Courtesy Posting: Court Liaison, Bridges Of Colorado

POSITION INFORMATION

***This is a courtesy posting for Bridges of Colorado****

Salary: $6,021 - $8,129 monthly, $72,261 - $97,552 annually

Location of position (city):

Statewide

MISSION STATEMENT

Bridges of Colorado, established in 2018, places Court Liaisons across Colorado's 22 judicial districts to serve defendants (referred to as participants) in the criminal justice system who have significant mental health needs. Due to the high success of the program, Bridges was legislatively established as an independent state office within the Judicial Branch in April of 2023. See legislation here: Bridges of Colorado Act 2023

Bridges Court Liaisons are appointed by the court and facilitate collaboration between the criminal justice and mental health systems by partnering with providers, courts, and often families to provide wraparound care for participants. Liaisons provide person-centered care, working with participants to identify needs and address barriers, such as mental health, disabilities, housing, or transportation.

Because liaisons work with participants both in and out of custody, they are integral to outpatient planning when a participant is in custody and support engagement into identified services once a participant is released. Advocating for the best behavioral health interests of the participant, Court Liaisons keep judges and attorneys informed of participant needs and barriers, available services, and progress with engagement into services through regular reports to the court and attendance at hearings.

Individuals with high acuity mental health needs are ten times more likely to be jailed and nationally there are three times more individuals with serious mental illness in jails or prisons than in hospitals. Bridges of Colorado has been identified nationwide as a promising practice that focuses on the whole person. It is intentionally designed to address disparities often experienced by this population in the criminal justice system. Court Liaisons advocate for each participant’s inherent worth and dignity by centering their lived experiences and voice to ensure their behavioral health best interests. At its very core, Bridges is person-centered advocacy rooted in solution-focused, collaborative practices intended to promote positive outcomes for participants.

STATEMENT OF DUTIES

Legislation creating Bridges of Colorado speaks to the disparities typically experienced by individuals with significant mental and/or behavioral health challenges, including mental health disabilities, who are also involved in the criminal justice system and tasks the program with promoting positive outcomes for participants. Court liaisons are generalists, boundary spanners, and creative problem solvers who work to identify needs and help connect participants to appropriate services, in part by addressing the multitude of complex barriers that exist for participants. Court liaisons are assigned by district or region of the State and support Bridges participants in gaining access to meaningful services and resources with a person-centered, trauma-informed, and socially just approach.

This critical role also liaises with the relevant criminal justice, behavioral health, and support service entities to support decision-making and actions that take into consideration the participants’ behavioral health best interests. Court liaisons function as court-appointed experts, providing a broader base of information for legal problem-solving and decision-making. They inform courts and attorneys of participant needs, available community-based services, and individual and systemic barriers and related solutions. While liaisons are neutral in legal proceedings, they advocate for the best interests of the participant’s behavioral health both in and out of the court setting.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

How to Apply:

Accommodations

The Bridges Office is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to Jori Dovey, People & Culture Manager, jori.dovey@judicial.state.co.us.

You will be required to provide the following documents:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• A list of three references with contract information (2 of 3 must be professional)

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Faxed, mailed, or emailed applications will not be accepted unless you are instructed to do so. Please direct any additional inquiries or questions to bridges@judicial.state.co.us.

If you are offered employment, the following are the conditions of employment:

• Be a current resident of the State of Colorado or become a resident of the State of Colorado within 30 days of the hire date;
• Have reliable transportation to meet your position’s travel requirements;
• Ability to work remotely, in an office setting, and travel throughout Colorado or region, depending on the position’s responsibilities;
• Be willing to submit to a routine background investigation, including a criminal history check;
• If hired, the Immigration Reform and Control Act requires you to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the United States within three (3) workdays of your start date.

Bridges of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion of all voices in the workplace. We consider applicants equally and do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, religion, social class, national origin, marital or parental status, pregnancy, disability status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or political affiliation. We are committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and an environment of representation of diversity. We highly encourage individuals of all identities, backgrounds, and experiences to apply.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

This is a dynamic position where the scope of responsibilities and duties will evolve, and the incumbent should anticipate fulfilling other duties as assigned that are reasonable and necessary to fulfill the Bridges mission. The ideal candidate for this role will not only possess the ability to fulfill the outlined duties but will also be a proactive, adaptable, and capable contributor to the development of the role's scope and responsibilities, aligning them with the evolving needs of the Office.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS CONT.

Please see job posting for a full description of skills:

The ideal candidate is passionate about working to improve the systems of care for those caught in the intersection of behavioral health and the criminal justice system along with the following:

• Fluency in the professional language, best practices, and processes of both systems.
• Person-centered, solutions-focused, and collaborative and are deeply committed to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Value individualized solutions and responses that are meaningful to the participant and their well-being.
• Knowledge and experience of interpersonal trauma-informed approaches and systems of care, specifically understanding the importance of being person-centered, solutions-focused, and collaborative in this work.

• Able to communicate and collaborate with varying levels of positions of power and manage conflict proactively and responsively with professionalism, confidentiality, clarity, and effectiveness.
• Creative, self-motivated, and able to work and make decisions independently in a decentralized environment without close supervision.

• Client-driven and values-driven.
• Aligned with Bridges’ culture and passionate about supporting it throughout the organization.

• Capable of, and enjoys, thriving in a fast-paced, multi-tasking environment with thoughtful decision-making skills.
• Emotional intelligence; able to create and sustain helpful, professional work relationships thoughtfully and responsively with empathy, respect, and collaboration.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in social justice, social work, sociology, criminology, or a related field.
• Candidates must have a minimum of three (3 ) years’ experience in criminal justice, behavioral health, or related field.
• Demonstrated professional alignment with Bridges values, culture, and principles of justice and equity throughout the organization.

OR

• At least one (1 ) year as an employee or contractor with Bridges may substitute for the minimum qualifications above, with additional specialized training that may be required upon hire.
• Certain education, volunteer experience, or internship experience in a related field may be considered in lieu of part of this requirement, as well as successful completion of the Bridges Liaison-in-Training program.

Don’t meet the qualifications above, but feel you are a good fit for Bridges? Click here to learn about our Liaison-in-Training program.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a master’s degree in social justice, social work, sociology, criminology, or a related field.
• Five or more (5 ) years’ experience in criminal justice, behavioral health, or related field.
• Demonstrated continuing education, advocacy, or volunteer work in DEI, JEDI, or social justice principles. Lived experience will also be considered.
• Spanish speaking is a plus, and levels of proficiency will be considered in an employee’s pay.
• Work experience in both criminal justice and behavioral health, including experience with the competency system.