Social Worker (Regional Mental Health Court)

Full Job Description

This position offers a rare opportunity for a social worker to provide meaningful, in-depth clinical engagement with some of the most acute and underserved individuals in King County. As part of the King County Regional Mental Health Court (KC-RMHC) team within Jail Health Services (JHS), this role allows for focused, intensive work with a small panel of clients navigating serious and persistent mental illness, co-occurring disorders, housing instability, and complex legal involvement. Social workers benefit from a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment—working alongside judges, attorneys, probation, psychiatric providers, peer supports, and community-based behavioral health teams—to develop individualized, trauma-informed treatment and release plans. This clinical position is ideal for social workers seeking to practice within a systems-level, equity-centered therapeutic court model. The team culture values inclusion, lived experience, and professional development, offering strong support, clinical consultation, and a deep commitment to person-centered care.

Public Health employees classified as Social Worker shall be eligible upon approval to receive a 5.5% Master Premium above their current base pay rate on all earnings subject to QUALIFICATION AND APPROVAL as set forth in the Agreement (King County and Union). Certification & Licensure Premium pay: upon approval and verification of State of Washington associates license (LMHCA, LMFTA, LICSWA, LMFTA, LSWAA) or recognized equivalent) employees are eligible to receive a premium of ($50.00) per biweekly pay period while certification/licenses are current good standing. Clinical supervision offered for licensure (as staffing permits).

JHS provides needed health and social services to the incarcerated population located in the King County jails – King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) in Seattle, WA and Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) in Kent, WA.

The primary services we provide include medical, dental, mental health, social and release planning services, treatment of substance use disorders, and pharmaceutical services.

We care about the patients we serve and their health outcomes. Our division includes over 250 employees and an annual budget of over $60 million.

The purpose of JHS is to assure that high-quality health and human services are available to the incarcerated population in the King County adult correctional facilities: the King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) in Seattle and the Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) in Kent.

The JHS vision is Opening doors to healthier, happier lives, and the mission is to assess and stabilize serious health problems for the detained population of the King County Correctional Facility and the Maleng Regional Justice Center with a focus on transition from jail.

Staffed 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year, JHS provides a broad range of health care to all individuals booked into the jails.

For patients with serious mental health or medical conditions, special housing units (psychiatric and infirmary) along with a higher level of services and medical monitoring are provided.

Since the patient population varies both in numbers as well as in acuity of health conditions, staffing is adapted and flexed to meet the constantly changing needs of the population.

JHS staff manage the complex health needs of underserved populations, many of whom come to the facility without access to care in the community and with decompensated acute and chronic health conditions.

Commitment To Equity and Social Justice

Named after Dr.

Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world.

It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.

The county government has a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities.

With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from all communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.

We recognize that structural racism consists of principles and practices that cause and justify an inequitable distribution of rights, opportunities, and experiences across racial groups.

Since declaring Racism is a Public Health Crisis in June 2020, King County and Public Health committed to being intentionally anti-racist and accountable to Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.

To learn more, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice.aspx

Requirements

The Court Services Social Worker plays a critical role within the King County Regional Mental Health Court (KC-RMHC) team, providing advanced clinical services to individuals involved in the criminal legal system who are experiencing serious mental health and co-occurring disorders. This position requires strong clinical skills, excellent judgment, and the ability to collaborate across systems to ensure person-centered, trauma-informed care.

Key duties include:

• Conduct comprehensive, culturally responsive clinical assessments for individuals referred to King County Regional Mental Health Court (KC-RMHC), incorporating DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, trauma history, co-occurring disorders, and systemic barriers to care.
• Engage with individuals experiencing serious and persistent mental illness, high acuity behavioral health conditions, and complex psychosocial needs, using advanced clinical judgment to determine eligibility for mental health and veterans therapeutic court programs.
• Develop individualized, trauma-informed treatment and release plans that integrate behavioral health, housing, medical care, legal requirements, and other social supports.
• Coordinate services for in-custody participants by working closely with medical, psychiatric, nursing, and pharmacy teams at the King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) and Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC), as well as with Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD) and Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) staff.
• Serve as a clinical liaison to the court, providing testimony and clinical insight into participants’ behavioral health needs, treatment options, and community conditions that support stabilization and long-term recovery.
• Collaborate with public defenders, prosecutors, judges, probation, and community providers to align treatment plans with court conditions and ensure equitable, clinically appropriate outcomes.
• Maintain strong working relationships with community mental health, substance use disorder, housing, and reentry providers to ensure timely referrals and seamless transitions from custody to community-based care.
• Uphold King County’s Equity and Social Justice (ESJ) principles in all aspects of clinical practice and program participation, demonstrating awareness of the impacts of systemic inequities on marginalized communities.
• Participate in interdisciplinary team staffing, clinical case consultation, and continuous quality improvement processes that support client outcomes, workforce development, and data-informed practices.
• Maintain timely and thorough clinical documentation, including assessments, treatment plans, progress updates, and court status reports in the electronic health record system.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required:

• Master’s degree in social work, psychology, or counseling from an accredited institution.
• Active Washington State associate-level licensure (LICSW/LICSWA, LMHC/LMHCA, LMFT/LMFTA, or equivalent).
• Three (3) years of full-time clinical experience within the past five years providing services to adults with serious and persistent mental illness, co-occurring substance use disorders, and complex psychosocial needs.
• One (1) year of experience conducting clinical assessments and developing individualized treatment plans in a behavioral health, criminal legal, or forensic setting.
• Experience coordinating care across behavioral health, medical, housing, and social service systems—ideally for Medicaid-eligible adults.
• Demonstrated knowledge of behavioral health and legal system resources in King, Snohomish, or Pierce County, or the ability to quickly develop this knowledge.
• Advanced knowledge of trauma-informed, person-centered, harm reduction, and recovery-oriented practices, including crisis intervention and suicide risk assessment
• Strong clinical writing skills with the ability to clearly document assessments, service plans, and updates for legal and multidisciplinary audiences. Proficiency in using Microsoft Office tools (Outlook, Word, Teams) and electronic health record systems.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to collaborate with clinical, legal, and community partners across diverse systems.
• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and adapt in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary environment.
• Must pass a background check and jail security clearance to access secure facilities.
• Ability to obtain Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR certification for healthcare providers by start date.
• Ability to travel in a timely manner between various work locations across King County, including the King County Courthouse, KCCF (Seattle), and MRJC (Kent).

Desired:

• Social Work or Mental Health licensure (LICSW, LASW, LMHC, or recognized equivalent).
• Proficiency in a language other than English.
• Substance Use Professional certification.
• Specialized specific experience providing social work services for individuals involved with the criminal justice system who have severe and persistent mental health and substance use issues.

Additional Information

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce.

To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity.

Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards.

We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy:

• NEOGOV Job Application (The responses on your job application should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
• Supplemental Questions (The responses to the supplemental questions should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
• Cover Letter: (No more than one page) describing your interest in the role and your most relevant qualifications.

Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application.

Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.

Necessary Special Requirements

• The selection process may include evaluation of application materials and supplemental questions, interviewing, and testing. You must completely fill out the application with your relevant education and work experience.
• The selected candidate must be able to provide proof of Basic Life Support (BLS) / CPR (if applicable).
• The selected candidate must be able to pass a thorough background investigation, but findings may not necessarily disqualify an applicant for employment.
• Pre-employment Physical
• For more information on our selection process, please refer to www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/jobs/hiring. For tips on interviewing, please visit https://www.kingcounty.gov/~/media/audience/employees/learning-and-development/Interview_Tips.ashx?la=en.
• Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
• Public Health relies on office automation (Microsoft Office) and web-based enabled tools, therefore candidates must be proficient and comfortable with computer use to perform functions associated with on-going work.
• Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing their mandatory trainings on time and obtaining required immunizations.
• Regular and reliable attendance, effective communication skills, and development of effective working relationships are requirements of all Public Health positions.

When Public Health responds to an emergency, and in accordance with relevant CBA language and/or KC policy and procedures, we may assign duties outside your regular job description.

This may involve responding at any time, including nights and weekends, with possible deployment to locations other than the department.

• If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact your recruiter listed on this job announcement.

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

Public Health - Jail Health Services follows and maintains federal and state requirements standards including, but not limited to, Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) standards which apply to all public and private institutions that house adult or juvenile offenders. PREA standards preclude the department from hiring or promoting anyone who has engaged in, or been convicted of any conduct which would violate PREA standards related to sexual assault including:

• Sexual abuse in a prison, jail, lockup, community confinement facility, juvenile facility, or other institution.
• Convicted of engaging or attempting to engage in sexual activity in the community facilitated by force, overt or implied threats of force, or coercion, or if the victim did not consent or was unable to consent or refuse; or,
• Has been civilly or administratively adjudicated to have engaged in the activity described above.

Additionally, PREA standards require that the department consider any incidents of sexual harassment involving an inmate or detainee in determining whether or not to hire or promote anyone.

The above is in compliance with PREA and its implementing regulations, 28 C.F.R. Part 115, Subpart A, Section 115.17, Hiring and Promotion Decisions.

Work Schedule

Typical work schedule for these positions is Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Alternate work schedules will be considered based on staffing levels and business needs. This position is non-exempt and eligible for overtime.

Work Location

The primary work locations for this position are the King County Courthouse (516 3rd Ave, Seattle, WA 98104), the King County Correctional Facility (500 Fifth Ave, Seattle, WA 98104), and the Maleng Regional Justice Center (401 4th Ave N, Kent, WA 98032).

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Union Membership

This position is represented by PROTEC 17 Labor Union.

Contact

For questions about this recruitment, please contact Sarah Dunkinson (sdunkinson@kingcounty.gov).