The New York City Department of Probation (DOP) helps build stronger and safer communities by working with and supervising people on probation, fostering positive change in their decision-making and behavior, and expanding opportunities for them to move out of the criminal and juvenile justice systems through meaningful education, employment, health services, family engagement and civic participation. We are located in every borough across the city and provide four core services – pre-sentence investigations, intake, diversion and probation supervision. In summary, DOP ensures that people who enter our system are supervised according to their risk level and receive the support and services they need to abide by the law and be an asset to their communities.

This exciting position will help assess, identify and develop, forensic evaluations and recommendations for Family Court justice involved youth at risk of Out of Home Placement to explore suitability for Intensive Alternative to Placement programming to protect the community while promoting positive behavior change for the youth, and reduce the risk of recidivism.
The Social Worker for the Alternative to Placement Unit will be expected to use critical thinking and applied experience, and theoretical foundations with the practical experience of working with high risks Justice involved youth. The Social worker/Alternative to Placement assessor must also work collaboratively with Juvenile Operations Investigation & Reporting teams and Family Court dispositional judges throughout the five (5) boroughs to:
- Coordinate, log, and monitor referrals submitted by the court, ensuring that assessments are made in the allotted time frames set by dispositional judges.
- Use risk needs responsivity principles and risk reduction strategies to conduct an assessment.
- Use the results to identify priority risks factors that are barriers to positive youth outcomes and the stages of change.
- Use the results of the validated Youth Level of Service (YLS 2.0) risk assessment tool as the foundation for each youth’s assessment outcomes; and,
- Liaise with key DOP staff and Family Court Stakeholders.

Qualification Requirements
A Master's Degree in Social Work from an accredited school of social work.

License Requirements
You will be required to have a valid Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) license issued by the New York State Department of Education within one year of the date of appointment. This license must be presented to the appointing officer at the time of appointment or, if it is obtained after appointment, at the time it is received. This license must be maintained for the duration of your employment.

If you fail to obtain your LMSW or LCSW license within one year of the date of appointment, your probationary period will be automatically extended for six months. If you fail to obtain the required license by the end of 18 months of service, you will be terminated.

Special Note

Section 424-a of the New York Social service Law requires an authorized agency to inquire whether a candidate for employment with child-care responsibilities has been the subject of a child abuse and maltreatment report. The agency has the discretion to assign a candidate who has been the subject of a child abuse and maltreatment report to a position with no child-care responsibilities.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Prior work experience involving either providing direct psycho-social service assessments for justice-involved youth. Must be a licensed New York State Social Worker, and hold a Master of Social Worker degree from an accredited College or University, Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues and diverse system stakeholders. Exceptional attention to detail and strong organizational skills. Excellent writing skill, and the ability to adapt to evolving data management system and requirements. Previous experience: Ability to interact/communicate respectfully with individuals of diverse background, age levels, and professional status. Commitment to provide accurate and detailed assessment reports and justification for Exploration of Alternative programming recommendations to Family Court disposition judges and stakeholders as a representative of the NYC Department of Probation.

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.