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The Social Work Division is always looking for passionate and dedicated social workers who have a desire to work alongside public defenders on behalf of indigent clients. Forensic Social Workers are a critical element of the team-based client-centered representation model utilized by OPD. This specialized area of social work practice involves the application of psychosocial theories, social work skills,  and the legal system. Social workers working in this capacity may be tasked with conducting psychosocial evaluations for mitigation purposes,  assessing and linking clients to evidence-based services, and when needed, integrating those services into pretrial, sentencing, or alternative sentencing plans.  As a CEU certified site by the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners, OPD provides training, professional development, and support to those looking to develop and grow their forensic social work practice skills.

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In addition to opportunities to join OPD's Social Work Division as a full-time employee, there are also opportunities to provide the social work component to the team of professionals defending adult and juvenile clients in criminal matters as well as parents involved in the child welfare system on a case-by-case basis as a Panel Social Worker. OPD is actively looking to increase the number of Panel Social Workers with particularized training and experience (e.g. adolescent and juvenile justice expertise) to serve as Mitigation and/or Client Service Specialists. Click here to learn more about the expertise OPD is looking for and the role Mitigation and Client Service Specialists play.

 

Panel Social Worker opportunities as well as full-time Social Work positions currently in recruitment are listed below.