Social Worker - Family Justice Advocates Worcester

Overview

The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the public defender agency for Massachusetts, is seeking to fill a part-time Social Worker position for its Family Justice Advocates (FJA) Office in Worcester. FJA is CPCS’ Children and Family Law Division (CAFL) “conflicts office” in Worcester. This is a part-time benefits eligible position that is scheduled to work 19 hours per week (0.54 FTE).

FJA provides legal representation to children and indigent parents in family regulation cases, including care and protection proceedings, child requiring assistance cases, actions to terminate parental rights, guardianship-of-a-minor cases, and any other child custody proceeding where the Department of Children and Families (DCF) is a party or where the court is considering granting custody to DCF.

We fight for equal justice and human dignity by supporting our clients in achieving their legal and life goals. We zealously advocate for the rights of individuals and promote just public policy to protect the rights of all.

Our Values

Courage   •   Accountability   •   Respect   •   Excellence

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION MISSION STATEMENT

CPCS is committed to protecting the fundamental constitutional and human rights of our assigned clients through zealous advocacy, community-oriented defense, and the fullness of excellent legal representation.  We are dedicated to building and maintaining strong professional relationships, while striving to accept, listen to and respect the diverse circumstances of each client, as we dedicate ourselves to meeting their individual needs.  It is our CPCS mission to achieve these goals, and in furtherance thereof, we embrace and endorse diversity, equity and inclusion as our core values as we maintain a steadfast commitment to: (1) Ensure that CPCS management and staff members represent a broad range of human differences and experience; (2) Provide a work climate that is respectful and supports success; and (3) Promote the dignity and well-being of all staff members. CPCS leadership is responsible for ensuring equity, diversity, and inclusion. The ability to achieve these goals with any level of certainty is ultimately the responsibility of each member of the CPCS community.

AGENCY OVERVIEW

CPCS is the state agency in Massachusetts responsible for providing an attorney when the state or federal constitution or a state statute requires the appointment of an attorney for a person who cannot afford to retain one.  The agency provides representation in criminal, delinquency, youthful offender, family regulation, guardianship, mental health, sexually dangerous person, and sex offender registry cases, as well as in appeals and post-conviction and post-judgment proceedings related to those matters.

The clients we represent are diverse across every context imaginable and bring many unique cultural dimensions to the matters we address. This reality creates a critical need for CPCS staff to be culturally competent and able to work well with people of different races, ethnicities, genders and/or sexual orientation identities, abilities, and limited English proficiency, among other protected characteristics.

DIVISION OVERVIEW

Attorneys working with CPCS’s Children and Family Law Division represent parents, children and older youth, custodians, and guardians in cases in which the Department of Children and Families (DCF) is seeking custody of children and a limited number of other civil cases relating to families. Attorneys appointed to these cases represent clients in care and protection matters (known elsewhere as dependency or abuse and neglect cases) and in termination of parental rights, guardianship-of-a-minor, and child requiring assistance cases.  Nearly all of these cases are heard in the Juvenile Court.

CAFL’s legal advocacy plays a critical role in cases that affect families.  For a parent involved in a care and protection case, having a skilled CAFL legal team may mean the difference between the family’s reunification and the termination of parental rights – the “death penalty of family law.”  For a teenager who is the subject of a truancy case, CAFL’s advocacy may secure the special education services that enable the client to succeed in school and avoid being placed in a foster home with strangers.  For siblings looking for stability after the court has freed them for adoption, the CAFL attorney will fight to ensure that they are provided a permanent home that allows them to stay together.

OFFICE OVERVIEW

Family Justice Advocates is CAFL’s “conflicts trial office,” located in Worcester, Massachusetts.  FJA provides legal representation to children and indigent parents and guardians in family regulation cases in which (a) a CAFL staff attorney in a non-conflict office has been appointed to another party to the case or (b) a conflict of interest prevents CAFL staff attorneys in non-conflict offices from representing any party in the case.  Alternatively, an attorney in FJA may be appointed to represent a party in a case in which CAFL’s existing Worcester trial office attorneys are unable to represent any party because of conflicts relating to a current or former client of a CPCS staff attorney.  FJA is considered a separate law firm from all other CPCS offices for conflict of interest purposes.  To this end, it has a separate managerial system, separate physical offices and computer/technology systems, and other mechanisms in place to ensure its separation for conflicts purposes from other CPCS offices.   

