The Lead Mental Health Case Manager is assigned high profile cases. The position is responsible for advising and assisting Judges with substantive and procedural legal issues related to the division's felony mental health cases. The individual in this position will be the liaison between the Judiciary, other courts, and community entities including such as but not limited to: the Clerk of Courts, community based service groups, the parties, and their attorneys, in order to provide court agency partners and litigants with maximum access to the courts and its services.

The Lead Mental Health Case Manager will expedite criminal matters through the court system for defendants with mental health issues and intellectual disabilities. The individual occupying this position will minimize duplicate efforts, provide information, documentation, recommendation options, and alternatives for the court to consider, and organize case files.

The Lead Mental Health Case Manager will review and assign cases, provide support to the Court Program Specialist I (Mental Health Case Managers) and assist the Program Coordinator with administrative duties.

The position works under the direct supervision of the Program Coordinator. During the covidCOVID-19 pandemic, work will be performed partially on-site and remotely.

• Provides information to the judiciary regarding evaluations, commitments, and placement for individuals with mental and/or intellectual disabilities.
• Coordinates residential placement, psychiatric and dual diagnoses treatment for individuals with mental and/or intellectual disabilities. 
• Maintains and monitors court compliance on assigned caseloads for individuals under court supervision and conditional release plans. 
• Prepares court orders and  conditional release plans for judges on assigned caseloads; reviews and edits, all four Mental Health Case Managers' conditional release plans before they are presented to the court. 
• Ensures court orders appointing experts on assigned caseloads are received and processed in a timely manner.
• Provides expert evaluations to the court and reviews court ordered evaluations to ensure accuracy before delivering to the court.
• Attends all court sessions and hearings relevant to caseload and enters notes into the database daily. 
• Uploads documentation into the Mental Health Administrator’s Office database. 
• Calendars cases and notifies all interested parties. 
• Serves as a liaison between the court, attorneys, Department of Children and Families, Agency for Persons with Disabilities, South Florida Behavioral Health Network and community treatment providers. 
• Delivers transport orders to the Department of Corrections/Jail. 
• Assists with the retrieval of any court documents from the Office of the Clerk of Courts. 
• Trains, supports and guides division case managers. 
• Provides feedback and supervisory assistance to Program Coordinator regarding work performance of Mental Health Case Managers.
• Assists the Program Coordinator on administrative duties.
• Serves as the backup Program Coordinator in the absence of the supervisor.
• Attends regular meetings and provides detailed reports to the Program Coordinator. 
• Performs related work as required.

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with course work in business, court or public administration, criminal justice, psychology, sociology, mental health counseling or related fields.
•  Three (3) years of related professional experience. Experience in the court of assignment preferred.
  •  Master’s Degree may substitute for one year of required experience.
  •  Juris Doctor degree may substitute for two years of required experience.
  •  Paralegal Certificate preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES (KSAs):

•  Knowledge of the criminal justice system.
• Knowledge of the function and jurisdiction of the court. 
• Knowledge of community/private mental health and substance abuse treatment providers. 
• Knowledge of residential facilities available for forensic clients. 
• Knowledge of computer software programs, such as Microsoft Office Suites programs, which include, but not limited to outlook, word, teams and PowerPoint.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment, like scanner and copier. 
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions. 
• Ability to make work decisions in accordance with laws, regulations and departmental policies and procedures. 
• Ability to maintain accurate case documentation and prepare written information. 
• Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely, orally and in writing. 
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the judiciary, co-workers, judges, attorneys, court service partners, and the general public. 
• Bilingual in English/Spanish preferred.

Ability to communicate ideas and concepts effectively and succinctly, both orally and in writing in a courtroom setting.