“Social workers maintain a big picture systems perspective whereas attorneys focus on solving the legal issue” (Personal Interview with Toby Rothschild of LAFLA , June 9, 2011).

Social Justice Collaborative (SJC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal services organization based in California. We focus on serving low-income immigrants in their deportation cases and provide free and low-cost legal assistance to mostly Central American clients. Each year, SJC provides direct legal representation to hundreds of immigrant families who live all across Northern California and the Central Valley. Every SJC team member plays a critical role in the organization’s mission and must be passionate about and dedicated to the rights of immigrants.

SJC seeks a full-time Spanish Speaking Behavioral Health Worker for our Berkeley office. The role involves providing crucial support to our clients who have faced various challenges, such as forced displacement and the impacts of violence and trauma. In addition to navigating legal proceedings, they are also dealing with the complexities related to accessing resources and support.

Integrated Behavioral Health

SJC utilizes Behavioral Health "Integration" - bringing behavioral health into legal settings to engage with BIPOC communities, 2S/LGBTQ communities, and people

with lived disabilities and improve access to behavioral health assessment and brief treatment for our clients. Each clinician is a member of an interdisciplinary team of attorneys and legal assistants that focuses on "whole person" care.

Behavioral Health Workers act as a member of the legal team, or a “non-lawyer assistants,” and thus fall under the attorney-client privilege. This means that workers hired by SJC

• Proficiency in Spanish
• Have a master's degree in Social Work (MSW), Licensed Clinical Social Work (LCSW), or Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW or equivalent job experience in the field of behavioral or community health
• Self-starter, ability to self-direct, and manage work autonomously
• Great communication skills, values working collaboratively in a team
• Adept at mastering new technological platforms
• Currently Living in California (Bay Area preferably)

Social workers will be brought onto cases to help clients deal with their trauma as well as keep them engaged in their legal case. Services that are offered include, but are not limited to:

• Counseling
• Linkage to services and coordination with other providers
• Housing advocacy
• Other emergency services.
• Assistance also include help applying for benefits, appointment accompaniment, connection to food, education, health and various community resources, counseling on a range of issues, and more.
• Workers also provide technical assistance to attorneys across practice areas on a range of issues, such as safety planning, crisis de-escalation, boundary setting, shelter and housing resources, and client engagement
• Workers provide staff trainings firm wide on these and other issues.
• May work with individuals of various ages, including minors
• Supervise Social Work Interns in practicum placements

Position will include both and functions. Worker will be required to staff clinics from time to time in person, and employer will pay for travel according to need.

Applying

Resume, cover letter, and at least two professional references

We are an equal opportunity employer/affirmative action employer that provides equal employment opportunities to qualified employees/applicants. We do not discriminate on any basis regardless of whether it is protected by law or not.

Benefits

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Monthly

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $80,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• No weekends

Application Question(s):

• Do you have a master's degree in Social Work (MSW), Licensed Clinical Social Work (LCSW), or Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW or equivalent job experience in the field of behavioral or community health)?
• Which city are you currently based in?

Language:

• Spanish (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Berkeley, CA 94710