cape Verdean population. * * *POSITION
OVERVIEW* * * MHLD is seeking to fill a full-time Social Services
Advocate (SSA) position for the Brockton Commitment Unit, serving
Bridgewater State Hospital and several other facilities in the
area. Bridgewater State Hospital is a civil commitment institution
that incarcerates people who are involved in the criminal legal
system. All clients at Bridgewater State Hospital also have
previous criminal charges with a range of severity. The SSA uses
the Brockton office as their primary office location but is
responsible for cases in any of the hospitals and courts assigned
to that office. Under the supervision of the Director of Social
Services Advocacy, the SSA works with staff Trial Attorneys to
defend against civil commitment and involuntary treatment, as well
as related cases involving MHLD clients, in accordance with
expressed client wishes and preferences. The SSA is an integral
member of the legal team and works with the client in the context
of attorney-client confidentiality and privilege. The SSA plays a
critical role in identifying the social, medical, psychological,
and rehabilitative issues that preceded the clients court
involvement. The SSA promotes community integration under the least
restrictive setting principle, by providing recovery-oriented,
holistic assessment, care coordination, and advocacy for clients
within court, educational, rehabilitative, mental health and social
service systems. The SSA will be expected to utilize a
client-directed, strengths-based, non-judgmental approach to direct
client work. Due to the nature of the work, there is often a
requirement to meet with clients on short notice; therefore, there
is an expectation that the SSA is flexible with their schedule.
*RESPONSIBILITIES* The duties of Social Services Advocates include,
but are not limited to: Interviewing and Assessment * Conducting
both brief and in-depth client biopsychosocial interviews to obtain
the clients relevant history, as well as an inventory of the
clients strengths, preferences, and challenges; * Assessing needs
and identifying appropriate resources and supports to meet those
needs; * Detailing a clients service history through collecting and
analyzing all relevant records, interviewing clients, as well as
any relevant supports; * Writing biopsychosocial reports for the
purpose of treatment referrals, court letters, and written
advocacy; and, * Recommending the use of other experts for clients
who require further evaluation. Client Care Coordination and
Advocacy * Maintaining close contact with clients throughout the
duration of the case to build a strong working relationship,
strengthening the clients participation in their defense, and
facilitating development of needed supports; * Assisting defense
counsel with retaining and preparing other experts for clients who
require further evaluation (i.e., substance use disorder,
neurological, psychiatric, and medical); * Advocating for clients
rights and preferences with any relevant state agencies,
educational systems, and community-based providers and service
organizations; and, * Attending in person treatment team meetings
at various institutions (including Bridgewater State Hospital) to
support and advocate for clients expressed needs. Dispositional
Planning and Accessing Services * Providing crisis
intervention/management support for clients facing civil
commitments; * Collaborating with defense counsel and other legal
counsel, including criminal defense and guardianship attorneys, to
develop defense strategies and dispositional options in all of the
clients cases; * Gaining comprehensive knowledge of local and
statewide resources from private and public service systems.
Working collaboratively with communitybased and state service
providers to foster partnerships to improve access to needed
services for clients; * Accessing private and public social
services and developing service plans as alternatives to commitment
or loss of rights, focusing on the clients expressed goals; *
Preparing written assessments, dispositions, and service plan
reports and affidavits to assist defense counsel in negotiating on
behalf of the client; * Coordinating other providers, as needed,
for courtroom testimony regarding dispositional alternatives
arranged for the client; and, * With prior supervisory approval,
preparing and presenting courtroom testimony to describe services
and dispositional alternatives arranged for the client; and, *
Other duties as assigned. *MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS* *
Bachelors degree in a social service field and one year of related
experience, or an equivalent combination of skills, education, and
experience; * Must have insured, reliable and available
transportation, and a valid MA drivers license; and, * Access to a
personal computer with home internet access sufficient to work
remotely. *QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS* The following skills and
attributes are preferred: * Prior experience working in the
criminal legal system or legal advocacy organizations strongly
preferred; * Knowledge of social, psychological, economic, legal,
and medical factors that influence the ability of adults and elders
to live in the community; * Familiarity with principles of
person-centered planning, psychiatric rehabilitation concepts,
and/or needs and functioning assessment strategies; * Knowledge of
public and private social services systems and resources, as well
as alternative and non-medical approaches to psychological and
rehabilitative care; * Experience working with adults and elders
with a variety of disabilities (e.g. mental health conditions,
traumatic brain injury, neuro-cognitive challenges) and
co-occurring conditions; * Demonstrated ability to communicate
effectively and persuasively orally and in writing; * Proven
ability to work effectively as part of a team and independently; *
Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships
with colleagues and supervisors, as well as with external service
providers; * Ability to respond effectively to changing priorities,
while prioritizing client needs. * Willingness to travel as needed
to attend meetings, visit clients (in institutional or home
settings), attend courtroom hearings, and participate in training;
and, * Individuals with personal (lived) experience within the
public mental health or social services system are encouraged to
apply. *APPLICATION* Applicants must submit: (1) a resume; (2) a
letter of interest of no longer than two single-spaced pages. The
letter of interest should explain your interest in the position, as
well as describe any relevant experience that may not be otherwise
evident in your resume; and, (3) a writing sample, preferably of a
redacted biopsychosocial report, advocacy letter, or academic
submission. * * *Please Note:* *The SSA role is client-facing and
includes in-person visits to hospitals and other settings where
clients may be held, as allowable by facility protocols and other
restrictions.* _EEO Statement_ 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 theChief Human Resources
Officer. *** *** *** *** *** **ALL APPLICANTS MUST APPLY DIRECTLY
THROUGH THE CPCS iCIMS WEBSITE. IF YOU APPLY THROUGH MASS CAREERS
AND DO NOT COMPLETE THE CPCS iCIMS APPLICATION, YOU WILL NOT BE
CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION. PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING LINK TO
APPLY (CUT AND PASTE INTO YOUR BROWSER IF THE EMBEDDED LINK DOES
NOT
WORK):***https://careers-publiccounsel.icims.com/jobs/2427/social-services-advocate---mhld-brockton/job
**Job:** *Community and Social Services* **Organization:**
*Committee for Pub Counsel Srvc* **Title:** *Social Services
Advocate - MHLD Brockton* **Location:** *Massachusetts-Brockton -
144 Main Street* **Requisition ID:** *230009LO*
Keywords: State of Massachusetts, Brockton , Social Services Advocate - MHLD Brockton, Other , Brockton, Massachusetts
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