THE ORGANIZATION
The Center for Court Innovation is committed to reducing crime and incarceration, addressing violence, supporting survivors, and building communities while strengthening public trust in justice. The Center seeks justice for marginalized groups, bringing an equity lens – particularly a racial and gender equity lens – to its work. For 25 years, the Center has worked to foster justice and equity to create safe, healthy, and thriving communities and, ultimately, to transform the justice system.

The Center is an 800-employee, $100 million nonprofit that accomplishes its vision through three pillars of work: creating and scaling operating programs to test new ideas and solve problems, performing original research to determine what works (and what doesn’t), and providing expert assistance and policy guidance to justice reformers around the world.

Operating Programs
The Center’s operating programs, including the award-winning Red Hook Community Justice Center and Midtown Community Court, test new ideas, solve difficult problems, and attempt to achieve systemic change within the justice system. Our projects include community-based violence prevention programs, alternatives to incarceration, reentry initiatives, and court-based initiatives that reduce the use of unnecessary incarceration and promote positive individual and family change. Through this programming, we have produced tangible results like safer streets, reduced incarceration, and improved neighborhood perceptions of justice.

Research
Researchers at the Center conduct independent evaluations, documenting how government systems work, how neighborhoods function, and how reform efforts change things. We believe in the “action research” model; accordingly, our researchers provide regular feedback on the results of the Center’s own operating programs. The Center has published studies on topics including youth in the sex trade, reentry, gun violence, and drug treatment as an alternative to incarceration. Our researchers have been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals.

Policy & Expert Assistance
The Center provides hands-on, planning and implementation assistance to a wide range of jurisdictions in areas of reform such as problem-solving courts (e.g., community courts, treatment courts, domestic violence courts), tribal justice, reducing incarceration and the use of fines/fees and reducing crime and violence. Our current expert assistance takes many forms, including help with analyzing data, strategic planning and consultation, policy guidance, and hosting site visits to its operating programs in the New York City area.

Brooklyn Mental Health Court

The Brooklyn Mental Health Court is a project of the Center for Court Innovation housed in the Brooklyn Supreme Court. The Project has been in operation for over 17 years and is a specialized court part that tests new approaches to the treatment and supervision of mentally ill offenders in the community. Members of the Mental Health Court team must be creative, flexible, and effective at devising new solutions to tough problems. Team members will need a sincere willingness to share responsibilities and exchange roles with each other when necessary to ensure program success.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Brooklyn Mental Health Court (BMHC) is seeking a Case Manager. The Case Manager will work as part of an interdisciplinary team using a strengths-based trauma-informed approach to engage and secure appropriate programming for BMHC clients. The selected candidate will be responsible for assessing and monitoring a caseload of ATI clients, making referrals to appropriate treatment providers, and helping to promote compliance. The Case Manager will maintain regular contact with participants, their treatment providers and will prepare court updates to inform the courts stakeholders on participant’s compliance. Work will be onsite. This position will directly report to the Project Director.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Provide comprehensive clinically informed case-management services (and where appropriate, to their families) to help address mental health needs, substance abuse, trauma, housing and vocational/educational needs;
• Complete clinical assessments and administer a risk assessment tool to candidates referred to BMHC;
• Provide service referrals for BMHC clients to appropriate treatment providers;
• Establish relationships with Correctional Health Services and appropriate providers in the community;
• Complete all necessary documentation and input data into a computer database;
• Perform individual counseling sessions and case conferences, as needed;
• Prepare updates for client’s court appearances;
• Monitor and report on compliance to court stakeholders and work with defense and district attorneys to bring program participants into compliance;
• Assist with administrative responsibilities, including data management, grant reporting and compliance monitoring;
• Participate in required trainings and attend staff meetings; and
• Additional relevant tasks, as needed. 

Qualifications: 

• The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree (required) and a minimum of 2-3 years work experience in a related field;
• Experience working with persons diagnosed with mental illness required;
• Candidate must have experience with mental health services, drug/alcohol treatment, co-occurring disorders, trauma -informed and strength-based perspectives;
• Experience working with clients with Neurodevelopmental disorders and OPWDD preferred;
• Candidate must have experience in utilizing trauma informed approaches;
• Outstanding organization, written and verbal communications skills;
• Must be able to work well with people from a wide range of personal and professional backgrounds; and
• Bilingual preferred.

Position Type: The standard work week is 35 hours, Monday through Friday.

Position Location: Downtown Brooklyn

Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $26.18 - $27.40 per hour based on a 35-hour work week and is commensurate with experience. This position is eligible for overtime at 1.5x the hourly rate above 40 hours per week. The Center for Court Innovation offers an excellent benefits package including comprehensive healthcare with a national network, free basic dental coverage, vision insurance, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance, and flexible spending accounts including commuter FSA. We prioritize mental health care for our staff and offer services like Talkspace and Ginger through our healthcare plans. We offer a 403(b) retirement plan with a two-to-one employer contribution up to 5%.

The Center for Court Innovation is an equal opportunity employer. The Center does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, national origin, age, military service eligibility, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or any other category protected by law. We strongly encourage and seek applications from women, people of color, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities as well as individuals with prior contact with the criminal justice system.

As of September 9, 2021, all new hires are required to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus, unless they have been granted a reasonable accommodation for medical, disability or religious reasons by the Center’s Human Resources Department.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete an employment eligibility verification document form upon hire. Only applicants under consideration will be contacted. No phone calls please.