Panel Social Workers

OPD is looking to increase the number of licensed Social Workers working with adult and juvenile clients in criminal matters as well as parents involved in the child welfare system. Panel Social Workers handle matters on a case-by-case basis and are not employees of OPD. Experienced LCSW and LCSW-Cs join trial teams as  Mitigation Specialist and/or Client Services Specialist. Those with specialized expertise in Adolescence and Juvenile Justice may assist in the representation of children in transfer hearings as outlined below. Other areas of expertise OPD looks for: chronic mental illness, trauma, developmental delay/intellectual disabilities, domestic violence, gangs, substance abuse, re-entry, elderly/geriatric populations,  criminal justice, and child welfare experience-specific to parent advocacy. Multi-lingual candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

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Mitigation Specialists:

  • Consult and strategize with counsel throughout the legal process

  • Perform a series of interview the client (for the purpose of conducting a biopsychosocial assessment) and collateral witnesses (client family members or any others designated as pertinent);

  • Request & review educational, mental health, & adult/juvenile records;

  • Review and analyze any applicable research and include in the biopsychosocial assessment;

  • Completion of a biopsychosocial assessment report, or social history or alternative sentencing plan for submission to court by the deadline as scheduled by attorney;

  • Provide expert testimony as needed with the attorney providing testimony preparation.

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Client Services Specialists:

  • Consult and strategize with counsel throughout the legal process;

  • Interview client for purpose of assessing for treatment/resource needs; 

  • Make phone calls to providers, complete applications...etc. to ensure client is linked with evidence-based services;

  • Prepared to create a Release Planning memo for counsel or the court.

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Adolescent and Juvenile Justice Expertise:

Licensed Social Workers with expertise in adolescent development and the juvenile justice system are needed as Mitigation Specialists to assist public defenders in Transfer Hearings.  These Transfer Hearings require extensive preparation and,  in addition to the duties outlined above for Mitigation Specialist, Social Workers in these cases: 

  • Review, explore and identify appropriate DJS programs to meet client needs;

  • Complete a biopsychosocial assessment report for submission to court by deadline as scheduled by attorney;

  • Provide expert testimony as needed with the attorney providing testimony preparation.

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