A new, grant-funded social worker position for the SWIFT Defense of Women project is now open for application. Qualified applicants will have a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Social Work (preferred) and licensure is preferred but not required. This position is a grant-funded position that starts immediately and lasts through September 30, 2021 (the period of the grant).

The Social Worker Intervention for Trauma-Informed Defense of Women project social worker (hereafter “SWIFT Defense social worker”) will serve five public defender corporations in Kanawha, Boone, Lincoln, Fayette, Raleigh, and Logan counties by receiving referrals of female criminal defendants, assessing the treatment needs of these defendants, and referring them to or arranging for appropriate treatment to address their underlying needs and root causes of criminal justice involvement. The SWIFT Defense social worker will be trained in trauma-informed legal practice, gender-responsive assessments, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and other assessments necessary to perform the duties of the position. For project operations, the SWIFT Defense social worker will operate out of the Kanawha County Public Defender Office (in Charleston). The SWIFT Defense social worker will be required to travel to and work collaboratively with public defenders across the six project counties and will receive referrals of criminally charged women with pending legal cases from the public defenders. Travel to regional jails and treatment programs across the region is also anticipated. Computer-based record keeping and project-specific data entry is a requirement of this position.

If you are interested in applying for this position, please send cover letter and resume to the attention of Tiwana Mack, Office Manager for the Kanawha County Office of the Public Defender. Resumes can be mailed to the mailing address, 816 Quarrier St., Charleston, 25301, or can be emailed to Tiwana.K.Mack@wvdefender.com on or before November 27, 2020.