Organización Sin Fin de Lucro

Healthy Parents, Healthy Babies-Focus on Fathers Parent Advocate

Híbrido, El trabajo se debe realizar en o cerca de Bronx, NY
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  • Descripción

    Tipo de contrato:A Tiempo Completo
    Fecha límite de postulación:29 de octubre de 2024
    Nivel de Experiencia:Principiante
    Salario:USD $57.930 - $62.867 / año

    Descripción

    The Bronx Defenders – an innovative, progressive, holistic indigent defense office in the South Bronx – seeks a passionate advocate with a commitment to working alongside fathers targeted by the family policing system and fighting allegations of child abuse and neglect to fill a position as a Healthy Parents, Healthy Babies (HPHB) Parent Advocate with a Focus on Fathers (FOF).

    The Bronx Defenders is a public defender non-profit that is radically transforming how people of low-income in the Bronx are represented in the legal system, and, in doing so, is transforming the system itself. BxD seeks thoughtful, creative, energetic individuals with a strong commitment to social justice to join our dynamic and diverse staff. Our staff of over 400 includes interdisciplinary teams made up of criminal, civil, immigration, and family defense attorneys, as well as social workers, benefits specialists, legal advocates, parent advocates, investigators, and team administrators, who collaborate to provide holistic advocacy to address the causes and consequences of legal system involvement. Through this integrated, team-based structure, we have pioneered a ground breaking nationally-recognized model of representation called holistic defense that achieves better outcomes for the people we represent.

    Each year, we defend more than 20,000 low-income Bronx residents in criminal, civil, family, and immigration cases, and reach thousands more through our community intake, youth mentoring, and outreach programs. Through impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community organizing, we push for systemic change at the local, state, and national levels. We take what we learn from the people we represent and communities we work with and launch innovative initiatives designed to bring about real and lasting change.

    Family Defense Practice

    The Bronx Defenders’ Family Defense Practice (FDP) provides legal representation and social work support to parents charged with child abuse and neglect who are at risk of losing custody of their children. Our Family Defense Practice is at the forefront of a movement to provide holistic representation to Bronx parents while creating long-term solutions for the reunification and stability of families. We primarily litigate abuse and neglect cases, but occasionally appear in concurrent matters including custody, visitation, and termination of parental rights.

    Healthy Parents, Healthy Babies

    Healthy Parents, Healthy Babies (HPHB) is a project within the Family Defense Practice that specifically works with pregnant parents and parents with newborns to provide them with holistic defense, advocacy, case management and supportive services. Research shows that early disruptions in bonding with a primary attachment figure can have life-long implications for babies. HPHB works with pregnant parents with older children who have been taken by the foster care system and who are at risk of having the state take their newborns away from them as well. This is where HPHB comes in—supporting pregnant and birthing parents so their babies can remain at home, or when that is not possible, developing plans to preserve the parent-child relationship and minimize the length of stay in the foster system.

    Currently, HPHB has a focus on supporting pregnant people, but we’re looking to expand and hire a parent advocate to focus on supporting fathers in these cases. Reporting directly to the HPHB Project Director, the HPHB-FOF Parent Advocate will work to successfully implement this new program, and support and advocate for fathers in the project.

    Responsibilities

    • Represent HPHB-FOF clients on holistic defense teams including advocating for clients in Bronx Family Court, Child Safety Conferences, Family Team Conferences and with community based programs
    • Interview and assess fathers to identify strengths, resources, and needs
    • Connect fathers with a wide variety of social services and benefits, and provide case management support and advocacy
    • Assist fathers and the legal team in identifying goals, strategizing to meet those goals, and assessing progress
    • Intervene in moments of crisis for fathers
    • Maintain and establish relationships with community partners such as father-focused organizations, attachment-based programs, in-home services, and treatment providers to facilitate partnerships and provide workshops for Focus on Fathers clients
    • Collaborate with the Senior HPHB Advocate to provide internal trainings for staff members on best practices working with expecting and parenting fathers, strengthening father-child relationships and collaborating with advocates on Family Defense cases
    • Collaborate with Project Director to facilitate external trainings and presentations focused on the rights, policies, and resources available to pregnant and parenting people facing child protective investigations and the family policing system
    • Support the Project Director with HPHB data collection for use in funding proposals and reports
    • Facilitate weekly support groups for fathers
    • Attend and support clients at scheduled court hearings
    • Assist clients in preparation for procedural meetings conducted by the Administration for Children’s Services, external providers and agencies, and/or foster care agency conferences, as well as court appearances
    • Provide coverage for Senior Advocate when Senior Advocate is unavailable
    • Provide case coverage when urgent coverage is needed
    • Be available to work flexible hours, including nights and/or weekends and be willing to serve as back up during staff shortages

    Qualifications

    To be eligible, candidates must have either:

    • One year of case management/advocacy experience working with at-risk fathers OR
    • Minimum of two years of related education or experience

    Applicants must demonstrate:

