The Public Defender’s Office is accepting applications to fill one (1) full-time Youth Holistic Defense Advocate vacancy in Santa Maria for the Youth Defender Unit. The County classification title is Behavioral Wellness Practitioner Intern. The Santa Barbara County Public Defender’s Office provides legal representation from a holistic and client-centered perspective to adults and youth living in poverty who are accused of crimes and who have been traditionally marginalized. We use the tools of litigation, negotiation, and services-based solutions to address our clients’ legal needs.
Our Youth Defender Unit, located in Santa Maria, provides vigorous advocacy to system-involved youth from all parts of our diverse County from their first court appearance until their case is concluded and/or supervision ends.
Within the Department is the Community Defender Division (CDD), which provides advocacy and services for our clients while simultaneously seeking long-term systemic changes to improve the lives of our most vulnerable citizens. Our Department combines the knowledge and expertise of our attorneys and CDD social workers, housing advocates, and resource specialists to address the underlying causes for involvement with the criminal legal system.
To learn more about us, visit https://www.countyofsb.org/187/Public-Defender
THE POSITION: Under general supervision of a licensed professional, this position plays an important role on the defense team, providing public defense attorneys with social history assessments, mitigation for disposition, and means to advocate and achieve client centered outcomes for minor clients. The position supports system-involved youth in many ways including housing, educational and family support, mental health linkage, substance use treatment, homelessness resourcing, safety planning, employment, treatment placement coordination, benefits navigation, and general support; and performs related duties as required.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: Behavioral Wellness Practitioner Intern I/II is a flexibly staffed series. Behavioral Wellness Practitioner Intern is the intern-level class for Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT), Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). Incumbents provide professional mental health services under supervision of a licensed professional. Incumbents in this class are expected to progress to obtain licensure as an LCSW, LPCC, LMFT. This class is distinguished from Behavioral Wellness Practitioner I in that the latter class is a licensed practitioner whose incumbents can provide mental health services with less supervision.
Incumbents in these classes work within a system of interdisciplinary departmental teams and/or contract service agencies providing assessment, prevention, intervention, treatment, and related ancillary support services via an integrated service delivery system to justice impacted people with alcohol and other drug-related problems, mental illness, and/or co-occurring conditions.
The Ideal Candidate will have:
Understanding of the juvenile justice system;
Experience working with children, teenagers, transition-aged youth;
Experience working with youth with developmental disabilities/mental health concerns;
Desire to work with system-involved and historically underserved youth;
Ability to work independently, organize and prioritize work, and meet critical deadlines;
Ability to handle stressful situations, thrive under pressure, and adapt to change;
Excellent communication skills which include the ability to exchange information clearly, concisely, and in an organized manner with diverse groups of people;
Strong written advocacy skills;
Demonstrated excellent interpersonal skills;
Ability to handle difficult situations with tact and diplomacy;
Experience interviewing and assessing clients;
Ability to work well in a team environment, make positive contributions, and help others;
Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain sound working relationships with people of diverse backgrounds and personalities;
Strong research and analytical skills;
Adaptability, a positive attitude, and an impeccable character;
Ability to maintain confidentiality;
Have proficient computer skills in Microsoft Office;
Have the ability to read, write, converse fluently in English and Spanish (preferred for some positions).
Examples of Duties:
Supports youth during all phases of justice system involvement, including detention, residential placement, probation supervision, and community reintegration.
Assesses and evaluates the behavioral health needs of youth for referrals to appropriate services, substance use or mental health treatment, medical care, vocational training programs, emergency housing, or appropriate placement options.
Conducts ongoing psychosocial assessments and collateral interviews with clients and their families.
Prepares social histories to assist in determining the most appropriate response to addressing a youth’s needs, including diversion suitability and transfer.
In consultation with the social work team and defense attorney, prepares written reports to provide culturally competent assessments, recommendations or release plans to the court.
Collaborates with youth, families, schools, community partners, and other public agencies to coordinate services and resources.
Provides crisis intervention and support services to clients as needed.
Identifies available social services in the community and connects clients with them.
Identifies issues that may have led the youth to involvement in the legal system.
Develops plans to help youth rejoin their communities and families following detention.
Advocates for community-based solutions as alternatives to detention.
Ensures that clients’ treatment needs are adequately addressed.
Provides support to youth during custodial detention.
Provides expertise to help judges and attorneys in understanding our clients’ background.
Contributes to early release from detention by identifying less restrictive placements for youth subject to long-term confinement.
Conducts regular home and detention facility visits.
Communicates regularly with attorneys regarding status of assignments.
Confers with and advises clients’ relatives to secure their understanding of and cooperation in treatment and rehabilitation programs.
Manages the care of clients by assessing and referring them to public and private providers and monitoring their progress.