Intake Clinician

Job Description

Job Title: Intake Specialist

Location: Manhattan

Reports To: Program Director

Salary: The salary for this role is $61,000 per year.

Company Description

CASES Short-term Alternatives and Referrals to Treatment (newSTART) program is a short-term alternative-to-incarceration (ATI) program that provides rapid screening, identification of need, and brief interventions (individual and group) for individuals with extensive low-level involvement in the criminal legal system who are at risk of jail sentences. The program supports individuals with a range of needs, including severe substance use disorders, serious mental illness, education/employment needs, homelessness, tenuous engagement in treatment/social services, and repeated misdemeanor arrests primarily for theft and drug possession. The newSTART team employs a harm reduction approach with a main goal of helping clients begin to engage in community-based services.

The Intake Specialist works primarily at the Manhattan Criminal court at 100 Centre street. We are seeking an independent The Intake Specialist joins a multidisciplinary team, including a Director, Associate Director, Peer Specialists, Substance Use Specialists, a Housing Specialist, a Women’s Specialist, Mental Health Specialist, and Program Assistants. The Intake Specialist is responsible for conducting comprehensive assessments of participants’ clinical and psychosocial needs. As the first point of contact after participants’ release to the program, the Intake Specialist will use motivational enhancement strategies to engage participants in a collaborative assessment that enhances participants’ motivation to complete their mandate. The Intake Specialist will use their clinical judgment, validated drug and/or mental health screens, and the participant’s input to determine the participant’s primary need areas and create an individualized service plan. The Intake Specialist will connect the participant to the newSTART team member best suited to provide support for their needs and will refer the participant to community-based providers as appropriate.

This job requires work in our office in Harlem and the community in addition to our courthouses in Manhattan.

CASES seeks a mission-driven individual whose experience reflects a strong commitment to social justice, evidence-based practices, community safety, harm reduction, and the principles of recovery-oriented and trauma-informed service.

Come join our team to reduce the City's reliance on correctional institutions, promote justice, and help NYC achieve its goal to close Rikers Island in 2026. At CASES, we offer clinical supervision (which can be used toward licensure), free continuing education credits for LMSW/LCSWs, LMHCs, and CASACs, as well as a comprehensive training curriculum available to all employees. We are a diverse team at CASES, and we welcome candidates of all genders, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and abilities to apply.

All applicants must comply with CASES/NYC's vaccination policy.

Responsibilities

• Conduct psychosocial assessments using sound clinical judgment and validated screening tools; incorporate Motivational Interviewing techniques to identify and bolster intrinsic motivation that can be leveraged throughout mandate services to address short-term and ongoing risks for rearrest.
• Collaborate with participants to identify primary areas of need and develop a schedule of services, including those delivered by newSTART specialists and by community-based providers.
• Conduct group counseling sessions.
• Complete timely and accurate documentation following newSTART and CASES policies and guidelines.
• Provide culturally sensitive services and participate in CASES’ antiracism efforts.
• Any other duties as required by newSTART or CASES leadership.

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Qualifications

• Master’s-level licensed clinician (LMSW, LCSW, LMHC) or ability to attain licensure within six months of hire date; applicants with a master’s degree in relevant field to provide intake/assessment services will also be considered.
• Experience conducting intake/psychosocial assessments and working with individuals with serious mental illness, including substance use disorders.
• Extensive knowledge of community treatment, support services, and resources.
• Commitment to serve participants involved in the criminal-legal system at high risk for criminal recidivism.
• Ability to work independently in a fast paced environment
• Preferred but not required: Lived experience in the areas of criminal legal and/or mental health system involvement and a willingness to utilize recovery experience to supervise program staff and deliver direct services to participants.