    • Commitment to directly defending parents charged with abuse and neglect, and fighting for the reunification and stability of families
    • Understanding of how race and poverty affect parents’ experiences in the family regulation system
    • Commitment to reproductive justice and parenting freedom
    • Experience working in and with racially, ethnically and socioeconomically marginalized communities
    • Ability to communicate effectively and respectfully with people of all backgrounds, identities and experiences
    • Ability to work well independently as well as collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team of lawyers and non-lawyers
    • Commitment to fierce advocacy, and willingness to strategically challenge authority in defense of the people we represent
    • Effective writing and advocacy skills
    • Strong analytical skills and capacity to employ non-legal resources in cases
    • Effective crisis intervention skills
    • Knowledge of early childhood and attachment theory
    • Ability to multitask, maintain order and meet deadlines in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment
    • Meticulous attention to detail
    • Ability to think critically and creatively in fast-paced settings, finding innovative solutions to unique obstacles
    • Ability to receive feedback constructively, demonstrate introspection and shift behavior accordingly
    • Ability to exercise excellent judgment, discretion, and confidentiality with sensitive matters
    • Commitment to raising one’s cultural consciousness and challenging oppressive practices on an interpersonal and institutional level
    • Spanish fluency is preferred but not required

    Salary is commensurate with experience. For candidates with 2-5 years of directly relevant experience, the salary range for this position would be approximately $57,930-$62,867. Full-time employees are also eligible for a comprehensive benefits package including but not limited to medical, dental and vision coverage; a 403(b) plan with employer contribution; and a generous vacation, sick leave, and parental leave policy. More specific information about salary and benefits will be provided when and if an offer is extended.

    Approximately 70% of The Bronx Defenders' staff, including attorneys and non-attorneys, are represented by UAW Local 2325 - Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (AFL-CIO). This position is within the bargaining unit.

    This position is non-exempt. By law, non-exempt employees are compensated hourly based on their annual rate and therefore are entitled to over-time, whereas exempt employees are not.

    The Bronx Defenders – an innovative, progressive, holistic indigent defense office in the South Bronx – seeks a passionate advocate with a commitment to working alongside fathers targeted by the family policing system and fighting allegations of child abuse and neglect to fill a position as a Healthy Parents, Healthy Babies (HPHB) Parent Advocate with a Focus on Fathers (FOF).

    The Bronx Defenders is a public defender non-profit that is radically transforming how people of low-income in the Bronx are represented in the legal system, and, in doing so, is transforming the system itself. BxD seeks thoughtful, creative, energetic individuals with a strong commitment to social justice to join our dynamic and diverse staff. Our staff of over 400 includes interdisciplinary teams made up of criminal, civil, immigration, and family defense attorneys, as well as social workers, benefits specialists, legal advocates, parent advocates, investigators, and team…

    Compensación

    Full-time employees are also eligible for a comprehensive benefits package including but not limited to medical, dental and vision coverage; a 403(b) plan with employer contribution; and a generous vacation, sick leave, and parental leave policy. More specific information about salary and benefits will be provided when and if an offer is extended.

    Full-time employees are also eligible for a comprehensive benefits package including but not limited to medical, dental and vision coverage; a 403(b) plan with employer contribution; and a generous vacation, sick leave, and parental leave policy. More specific information about salary and benefits will be provided when and if an offer is extended.

    Ubicación

    Híbrido
    El trabajo se puede realizar en o cerca de Bronx, NY
    360 East 161st Street, Bronx, NY 10451, United States

    Cómo aplicar

    To apply, please visit our Career Portal, select the position of interest and upload your resume and a cover letter in one document when prompted. If you would prefer to send in a video or audio statement in lieu of a cover letter, you may upload your resume as a document and separately upload a video or audio statement instead of a cover letter if that is more accessible to you. Your cover letter or video/audio statement should share why you want to do this work at our office, some key lived and/or professional experiences that have prepared you for this position, and any additional information you would like for us to consider. Your cover letter may be up to one page if written or up to 3 minutes if an audio/video statement. This information allows us to understand your distinct perspective, experience and potential beyond the work history summarized on your resume. Please remember that you may submit a written cover letter or an audio/video, but not both, and applications without either will not be considered. The start date for this position is immediate or as soon as possible.

    Applications will be accepted through October 29, 2024. Please contact Morgan Hill, Healthy Parents, Healthy Babies, Project Director, via email at morganh@bronxdefenders.org with any questions regarding the position.

    The Bronx Defenders is an equal opportunity employer and is cultivating an anti-oppressive workplace that embraces staff with a diversity of backgrounds, identities and experiences. We acknowledge the ways in which systemic oppression and injustice can undermine access to professional opportunities and are committed to conducting hiring and promotion processes that are equitable and accessible to those commonly excluded from the workforce. We do not discriminate against and in fact specifically encourage applicants from marginalized communities to apply, including those who identify as Black, Indigenous, people of color, queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, disabled, neurodivergent and those directly impacted by criminal, civil, family and immigration legal systems. We value lived as well as professional experience and particularly welcome applications from the Bronx community that we work with.

    To apply, please visit our Career Portal, select the position of interest and upload your resume and a cover letter in one document when prompted. If you would prefer to send in a video…

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