• Salary: PSO 5.1 ($93,136) – PSO 5.4 ($102,808) depending on experience
• FTE: Full time 37.5 hours per week
• Location: Alice Springs
• Commencement: ASAP
• Positions: 1
• Completion: 12 months
• Reports to: Mental Health Practice Manager

Position overview

The Mental Health Social Worker position is part of NAAJA’s specialist mental health team within the criminal law practice. The Mental Health Social Worker works collaboratively with all members of the mental health team to support clients appearing before the Local Court and the Northern Territory Supreme Court.

The Mental Health Social Worker identifies and helps to address factors contributing to the client’s offending behaviour and works with the client’s wider support networks to address these behaviours. This position requires a multi-skilled, self-motivated person who has a working understanding of Aboriginal culture. The position also requires a person to have a working understanding of mental health issues and structural issues Aboriginal peoples face when engaging with the criminal law system. This includes an understanding of level reports including the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. There may be travel to Bush Courts with legal staff including overnight stays.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply.

Duties

• Conduct assessments to ascertain any unmet psycho-social needs of mental health clients and facilitate and be responsible for following up supported referrals. This includes obtaining relevant information about the client to provide to internal and external service providers.
• Work in collaboration with lawyers in the development and implementation of bail and sentencing plans for clients appearing before the courts, and clients who are subjects to Part IIA orders in the Northern Territory Supreme Court. Liaise with other agencies and service providers including Community Corrections, NDIA, Forensic Mental Health Services, Department of Health and Top End Mental Health Services, Mental Health Review Tribunal, Darwin Correctional Centre’s Complex Behaviour Unit, and the Public Guardian, when preparing these plans.
• When necessary, provide welfare checks and court support to clients facing criminal charges.
• Undertake risk assessments in a manner that is appropriate to NAAJA’s clients.
• Subject to priorities, provide support and assistance to clients post-release from prison including working with clients natural networks to develop plans to support the client in accessing support services such as accommodation, mental health support and NDIS.
• Subject to priorities, provide case management through individual case planning where appropriate.
• Promote, attend and proactively engage in networking. Maintain strong relationships and work collaboratively with key stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain procedures for the role. Practice appropriate file management and record relevant data for statistical and funding purposes and use this information to report on project outcomes.
• Advocate on behalf of clients to facilitate access to external services and supports.
• Identify service gaps and needs, and contribute to relevant policy development, law reform, community education and training.
• Engage in external clinical social work supervision with a qualified senior social worker to ensure that a critical, trauma informed and culturally safe practice is being adopted.
• Other duties as reasonably directed.

How to Apply

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply.

Further information including the selection criteria can be found at www.naaja.org.au/get-involved/careers.

To submit your application please click 'Apply Now'.

A position description is attached.