Human Services Re-entry Navigator

COUNTY OF BUCKS

POSITION SUMMARY:

Professional work of a social services nature providing a full range of case management services to incarcerated individuals within Bucks County, facilitating human services through robust communication during incarceration and for the first few months following release. The Human Services Forensic Reentry Specialist is responsible for promoting reentry services for individuals who are currently incarcerated at Bucks County Correctional Facility (BCCF), and those transitioning from incarceration into the community, with an overall goal of reducing recidivism and improving outcomes.

This role works collaboratively with Corrections, County Human Services, and community-based human services agencies to reduce recidivism, support stability and growth, and promote successful reintegration. This position is intended to improve communication and coordination between and among human service providers, the criminal justice system, and community support.

This position will work closely with the County’s Human Services staff housed in and outside of BCCF to ensure ongoing connections are made before and following release.

This position is located inside a locked correctional facility.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Support the development of a reentry program and actively recruit incarcerated individuals for participation
• Respond to requests from inmates, case managers, and other access points to coordinate access to care, promote continuity of services, and to achieve client’s goals and reentry plan.
• Provide social service screening across multiple domains to identify aging, housing, mental health and substance use, education and employment, children & youth, and community support needs.
• Provide counseling, mentoring, and advocacy to aid community reintegration, and to reduce systemic barriers to reentry
• Locate and evaluate appropriate resources for clients including housing and homelessness prevention programs, access to employment readiness programs, vocational training and education services.
• Assist inmates in developing, implementing and monitoring individualized release plans to identify barriers to success and to address housing, behavioral health, medical care, employment, education and training.
• Build and maintain partnerships with reentry focused agencies and services, housing providers, human services providers, forensic services, County Probation and Parole, Human Services Co-Responders, Human Services Hub and other community-based agencies
• Provide ongoing support with service coordination and goal tracking up to 90 days after release
• Prepare re-entry plans for inmates eligible for the Restricted Housing Reduction Program and monitor progress.
• Monitor and manage tablet educational offerings that apply to re-entry.
• Assist the Public Defender with transcripts from the tablet educational programs for court.
• Participate in regular case conferences with corrections, county and community agencies
• Identify service gaps and contribute to program improvement and development of reentry initiatives.
• Maintain accurate, timely case documentation in accordance with county, jail and legal requirements
• Participate in the Bucks County Reentry Coalition
• With assistance, coordinates and manages Library services.
• Assists the inmate population in research and information needs (general and legal).
• Maintain availability of forms required for legal filings and provide copies of legal motions as needed.
• Provide monthly reports and statistics for internal and external agencies (grants) as required.
• Provide individualized updates and/or referrals to case management team and other relevant parties.
• Maintains notary credentials and services inmate population.
• Performs other related duties as required
• Completes Budgets as appropriate.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to work inside a locked correctional facility for an entire shift
• Ability to effectively interact with inmates to establish a proper rapport
• Must be adaptable and able to work within the prison plan of the day. Must be flexible and able to work around inmate medical appointments, legal appointments, court dates, and other things such as medical emergencies, headcounts, and lockdowns.
• After hours and weekend hours may be necessary.
• Ability to adequately express ideas clearly and concisely, orally and in writing

Required Education & Experience

• Master’s Degree in Human services Preferred or Bachelor’s Degree in sociology, human services, social work, psychology, criminal justice, or other related social science and 1-2 years of professional level experience in the field of social or criminal justice casework; or any equivalent combination of experience and training
• Strong knowledge of community resources
• Demonstrated ability to plan and organize work, set priorities and manage workload in an independent, effective and timely manner
• Knowledge of, or ability to quickly learn, the organization and structure of the County court and legal systems, as well as human services and forensic community-based agencies

Job Details