Forensic Social Worker

Full-Time | W-2 Employee | In-Person | Manhattan, NY

The Forensic Social Worker is a full-time, salaried W-2 position embedded within Golden Psychology's Justice Project — a specialized practice area focused on psychological and social evaluation at the intersection of mental health and the criminal legal system. This person works directly alongside the practice owner, a licensed psychologist with extensive forensic expertise, to deliver high-quality evaluations for courts, defense counsel, and justice-involved individuals across New York.

This is not a case management role. The Forensic Social Worker conducts independent clinical interviews, collateral investigations, and social history documentation that form the evidentiary foundation of complex forensic evaluations — including competency to stand trial (CPL 730), extreme emotional disturbance (EED) mitigation, and assessments under the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act (DVSJA). The work requires clinical skill, forensic literacy, and the ability to engage meaningfully with clients in institutional settings — jails, prisons, courts, and community-based supervision.

Writing is central to this role. Forensic social histories are used in court, reviewed by attorneys and judges, and contribute directly to legal outcomes for clients whose futures depend on them. The right person writes with precision, clarity, and discipline — and takes that responsibility seriously.

The right person for this role brings not only clinical and forensic competence, but a deep commitment to justice — a belief that every person who enters the legal system deserves rigorous, humane, and expert evaluation, regardless of the charge.

1. Forensic Evaluation Support Conduct in-depth social history interviews with justice-involved clients in custodial and community settings — including jails, prisons, and community supervision Gather and synthesize collateral information: family members, treatment providers, school records, prior case files, and social service histories

Produce clear, precise, court-ready social history reports — documents that must be accurate, well-organized, and legally defensible under scrutiny from attorneys, judges, and opposing experts Collaborate closely with the supervising psychologist to ensure evaluation components are integrated and coherent Support expert testimony preparation by organizing and summarizing collateral materials Navigate institutional logistics independently — facility scheduling, security clearance processes, and documentation submission to courts and attorneys

2. Clinical Interviewing & Assessment

Conduct structured and semi-structured clinical interviews to assess trauma history, mental health symptomatology, developmental history, and social functioning Identify and sensitively document histories of domestic violence, trauma, substance use, psychiatric treatment, and other clinically and legally relevant factors Apply trauma-informed, culturally responsive practice frameworks throughout the evaluation process

Translate complex clinical observations into written documentation that is clear to non-clinical readers — attorneys, judges, and court personnel — without sacrificing clinical accuracy

Exercise sound clinical judgment in challenging interview environments, including with clients who are guarded, distressed, cognitively impaired, or in acute mental health distress

3. Legal & Institutional Coordination

Liaise with defense counsel, 18-B attorneys, Legal Aid Society staff, and court personnel to coordinate evaluation logistics and deadlines Manage documentation workflows: retainer paperwork, authorization forms, court orders, and facility correspondence Track active cases and upcoming deadlines — ensuring nothing is missed due to poor coordination Maintain organized, well-documented case files that support both clinical and legal defensibility Understand the legal frameworks governing forensic evaluations in New York — CPL Article 730, DVSJA eligibility criteria, and the role of EED in sentencing — at a level sufficient to support the supervising psychologist's clinical-legal analysis

● An exceptional writer: This is not a secondary skill — it is the core deliverable of the role. Social history reports are used in court proceedings, reviewed by judges and attorneys, and contribute directly to legal outcomes. The person who succeeds here writes with precision, discipline, and clarity, and consistently produces reports that require minimal revision. Candidates with writing samples are strongly encouraged to submit them.

● Clinically skilled and forensically curious: Has direct experience with justice-involved populations — in a correctional, legal, hospital, or community setting. Understands that forensic work demands a different discipline than therapeutic work, and welcomes that distinction.

● A thorough and organized investigator: Can gather, organize, and synthesize large volumes of collateral information without losing the thread. Understands what is clinically relevant, what is legally significant, and how to document both with economy and precision.

● Steady in difficult environments: Comfortable conducting clinical interviews in institutional settings — jails, prisons, holding facilities — with clients who may be frightened, hostile, or in crisis. Does not require optimal conditions to do excellent work.

● Trauma-informed and culturally responsive: Approaches clients with genuine respect for the complexity of their histories. Understands the relationship between poverty, trauma, systemic racism, and involvement in the criminal legal system — and brings that understanding to the work without letting it distort clinical objectivity.

● Collaborative and professionally humble: Works closely with a supervising psychologist and understands the scope of the social worker's role in a forensic evaluation. Knows when to ask questions and when to act independently.

● Mission-aligned: Believes that expert, rigorous evaluation is a form of advocacy — and that justice-involved people deserve the same quality of care and attention as any other client population.

Required MSW from an accredited program LMSW or LCSW licensure in New York State (or eligibility within 6 months of hire) Experience working with justice-involved individuals, trauma survivors, or populations with serious mental illness

Demonstrated excellence in professional writing — candidates are strongly encouraged to submit a writing sample (social history, assessment, or comparable document) with their application Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple active cases simultaneously under court-driven deadlines

Preferred Experience conducting forensic social histories, mitigation investigations, or evaluations in legal contexts Familiarity with CPL Article 730, DVSJA, or EED frameworks Experience in correctional settings, Legal Aid, public defense, or forensic mental health Proficiency in Spanish or another language spoken by GP's client population

Employment Status Full-time, W-2 salaried employee

Base Salary Commensurate with experience; $75,000-95,000

Benefits Health insurance contribution, PTO

Supervision

Weekly clinical and forensic supervision provided by licensed psychologist

6-Month Review

Formal review tied to report quality, documentation standards, and case coordination performance

The Justice Project exists because the people who are most often evaluated in the criminal legal system are also the people who have experienced the most concentrated trauma, disadvantage, and systemic harm.

Golden Psychology brings the same values to forensic work that it brings to every service it offers: clinical excellence, inclusive and affirming practice, and an uncompromising commitment to the people we serve. The Forensic Social Worker is not a peripheral support role — they are a core member of the team whose work directly shapes evaluation quality and outcomes for clients whose lives are on the line.

If you are a clinician who takes that responsibility seriously, writes with care and precision, and wants to grow in a forensic specialty under strong supervision, this role is built for you.

Please submit a resume and cover letter. A professional writing sample is strongly encouraged — a social history, psychological summary, assessment narrative, or comparable document (redacted as needed to protect client confidentiality) that reflects the quality and style of your written work.