Social Worker 4

Nunez Community College; Lake Charles (LA); Vor Ort; USD 60.000 - 90.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

Mental Health Advocacy Services in Louisiana is seeking a licensed clinical social worker to join the Child Advocacy Program. You will support attorneys and multidisciplinary teams, perform client assessments, and advocate for mental health and social services needs to advance foster care outcomes.

The role emphasizes trauma-informed practice, coordination with DCFS and providers, and preparation to testify, with opportunities to train peers and contribute to systemic advocacy.

Qualifikationen

• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with MSW and 3+ years of social services experience.
• Experience in multidisciplinary child advocacy settings preferred.
• Trauma-informed approach to client assessment and advocacy.

Aufgaben

• Serve as a social work consultant to attorneys and multidisciplinary teams.
• Conduct initial and ongoing client assessments and recommend services.
• Advocate for clients in and out of court and coordinate with providers.
• Perform investigations, case support activities, and maintain documentation.
• Prepare social work histories, assessments, and case summaries.
• Participate in trainings, committees, and community/professional events.
• Support holistic, client-centered representation for children in foster care.
• Evaluate complex cases and recommend appropriate services and referrals.
• Collect and interpret educational, medical, and psychosocial records.
• Collaborate with attorneys and partners to plan, update, and resource cases.
• Maintain contact with clients and stakeholders to ensure continuity of care.
• Manage CINC caseloads, document activity in PRIME, and provide testimony.

Kenntnisse

Social work

Client advocacy

Case management

Ausbildung

Master's degree in social work

LCSW license (Louisiana)

Jobbeschreibung

The Mental Health Advocacy Services has a vacancy. This job title has an assigned pay grade of SS-415.

Our mission is to ensure that our clients’ voices are heard and that they receive every right and remedy afforded them under law.

Our goal is to provide high-quality legal counsel and representation to our clients, address systemic issues that affect the rights of more than one client and require a remedy, act as a clearinghouse for information relative to adults and children with mental health diagnoses and children in need of care, and provide training to various individuals/agencies.

This position was created within the MHAS Child Advocacy Program, to institute a multidisciplinary team approach to children's legal representation. National child welfare representation organizations have conducted extensive empirical research to determine that the multidisciplinary model is the best practice for children's legal representation. This allows MHAS staff to make tailored recommendations and advocate to increase the rate and speed of reunifications from foster care, decrease the time spent in foster care for youth who get adopted or live permanently with a relative, and effectuate a successful transition to adulthood for those teenage clients aging out of the system.

Possession of a current Louisiana license to practice as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) plus: A master's degree in social work followed by three years of social services experience.

Job Duties

• Serve as a social work consultant to attorneys and multidisciplinary teams, supporting client engagement, case evaluation, and case strategy development.

• Conduct initial and ongoing client assessments to identify needs, supports, crisis interventions, and appropriate services, and make recommendations to attorneys.

• Advocate for clients in and out of court by addressing mental health and social service needs, coordinating with providers and agencies, and assisting clients in preparation to testify.

• Perform investigative and case support activities, including client visits, background research, records requests, subpoenas, documentation, and case management for assigned caseloads.

• Prepare and maintain comprehensive social work documentation, including assessments, social histories, case summaries, and quality assurance evaluations to monitor service outcomes.

• Participate in special projects, professional committees, trainings, and conferences; provide guidance and training to peer mentors; and represent the agency’s social work programs at local, state, and national levels.

• Support a holistic, client-centered approach to child representation by addressing social-emotional and developmental needs, allowing attorneys to focus on legal advocacy.

• Conduct comprehensive evaluations in complex and high-risk cases, including those involving trauma, mental health concerns, and special needs, and recommend appropriate services and referrals.

• Collect, review, and interpret educational, medical, and psychosocial records; prepare required social work documentation such as assessments, case summaries, and social histories.

• Collaborate with attorneys and multidisciplinary partners by participating in planning meetings, providing case updates, developing strategies, and advocating for resources to meet client needs.

• Maintain regular contact with clients and key stakeholders (e.g., DCFS, foster parents, CASAs, service providers) through visits, check-ins, and consultations to ensure continuity of care and communication.

• Manage an assigned caseload of CINC clients, document case activity in the PRIME system, attend court hearings, and provide expert testimony and client support as needed.

Additional Duties

• Attends all MHAS staff meetings.
• Provides in-services to staff on the appropriate use of various treatment modalities, the availability of regional and state resources for our Clients, and the psychosocial aspects of service to children in foster care.
• Completes all requirements to maintain professional licensure and as required of all state employees.
• Provides data and/or reports to data administrator upon request.

Position-Specific Details

Appointment Type: This vacancy will be filled by new hire or by promotion of a current permanent status classified employee.

Louisiana is a "State as a Model Employer" for People with Disabilities.

Preference may be given to applicants with experience working with juveniles and persons with mental illness and/or disabilities

For further information about this posting, please contact:

Erica R. Gay
HR Specialist
Division of Administration/Office of Human Resources
Email: [e-mail]