Mental Health Investigative Specialist
Job Description
Job Description
Summary:
This position is located in the Mental Health Division of the Public Defender Service (PDS) for the District of
Columbia. The Mental Health Division (MHD) provides legal representation for District of Columbia residents who have been involuntarily hospitalized in a psychiatric facility and potentially face prolonged civil or criminal commitment. In addition, the MHD staff regularly advise local and national
advocacy groups, testify before the D.C. Council on legislative reforms, and frequently provide critical assistance to trial division attorneys. The incumbent of the position serves as a Mental Health Investigative Specialist responsible for performing the investigative work and securing mental health supports and resources, when necessary, to support MHD attorneys who provide legal representation to District of Columbia residents in more difficult and complex civil and/or criminal commitment cases.
Major Duties:
This position works in concert with legal defense counsel to gather information to assist the attorney in effectuating the client’s expressed interest. The Mental Health Investigative Specialist is responsible for all phases of investigation, as detailed in the attorney’s investigative request. Also, the incumbent must possess excellent communication skills, the ability to work independently, and the compassion and desire to serve indigent clients who live with mental illness.
Other Duties:
Contacting, interviewing, and encouraging the cooperation of a wide spectrum of individuals, including: psychiatrists, psychologists, physicians, social workers, lay hospital staff, mental health case managers, law enforcement personnel, court personnel, family members, complaining witnesses, and eyewitness. Documenting the effort and findings of interviews and treatment meeting in the client’s case file. Identifying and following up on information gained through interviews, treatment plan meetings, medical records and other sources. Identifying and helping to secure community mental health supports and other resources to benefit client. ETC.
Gathering, reviewing and synthesizing clients’ legal, medical, and mental health records, including retrieval of information from criminal justice and mental health databases. Compiling detailed client histories to include criminal justice involvement, psychiatric hospitalizations, civil commitments and psychiatric medications.
Locating witnesses and conducting background checks using electronic databases. Serving subpoenas for witnesses and documents when necessary.
Diagramming, photographing or producing “Google” map images of various locations, including but not limited to places of arrest and/or detention
Preparing documents and exhibits for litigation.
Testifying before the Commission on Mental Health and the Superior Court when necessary.
Educational Requirements:
To meet basic qualifications, the candidate must possess a Bachelor’s Degree in either of the following fields:
Criminal Justice Administration
Law
Social Work
Counseling
Criminology
Political Science
Psychology
Sociology
English
Journalism/Mass Communication
Any other closely related field
NOTE ON EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENT:
Education must be from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/search.aspx. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by PDS.
Special Instructions For Foreign Education:
Applicants who are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification
requirements, must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the
courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-…
Experience Requirement:
Candidates must have at least one-year specialized experience as a social worker, mitigation specialist, and/or a criminal defense investigator (Investigative Specialist) who investigated civil or criminal commitment cases.
Highly Desirable Qualifications:
Additionally, the following knowledge, skills and abilities and/or experience are deemed highly desirable:
A Master’s Degree in Counseling, Psychology and/or Social Work;
The ability to fluently speak and write Spanish;
Training and/or internship experience in criminal defense investigations;
Training and/or internship experience in mental health to include knowledge about mental health treatment approaches, diagnosis, treatment modalities, psychiatric medications;
Knowledgeable about legal issues surrounding commitment and rules for criminal procedure and investigative techniques.
Licensed as a Clinical Social Worker or Professional Counselor;
Computing skills which include word processing, criminal justice database usage, social media usage, data input, and criminal defense related data analysis;
Key Requirements:
Incumbent must have insured, reliable and available transportation;
Incumbent must have no convictions as defined in D.C. Code Sec. 14.305(b)(1) (Impeachment by evidence of conviction of crime);
Applicant must be a US Citizen or authorized to work in the United States.
All candidates are subject to a criminal background check.
How you will be evaluated:
Your application package includes your cover letter, resume and requested supporting documentation. Please ensure your application package includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position, including your Spanish-speaking ability. Failure to provide sufficient evidence in your application package and requested supporting documents can result in a rejection of your application
package.
Rating:
Your application package will be rated and ranked among other applicants, based on your experience, education, training, and awards relevant to the duties of this position. Your rating can be lowered if your application package is not supported by the requested documents.
Referral:
If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application package will be referred to a hiring manager for consideration at which time you may be invited to participate in a selection interview.
Interview Structure:
Those who are selected for interviews will be asked for interview in-person.
How to Apply:
You must provide a complete application package which includes: (1) a cover letter as noted
above; (2) a resume, including email address; (3) official college transcripts (if available; otherwise, they must be provided within 30 days if selected); and (4) a list of three references that include name, address, telephone number, and a statement of how each reference is able to evaluate your skills. Materials should be consolidated as a single PDF and submitted to the following email address: HR@pdsdc.org. The vacancy announcement # and title of the vacancy MUST APPEAR on the subject line of the email.
Your cover letter must include your qualifications as follows:
Your experience and skill working with individuals living with mental illness, including work on civil and criminal commitment cases. Your knowledge of mental health treatment approaches, diagnosis, treatment modalities, psychiatric medications and legal issues surrounding commitment and rules for criminal procedure. Your knowledge of the basic principles and techniques of investigating. Please detail your knowledge of criminal defense investigations. Your skill in conducting interviews and recognizing, exploring, and exploiting leads. Your skill in communicating clearly both orally and in writing.
If you have any questions about the position, application, hiring process or require a reasonable accommodation during any part of the application process, please contact Megan Simmons, HR Specialist, at (202) 824-2499 or via email at msimmons@pdsdc.org.
Company DescriptionSummary:
The Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDSDC) is interested in attracting the best talent for our organization. To be considered for this vacancy announcement, applicants should review the announcement in its entirety and follow the instructions within. To learn more about PDSDC, please visit www.pdsdc.org
The Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS) is a federally funded, independent organization governed by an eleven-member Board of Trustees. PDS provides legal representation for indigent individuals who are charged with criminal offenses in the District of Columbia and face a loss of liberty. The PDS staff consists of approximately 275 attorneys, social workers, investigative specialists, administrative, and technical employees who collaborate to advance the mission of the organization. By statue, PDS employees are entitled to participate in federal health insurance, life insurance and retirement plans, to include the Thrift Savings Plan. Employees with prior tenure at federal agencies will receive recognition of creditable federal service for leave accrual and retirement purposes.
Company Description
Summary:\r\nThe Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDSDC) is interested in attracting the best talent for our organization. To be considered for this vacancy announcement, applicants should review the announcement in its entirety and follow the instructions within. To learn more about PDSDC, please visit www.pdsdc.org\r\n\r\nThe Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS) is a federally funded, independent organization governed by an eleven-member Board of Trustees. PDS provides legal representation for indigent individuals who are charged with criminal offenses in the District of Columbia and face a loss of liberty. The PDS staff consists of approximately 275 attorneys, social workers, investigative specialists, administrative, and technical employees who collaborate to advance the mission of the organization. By statue, PDS employees are entitled to participate in federal health insurance, life insurance and retirement plans, to include the Thrift Savings Plan. Employees with prior tenure at federal agencies will receive recognition of creditable federal service for leave accrual and retirement purposes.\r\n