Pretrial Services Supportive Services Specialist

Job Description Summary

Assists staff with the assessment and management of cases with complex needs and special issues, such as defendants that may benefit from supportive services to help reduce barriers to pretrial success related to drug/alcohol and/or behavioral/mental health concerns and/or individuals who have demonstrated an elevated risk for failing to appear in court. The incumbent will support pretrial services administration in the development of best practices in pretrial justice prior to and after initial appearance hearings. May include assignment to either pre-initial appearance screening, pretrial diversion, and/or supervised release programs. Helps ensure individuals placed any specialized screening or programs are effectively screened and referred when appropriate for assessment to determine treatment needs or educational programming. This would include any recovery support services, including peer support, as needed. If assigned to diversion, the incumbent will support pretrial services administration, in its collaboration with the County Attorney’s Office, to administer this pretrial diversion (deferred prosecution) program in conformity with A.R.S.

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Job Description

Starting Salary: $54,900.35 Annual, $26.39 Hourly

Please upload your resume and cover letter with the application (REQUIRED).

Distinguishing Characteristics

This is a classified position that reports to Supervisor, Pretrial Services. The incumbent performs under general direction from established goals, has no supervisory responsibilities but may act as a lead on work projects.

Minimum Qualifications

A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and one year of experience as a Pretrial Services Officer, or six months of work experience in the aforementioned positions and six months work experience working for or directly with community services providers. Preference may be given to those with direct or lived experience with the criminal justice system. Or any equivalent combination of experience, training and/or education approved by Human Resources.

Important Notice Regarding Multiple Applications

Once a candidate formally accepts a job offer with Superior Court, Juvenile Court, or Justice Court (Tucson and Ajo), all other active applications they may have submitted for different roles within these courts will be inactivated. This ensures clarity in our hiring process and allows us to focus on onboarding and supporting the candidate in their new role.

We appreciate your interest in joining our team.

Essential Duties & Functions

• Assists in the assignment of individuals to appropriate diversion or release plans and helps determine whether the person should be connected to additional supportive services, will advise the court in the setting of bail conditions for these individuals.
• Oversees the administration of an evidence-based screening process to determine the treatment needs, or lack thereof, of individuals assigned to release plans monitored by Pretrial Services.
• Facilities the timely transportation of individuals to a clinician for evaluation and referral to an appropriate level of assessment and/or treatment.
• Acts as a resource for individuals monitored by Pretrial Services and Pretrial Services staff for a variety of specialized areas such as, but not limited to a pretrial diversion program, drug and alcohol treatment, behavioral/mental health treatment, location monitoring, educational programming and other internal and external resources aimed at successful completion of their release plan(s).
• Acts as a resource for pretrial services officers in helping promote success with release plans or recommended treatment.
• Identifies and evaluates community resource agencies essential to the assessment and treatment of individuals monitored or screened by Pretrial Services.
• Assists in the development and finalization of agency protocol related to pretrial screening, diversion, and/or supervision.
• Makes contacts with individuals in the field to follow-up on their court status, provide support, and facilitate their submittal of any required documentation of completion of their release plan requirements/recommendations.
• Attends court hearings for individuals assigned to Pretrial Services’ monitoring.
• Helps coordinate services provided by internal or external peer support specialists.
• Acts as a liaison between the community service providers, the court and individuals, including obtaining documentation from treatment providers of an individual’s active engagement.
• If assigned to the STEPs Diversion Program, shares with Pretrial Services officers, with the Court, with the County Attorney’s Office, and with Public Defense Services database information and documentation, which shall include all fields of data required to be reported by the County Attorney under its statutory obligations pertaining to administering the STEPs diversion (deferred prosecution) program.
• Reliable and predictable attendance is considered essential for this position along with adherence to shift work. The Pretrial team needs to be consistently available to judges, professional staff, and the members of the public.
  
  

Additional Responsibilities/Duties

• Monitors the development of new federal, state and local legislation impacting bail conditions, diversion, and/or pretrial supervision programs.
• May participate in the recruitment process by serving on interview panels and provide targeted training regarding special services and community resources.
• May act on behalf of Pretrial Services in meetings or on committees.
• Performs other related duties and projects as assigned.
• Assists the County Attorney, the Court and Pretrial Services in the development and finalization of a written protocol related to special supervision or diversion programs.
  
  

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Must have knowledge of social issues as they relate to drug addiction and behavioral health disorders, i.e., trauma, homelessness, poverty.
• Must have knowledge of interviewing techniques, security and custody procedures, crisis intervention procedures, the behavioral characteristics of substance abuse, emotional instability and suicidal tendencies; community social services agencies and resources; methods for automated and manual record keeping.
• Must have knowledge of interviewing techniques, crisis intervention procedures, the behavioral characteristics of substance abuse, emotional instability and suicidal tendencies; community social services agencies and resources; methods for automated and manual record keeping.
• Must have knowledge of Microsoft software Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and the use of the Internet, and the use of Windows-based programs.
• Must have skills in presenting a nonjudgmental demeanor toward and concerning diversion participants and/or pretrial defendants.
• Must have strong organizational, writing, time management, presentation, and project management skills.
• Must have skills in developing treatment plans, analyzing and evaluating services, and preparing reports.
• Must have skill in enlisting and maintaining support and cooperation from community organizations.
  
  

Licenses And Certificates

Must have a valid Arizona Driver’s license at the time of appointment.

Physical/Sensory Items

Typically performs duties in an office environment, fieldwork and correctional environment and may lift materials and/or equipment 20 lbs or less. Department of Labor regulations CFR Part 1910.1030 requires notification that this classification is at risk of exposure to airborne and blood borne pathogens. Hepatitis B vaccine will be provided. Incumbents are assigned to the Intake Unit of Pretrial Services which is located at the Pima County jail and is operational 24 hours per day 365 days per year. Incumbents are expected to work rotating shifts and days.

Benefits

We offer exceptional benefits:

• Retirement Plan
• Vacation, holidays, and sick leave
• 100% paid parental leave
• Employer-paid Short -term Disability
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Health Wellness discount program
• Mental and Behavioral Health Benefits
• Paid Training with Advancement Opportunities
• Upon yearly anniversary, 56 hours of sick time accrued, less usage, may be rolled over to vacation time.
  
  

The Arizona Superior Court in Pima County and the Pima County Juvenile Court Center offer the same benefits as those offered to other employees working for Pima County. We offer a competitive benefits package to benefits eligible employees, which includes medical, dental, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, paid vacation and sick leave. Some benefits require contributions by employees in addition to contributions made by the employer. Please see the link below for a complete description of the offerings.

Pima County Benefits

Retirement Plan Participation Is Mandatory For All Eligible Employees To Include a Mandatory Pre-tax Pay Deduction. Current Rates Can Be Viewed Here

ASRS Contribution Rates

Full-time employees of government organizations may be able to receive student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more information click Student Loan Forgiveness | Federal Student Aid.