Job Description

THE ORGANIZATION

The Center for Justice Innovation is a community justice organization that centers safety and racial justice. Since our founding in 1996, the Center has partnered with community members, courts, and the people most impacted to create stronger, healthier, more just communities. Our decades of experience in courts and communities, coupled with our field-leading research and practitioner expertise, help us drive justice nationwide in innovative, powerful, and durable ways. For more information on how and where we work, please visit   

The Center is a 900-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 Justice Center, 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

The Center's research teams are staffed with social scientists, data analysts, and lawyers who are academically-trained or have lived experience and who conduct research in the U.S. and globally on diverse criminal-legal system and justice issues. Their work includes evaluating programs and policies; conducting exploratory, community-based studies; and providing research translation and strategic planning for system actors. The Center has published studies on topics including court and jail reform, intimate partner violence, restorative justice, gun violence, reentry, sixth amendment rights, and progressive prosecution. The research teams strive to make their work meaningful and actionable to the communities they work with, policymakers, and practitioners.

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. 

Center Support

A dedicated support team within the Center ensures the smooth functioning of operations across various domains, including finance, legal, technology, human resources, fundraising, real estate, and communications. Comprising 15% of the organization's staff, these teams provide essential infrastructure support and innovative solutions aligned with the Center's mission and values. 

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Brooklyn Mental Health Court launched in 2002 as NYC’s first mental health court, serving individuals charged primarily with felony offenses who are living with serious mental illness. The program diverts participants from jail or prison by conducting clinical assessments and then connecting them with long-term treatment in the community, along with rigorous judicial monitoring. The court aims to strengthen the justice system’s ability to identify, assess, and monitor individual participants, to create linkages between the justice and mental health systems, and to improve public safety by ensuring that participants receive high quality community-based services.

The Brooklyn Felony ATI Program serves individuals facing felony charges who are not otherwise eligible for Mental Health Court or other treatment courts in Brooklyn. The program receives referrals through two pathways: (1) the dedicated Felony ATI court part within Brooklyn Supreme Court, with a dedicated judge and supervising prosecutor; and (2) through other court parts throughout Brooklyn Supreme Court. Regardless of the referral pathway, all participants receive individualized assessments, onsite and community-based services, compliance monitoring and judicial monitoring for the life of the case.

The Brooklyn Mental Health Court is seeking a Resource Coordinator for its Brooklyn Felony Diversion programs. These programs include the Brooklyn Felony Alternatives-to-Incarceration (Felony ATI) as well as Brooklyn Mental Health Court (BMHC). Reporting to the Clinical Director, the Resource Coordinator will primarily be responsible for supporting the Brooklyn Felony ATI program, but will also provide support to Brooklyn Mental Health Court as needed. The Resource Coordinator will facilitate the program referral process for the Brooklyn Felony ATI program. They will review all available information about each potentially eligible participants to determine their specific suitability for all BJI programming. Once participants are enrolled in programming, the Resource Coordinator will provide written and verbal updates to the court including defense attorneys, assistant district attorneys, and judges on a regular basis.

The Resource Coordinator is also responsible for providing court coverage to various Supreme Court parts, including specialized court initiatives including Brooklyn Mental Health Court, as well as coordinating off-calendar case conferences with defense counsel and assistant district attorneys. Specific responsibilities include conducting screenings and assessments with participants for all programming, case management, facilitating participant releases and other processes with court stakeholders, and troubleshooting any issues that arise. The Resource Coordinator will also carry a limited caseload of participants for whom they will provide ongoing case management while in the program.

• Serve as a coordinator to Supreme Court parts, to receive referrals, and to determine eligibility for Felony ATI programming;
• Manage Supreme Court calendars, compliance reporting, and court appearances for Felony ATI participants;
• Provide verbal case updates and advocacy with stakeholders in multiple court parts;
• Supervise the completion and submission of court reports and compliance related paperwork;
• Communicate with judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and court staff about eligible individuals’ suitability for specific Felony ATI programming;
• Coordinate and attend off-calendar case conferences with prosecutors, defense attorneys, and participants;
• Liaise with court stakeholders regarding plea information, releases, programmatic updates, incentives or sanctions, and any updates that arise;
• Triage emergency client notifications for stakeholders and the court;
• Collaborate with clerks and other court staff regarding daily calendaring, adjournments, case advancement, and ongoing information;
• Communicate with Felony ATI clinician, case managers, and clinical director to ensure court reports are accurate and any programmatic issues have been resolved;
• Provide clinically-informed case management services to participants that address issues such as substance use, mental health issues, trauma, domestic violence, housing, and educational/vocational needs;
• Assist with scheduling and rescheduling mandated participants for community-based programming;
• Assist with outreach and scheduling regarding participant compliance requirements;
• Ensure that all participants who are mandated to services are connected with their assigned case manager;
• Assist with oversite of records, court related reports, and program data entry;
• Provide court coverage for Brooklyn Mental Health Court and maintain connection with the staff for programmatic updates;
• Utilize crisis intervention protocols to ensure participant safety and connection to appropriate services during court appearances;
• Maintain appropriate participant information in electronic databases and hard files, including court assessment, screening, and appearance outcome information;
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of programming, policies, and referral procedures;
• Assist senior staff with the development and implementation of new programs, protocols, initiatives, and interventions;
• Assist with data collection and management; 
• Attend required staff meetings and trainings;
• Flexibility to work later for client crisis and unforeseen court circumstances; and
• Additional tasks as necessary.

Qualifications:  Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of one year in a related area, preferably as a criminal justice practitioner or 3-4 years' experience in the criminal justice field as an equivalency. Ability to communicate appropriately with varying levels of stakeholders. Highly organized, excellent communication skills, and strong writing ability with the capacity to be detail-oriented within a fast-paced, dynamic environment highly desired. Candidate must be proficient in Microsoft and Google Suites, and be able to use Zoom Cloud Meetings and Microsoft Teams. Candidates will have the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds in a culturally-responsive manner, and work independently and collaboratively. Bilingual (English-Spanish) preferred.

Position Type:  Full-time.

Position Location:  Brooklyn, NY.

Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $52,000 - $62,500 and is commensurate with experience. The Center for Justice 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 Justice Innovation is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace, and as such, we do 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 welcome 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. Our aim is to create a supportive and respectful environment where every individual, irrespective of their background or identity, feels valued and included.

As of February 10, 2023, New York City Executive Order 25 rescinded the requirement of the COVID-19 vaccination for City workers, new hires, and contracted employees. Accordingly, the Center does not require all new hires be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus; however, the Center recommends all staff, interns, and volunteers stay up-to-date on the vaccination.

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. Kindly refer to the job posting for the relevant contact information. If the contact details are not provided, we kindly ask that you refrain from making inquiries via phone or email, as only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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