Forensic Social Worker

County of Contra Costa, California

place Vallejo, 95592

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Counseling, Social Work, Other Behavioral, Mental, or Healthcare Field

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Supervision

local_atm $95,124.28 - $104,874.50 a year

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English, Spanish

The Position

Bargaining Unit: Local 1021 - Social Services Rank & File Unit

The Contra Costa County Public Defender’s Office is excited to announce a recruitment to fill two (2) Forensic Social Worker vacancies. Forensic Social Workers may be assigned to one of the Public Defender Office’s many units, including the Client Services Unit, the Mental Health Unit, and the Post Conviction Unit. The Forensic Social Worker works as an integral member of a multi-disciplinary, holistic legal defense team to develop social histories and mitigation strategies that influence client-centered resolution of pending criminal cases, performs professional-level case management and investigative work to support the Public Defender’s Office in effectively representing clients, links clients to community-based agencies and services, and coordinates with criminal justice partners from other agencies.

The Public Defender’s Office has over 100 attorneys serving the Courts of Contra Costa County. Located in the Bay Area, Contra Costa County extends from the San Francisco Bay to the western edge of California’s Central Valley. One of the most populous counties in California, Contra Costa encompasses a range of urban, suburban, and rural communities. CCPD has an office in Richmond serving West County, an office in Martinez serving Central and East County and a Youth Defense Office in Walnut Creek. In addition, we oversee an Alternate Defender’s Office in Martinez.

At the CCPD, we believe in innovative and zealous advocacy. Our core philosophy is that justice can only be served when the most vulnerable among us are treated with the same attention and dignity as the most powerful. We ensure that each client receives excellent representation by carefully monitoring attorney’s workloads and providing excellent in-house training. We take a holistic approach in representing our clients, which includes support services within our office such as immigration attorney experts, forensic attorney experts, mental health attorney experts, social workers, and post-conviction relief representation.

As an office, we foster practices and policies that promote equity, racial justice, diversity, and inclusion.

Multilingual applicants are encouraged to apply.

We are looking for someone who has:

An understanding of the role of the Public Defender, who advocates on behalf of indigent individuals accused of crimes
Impeccable writing and verbal skills
The ability to work well with individuals who come from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds
The ability to cultivate relationships and work with other agencies and departments within the criminal legal system
The ability to prioritize and manage multiple assignments
The ability to provide crisis counseling and redirection to individuals in order to assist them in meeting their goals
An understanding of the holistic defense philosophy

What you will typically be responsible for:

Intake and case management of participants in the program
Identifying the root causes that may have led to the individual’s criminal system involvement
Identifying available community-based social services and connecting clients with those services
Advocating for community-based solutions as alternatives to incarceration
Writing biopsychosocial (social history/mitigation) reports and assessments of clients

A few reasons you might love the job:

You will develop an understanding of the criminal court system’s impact on vulnerable communities
You will have the opportunity to work independently and in a fast-paced environment
You will have the opportunity to work collaboratively with supportive colleagues

A few challenges you might face in this job:

Working in a fast-paced environment
Balancing multiple demands on your time and assisting multiple clients
Navigating a web of social services systems across the county
Maintaining self-care while working with adult clients who are impacted by trauma and injustice

Competencies Required:

Critical Thinking: Analytically and logically evaluating information, propositions, and claims
Delivering Results: Meeting organizational goals and making decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks
Innovative Problem Solving: Identifying and analyzing problems in order to propose new ways to do business
Legal & Regulatory Navigation: Understanding, interpreting, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations
Safety Focus: Showing vigilance and care in identifying and addressing health risks and safety hazards
Using Technology: Working with electronic hardware and software applications
Action & Result Focused (Taking Initiative): Initiating tasks and focusing on accomplishment
Adaptability: Responding positively to change and modifying behavior as the situation requires
Professional Integrity & Ethics: Displaying honesty, adherence to principles, and personal accountability
Presentation Skills: Formally delivering information to groups
Writing Skills: Communicating effectively in writing
Building & Maintaining Relationships: Establishing rapport and maintaining mutually productive relationships
Group Facilitation: Enabling constructive and productive group interaction
Leading Cross-Divisional Collaboration: Demonstrating cooperation and teamwork while working within and across divisions and teams
Strategic Thinking & Perspective: Evaluating immediate actions in context of achieving long range objective

To read the complete job description, please visit the website, www.cccounty.us/hr.

The eligible list established from this recruitment may remain in effect for six (6) months.

Minimum Qualifications

License Required: Possession of a Valid California Motor Vehicle Operator’s License. Out of State valid Motor Vehicle Operator's License will be accepted during the application process.

Education: Possession of a Master’s Degree from an accredited college or university with a major in social work, sociology, counseling or psychology, or a closely related field.

Substitution for Education: A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in psychology, sociology, social welfare or a closely related field and three (3) years of full-time or its equivalent experience as either a social caseworker in a public or private human services agency or as a Deputy Probation Officer performing juvenile investigations or supervision may be substituted for the required education.

Desirable Qualifications:

Training related to understanding the roots of intimate partner violence
Bilingual in English and Spanish
Graduate degree in social work or related area
Experience working with clients impacted by substance use, mental illness, or housing insecurity
Experience writing biopsychosocial reports or mitigation reports

Selection Process

Application Filing and Evaluation: Applications will be evaluated to determine which candidates will move forward in the next phase of the recruitment process.
Written Examination: May include multiple-choice questions, writing proficiency test, and scenario based competency/behavioral questions. Test items may consist of the following assessment categories: Assessment, Interpersonal, Interpreting Policies and Procedure, Investigative, Psycho-Social, and Written Communication. (Weighted 100%). Tentatively Scheduled: November 26-30, 2025.
Final Selection Interviews: These will be scheduled by the department once the eligible list is established.

The Human Resources Department may change the examination steps noted above in accordance with the Personnel Management Regulations and accepted selection practices. Candidates are not permitted to retake the same assessment within a six (6) month period. If you apply for another recruitment that uses this exam and the test is scheduled within six (6) months of the date you took the test this time, you will not have the option to re-take the exam.

For recruitment-specific questions, please contact Austin Wagers at Austin.Wagers@hrd.cccounty.us. For any technical issues, please contact the GovernmentJobs’ applicant support team for assistance at +1 855-524-5627.

CONVICTION HISTORY

After you receive a conditional job offer, you will be fingerprinted, and your fingerprints will be sent to the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The resulting report of your conviction history (if any) will be used to determine whether the nature of your conviction conflicts with the specific duties and responsibilities of the job for which you have received a conditional job offer. If a conflict exists, you will be asked to present any evidence of rehabilitation that may mitigate the conflict, except when federal or state regulations bar employment in specific circumstances. Having a conviction history does not automatically preclude you from a job with Contra Costa County. If you accept a conditional job offer, the Human Resources department will contact you to schedule a fingerprinting appointment.

DISASTER SERVICE WORKER

All Contra Costa County employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law. Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

It is the policy of Contra Costa County to consider all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, or other protected category under the law.