Reporting to the Galveston County Mental Health Court Program Director and under the Mental Health Court Judge’s guidance, the Court Clinician and the mental health court team work to connect eligible defendants with community-based mental health treatment in lieu of incarceration and assign them to community- based supervision.

The Court Clinician determines whether referred individuals are eligible to participate in MHC Court, develops, implements, monitors and adjusts the MHC Re-Entry Plan, assesses and addresses the on-going psychosocial needs of MHC participants, provides clinical recommendations to the MHC Team throughout participants’ enrollment in the Court, and maintains contact with participants’ treatment providers.

• Conducts the initial psychosocial assessment to determine whether an individual is eligible to participate in Mental Health Court and identifies individuals’ bio-psychosocial needs.
• Reviews all available medical records included within the MHC Referral Packet.
• Reviews treatment history from Galveston County Jail medical records and other current or past treatment providers.
• Gathers additional clinical information and history from available collateral contacts.
• Presents overview of psychosocial history and identified clinical needs to MHC Team during Pre-Plea staffing.
• Engages in on-going assessment of emerging participant needs.
• Develops initial MHC Re-Entry Plan based on psychosocial assessment and input from MHC Clinical Team.
• Prepares Galveston County Jail releasing instructions and ensures MHC participant is released from the jail with clear instructions for MHC participation including required treatment arrangements.
• Links MHC participants with appropriate mental health and substance use disorder services with the Gulf Coast Center and other community treatment providers.
• Serves as a liaison between the MHC participant, treatment providers, and the Court.
• Identifies current and emerging MHC participant needs.
• Assists participants with the completion of referrals required by community service agencies.
• Works directly with MHC participants to reduce individual and systemic barriers to obtaining needed community resources including medical, shelter, housing, transportation, food and other needed resources.
• Prepares Letter of Homelessness per HUD requirements.
• Responds to community needs/requests regarding MHC participation.
• Works collaboratively with the MHC Team to develop individualized Behavior Contracts
• Obtains weekly clinical updates from all clinics/providers of Gulf Coast and other treatment providers.
• Monitor participants compliance with treatment plans by contacting treatment providers and assisting participants with non-compliance, through peer counseling and affirmations.
• Establish clear lines of communication and enhance collaboration between criminal justice agencies and community service providers serving MHC participants.
• Responsibilities include relaying treatment updates to the Court Coordinator and the MHC Team.
• Provides recommendations regarding subsequent modifications to MHC participant Re-Entry Plan.
• Triages and manages psychiatric crises and arranges for emergency services with the Gulf Coast Center crisis services and/or the Galveston County Mental Health Deputy program as needed.
• Trains new MHC team staff as assigned.
• Provides therapy for MHC participants as needed for program needs.
• Supervises graduate and undergraduate social work interns as assigned.
• All other duties identified by immediate supervisor.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Requires a Master's Degree with an LCSW, LMFT or an LPC. Prefer LCSW.
• Prefer two years’ experience as a licensed clinician
• Requires current Texas Drivers License, liability insurance and safe and reliable transportation.

Abilities/Traits:

• Must seek out and attend special ongoing training and education in the area of mental health and mental health courts to stay up to date on evidence based best practices and the law.
• Must learn and use the Trauma Informed Principles in performing assessments so as to not add any further traumatic experiences.
• Expected to utilize collaborative documentation as much as possible to have documentation in the record by the end of each shift.
• Required to be available, as needed, after-hours to address MHC and participant issues.
• Required to maintain open communication with supervisor and to inform supervisor immediately of any difficulties which obstruct the completion of duties or changes in normal scheduling.

Working conditions:

• May periodically transport participants in personal vehicles.
• Must seek out and attend special ongoing training and education in the area of mental health and mental health courts to stay up to date on evidence based best practices and the law.
• Must learn and use the Trauma Informed Principles in performing assessments so as to not add any further traumatic experiences.
• Expected to utilize collaborative documentation as much as possible to have documentation in the record by the end of each shift.
• Required to be available, as needed, after-hours to address MHC and participant issues.
• Required to maintain open communication with supervisor and to inform supervisor immediately of any difficulties which obstruct the completion of duties or changes in normal scheduling.

This description is intended to indicate the types of tasks and levels of work difficulty required of the position. It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of management to assign, direct and control the work of employees under supervision. The listing of duties and responsibilities does not exclude other duties not mentioned that are of similar kind or level of difficulty.