All CAFL trial offices, including FJA offices, are robust defender teams, including attorneys, social workers, and administrative support staff.  They provide legal representation and advocacy throughout Massachusetts to children and indigent parents in care and protection, child requiring assistance, termination of parental rights, and guardianship-of-a-minor cases, as well as other types of custody and adoption proceedings.  Team members work diligently to help and support FJA clients to achieve their legal and life goals.

The office is centrally located in the City of Worcester and is within walking distance of Union Station, which hosts WRTA bus service and MBTA commuter rail service.  Worcester – New England’s second largest city (with just over 200,000 people) – is the home of the Worcester Red Sox (nicknamed the WooSox), the Triple-A East Division affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. The Woo Sox often host Red Sox players on rehab assignments.  Worcester is also the home of the Worcester Railers, a minor league hockey team affiliated with the New York Islanders.  Worcester also has an exciting restaurant, concert, and event scene, as well as eight colleges and universities.  It also has a world-class art museum, many nearby farms and orchards, and affordable rents.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Children & Family Law Division is seeking a part-time (0.54 FTE/19 hours per week) Social Worker to work with attorneys representing children and indigent parents in care and protection, child requiring assistance, and termination of parental rights cases in our Family Justice Advocates Worcester Office. Social Workers in the Children and Family Law Trial Offices are integral members of the legal team.  Led by the attorney, the team zealously represents and advocates for clients. Social workers work with attorneys and other team members to prepare a client’s case and to get the best possible outcome for the client.  Social work intervention occurs at all stages of the court process.

CAFL’s legal advocacy plays a critical role in cases that affect families.  For a parent involved in a C&P case, having a skilled CAFL lawyer may mean the difference between the family’s reunification and the termination of parental rights – the “death penalty of family law.”  For a teenager who is the subject of a truancy CRA case, CAFL’s advocacy may secure the special education services that enable the client to succeed in school and avoid being placed in a foster home.  For siblings looking for stability after the court has freed them for adoption, a CAFL attorney will fight to ensure that they are provided a permanent home – one that allows them to stay together.

Qualifications

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must have:

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, or other related degree, and one year of related experience, or an equivalent combination of skills, education, and experience;
• Experience working with children and families, preferably in an outreach capacity;
• Insured, reliable and available transportation, and a valid MA driver’s license; and,
• Access to home internet access sufficient to work remotely.

An ideal candidate will have a MSW and a Massachusetts LCSW/LICSW license.

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS

In addition, candidates will have:

• A commitment to serving a culturally diverse, low-income population;
• A commitment to fighting the racial and ethnic disparities in the family regulation system;
• Experience related to and knowledge of clinical issues regarding child placement and adoption, substance abuse, domestic violence, and related fields;
• Experience in the field of child welfare;
• Knowledge of social, psychological, medical, economic, and legal factors that influence behavior;
• Skills and experience in interviewing clients, assessing their needs, case management, and service planning;
• Good organizational skills and the ability to track and monitor individual client cases;
• Skills and experience in interacting with persons of various social, racial, cultural, economic, and educational backgrounds;
• Knowledge of public and private social services systems and programs;
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and persuasively, both orally and in writing;
• Proven ability to work effectively as part of a team and independently; and,
• Foreign language skills a plus.

Responsibilities

RESPONSIBILITIES

Social Workers responsibilities include:

• Interviewing clients and conducting home visits;
• Performing needs assessments, developing service plans, referring clients to service providers, and making direct connections between clients and programs;
• Developing linkages with local government agencies and service providers;
• Helping attorneys prepare for litigation;
• Advocating for clients in a client-directed practice; and,
• Other duties as assigned.

EEO Statement

The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran or military status, genetic information, gender identity, or sexual orientation as required by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other applicable federal and state statutes and organizational policies.  Applicants who have questions about equal employment opportunity or who need reasonable accommodations can contact the Chief Human Resources Officer, Sandra DeBow-Huang, at [email protected]