Social Work Supervisor 1

You will supervise six Social Work Assistants who work across two divisions (Trial Services and Appellate Services) and across five different work sites.

• Our Trial Offices in Athens, Chillicothe, Lima, and Warren each have or will have a Social Work Assistant who collaborates as part of the defense team to help ensure holistic support throughout the legal process, deepen advocacy in plea and sentencing proceedings, and reduce the risk of recidivism (the Social Work Assistants assess client needs for community resources, make referrals, track client data, and also assist with identifying outpatient and intensive inpatient treatment for clients who would benefit from a more focused treatment program as part of their sentence).
• Our Youth Defense Department in Columbus has two Social Work Assistants who help implement reentry support and service coordination for youth in Ohio who are released from the Department of Youth Services (DYS) in order to reduce recidivism for youth who have felony adjudications.

You will provide both clinical supervision and position supervision. You will also work closely with leadership teams in the Trial Offices, with attorneys, and with managers to provide professional insight and help the Office implement best practices for collaborative criminal defense and advocacy. Individually, you will provide direct, basic social work assistance for clients represented by a small team of adult trial attorneys based in Columbus.

A successful candidate will have passion for building a team and assisting people who are facing the challenges of poverty. The preferred candidate will have professional or volunteer experience helping to pursue a fair justice system, experience partnering with supervisors across disciplines to develop processes and procedures, and strong communication and organization skills. The Social Work Supervisor 1 is a new full-time permanent position; you will be based in Columbus but will travel semi-regularly, including as part of training and building relationships with your direct reports who work in different locations across Ohio.

The duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide clinical supervision to Social Work Assistants:

• Review staff case notes, assessments, and referrals to ensure accuracy, thoroughness, and compliance with established guidelines.

• Provide case consultations and guidance to staff to enhance practices and improve client outcomes.

• Provide recommendations for streamlining and/or improvement of agency social work goals, practices, and services.

• Serve as supervisor:

• Prioritize and approve work schedules and itineraries.

• Assign, review, and approve work for content and accuracy.

• Approve bi-weekly time and requests for leave and travel expenses.

• Identify training needs and conduct or arrange for training opportunities.

• Coach and develop staff - set meaningful goals and provide support, complete timely performance evaluation.

• Hold team meetings.

• Provide social work services to clients involved in the criminal justice system in pre-trial and postconviction contexts:

• Perform basic assessments of clients' needs for medical, financial, housing assistance, and, if applicable, other community resources.

• Make necessary referrals or submit required paperwork for eligibility determination.

• Collect, prepare, maintain, and share data with legal teams.

• Maintain lists of clients and databases of local social services.

• Maintain working relationships and contacts with clients, families, providers, facilities, and court system.

• Other duties as assigned:

• Assist in preparing, delivering, and monitoring materials and testimony for use in defense proceedings.

• Assist in providing educational experiences for students.

• Attend trainings and seminars as required.

• Update knowledge of social work field and research resource availability.

• Contribute to special projects and work groups.

• Travel to provide in-person support. Recurring travel is estimated to be approximately 2-4 days per month. At initial onboarding, more travel may be required.

The Social Work Supervisor 1 Position is assigned to the State of Ohio's E-1, Pay Range 13, presented below in table format. Starting pay will be at Step 1 unless required by contract/legislation; candidates with exceptional qualifications may be considered for higher starting pay. Our steps give a standard path for earnings growth: you move to the next step after 6 months and annually thereafter. We typically have fiscal year Cost of Living Adjustments as well.

FY26 Pay Range 13

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Step 8

Hourly

$35.68

$37.62

$39.68

$41.82

$44.17

$46.55

$48.47

$50.75

Annual

$74,214 $78,250 $82,534 $86,986 $91,874 $96,824 $100,818

$105,560

The Office of the Ohio Public Defender complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact us at ... or ....

Requires current license as independent social worker (i.e., LISW) as issued by State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & Marriage & Family Therapist Board in accordance with ORC 4757.27; 12 mos. exp. providing clinical supervision. Pursuant to ORC 4757.41 (A)(5) any person engaging in social work or professional counseling as a civil service employee as defined in section 124.01 of the Revised Code who has at least two years of service as of July 10, 2014, is exempt from current licensure as independent social worker (i.e., LISW) requirement.

Job Skills: Mental Health; Social Services; Consultation; Collaboration; Attention to Detail; Networking; Customer Focus