Social Worker

Collaborate with attorneys and other members of IRP to help clients maneuver the immigration system using trauma informed principles and client centered approaches;
Provide socio-emotional support to clients to fully engage in their legal case, including providing crisis intervention and support to clients, as needed;
Conduct psycho-social assessments of clients, including assessing client strengths, needs and goals;
Develop and implement individualized support plans to address clients' social, emotional, and practical needs as they relate to their legal representation;
Link clients to appropriate services, such as public benefits, educational, medical, housing and mental health services;
Advocate for clients with various stakeholders, including government agencies, social service providers, and community resources;
Accompany clients to court appearances, including criminal and delinquency hearings, meetings, and appointments as needed;
Support clients upon release from immigration detention or prison, and/or who are being deported with re-entry and post-deportation services and case planning;
Coordinate our pro bono support from therapists, social workers, psychiatrists, and assist with developing client declarations and participating in psychological evaluations;
Provide letters to the court in support of individual cases explaining the scope of our services;
Maintain collaboration and communication with the rest of the legal team to ensure an interdisciplinary legal advocacy approach;
Participate in internal case reviews/team meetings and provide regular updates on social work intervention practices;
Timely and accurately document all activities in our internal database system;
Maintain client confidentiality and adhere to attorney-client privilege obligations;
Increase the Anti-Detention Team’s capacity to provide trauma informed and holistic legal advocacy by providing consultations and peer support to legal team members;
Engage in administrative work and organizational initiatives that may advance the team’s mission to be an abolitionist, client centered, and community lawyering practice;
Provide in-house training and resources across IRP and Public Counsel around best practices for trauma informed advocacy;
Serve as a Field Instructor/Preceptor to MSW students as needed; and
Other duties as assigned.

Required:

Master of Social Work (MSW) degree.
Preferred:
Experience working with the immigrant community or survivors of trauma (either work experience or lived experience); non-profit experience a plus;
Understanding of the immigration system and/or legal system and experience advocating for clients within hostile systems;
Strong verbal, written, and phone skills in both English and Spanish, or another second language;
Experience working with clients from diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds, including those in detention and with criminal history and/or complex trauma;
Excellent case management skills and experience navigating various systems and social services/benefits/resources in Los Angeles County;
Driver’s license and ability/willingness to travel to meet with the client or conduct assessments, provided COVID and other safety precautions are met.
Commitment to Public Counsel’s mission to advance economic and racial justice.
Desired:
A foundation in trauma informed, client centered and anti-racist work;
Ability to work independently and prioritize multiple tasks/demands;
Commitment to working well as a member of an interdisciplinary team; ability to effectively and respectfully communicate with other team members;
Ability to set and maintain boundaries;
Strong and clear communication skills with clients with different legal statuses and positionalities;
Understanding of systemic injustices, their impacts on the immigrant community and interest in advocating for justice using an abolitionist and liberation-oriented framework;
Ability to embed clinical skills such as active listening, rapport building and empathy within a mezzo/macro environment;
Commitment to practicing self-awareness, introspection and cultural humility;