Wellness Program Community Connector

Who We Are

The DCC

The mission of Denver County Court is to administer justice fairly, efficiently and effectively; provide excellent customer service, and foster a positive environment where employees enjoy their work. The City and County of Denver’s third branch of government is comprised of 19 judges, 3 full-time magistrates, and 300 staff members. Case types include state, civil, small claims, traffic, criminal, and other general sessions cases within the City and County of Denver. The Denver County Court proudly serves the community and continually seeks ways to incorporate procedural fairness and evidence-based practices.

The Division

The Wellness Community Connector positions are located in the Van Cise-Simonet Downtown Detention Center (DDC), 490 W Colfax Ave Denver, CO 80204. May include non-traditional hours. The Wellness Program team is comprised of two Community Connectors, on Program Coordinator and one Administrative Supervisor. The Wellness Program will serve approximately 800 individuals throughout the year.

Wellness Community Connectors are accessible by individuals who are charged with eligible municipal level cases in Denver County and have behavioral health needs. Wellness Community Connectors are available for direct connection in the Courtroom, upon release from the Downtown Detention Center, and able to meet with individuals in the community. The goal of the Wellness Community Connectors is to work with individuals to determine what is helpful to them to be successful and provide a pathway and connection in the community to meet their goals.

What We Offer  

The City and County of Denver offers a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience. The hourly range for this position is $22.76 - $34.14. We also offer generous benefits for full-time employees which include but is not limited to: 

• A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service 
• 457B Retirement Plan 
• 132 hours of PTO earned within first year
• 11 Paid Holidays per year, plus 1 personal holiday, and 8 hours of Denver Good Deeds volunteer time
• Education Refund Program (ERP) - a chance for the city to support your continued learning and career growth by investing in your future with the city
• Care Bank – 8 weeks of Paid Family Leave (after the probation period is passed)
• Free RTD Eco Pass
• Competitive medical, dental and vision plans effective within 1 month of start date 

Location

In this position you can expect to work on site at the Van Cise-Simonet Downtown Detention Center (DDC) located at 490 W Colfax Ave Denver, CO 80204.

The Job

This is a limited position through December 31, 2024 with a high likelihood to continue on. This position qualifies for all City and County Benefits.

Denver County Court Wellness Program is seeking a community Connector to join the team at the Probation Division.

The Wellness Program provides an opportunity to connect individuals with municipal level cases and behavioral health needs to meaningful community resources and services to increase the likelihood of success in the community. Through close collaboration with stakeholders at the jail and Denver County Court, the Wellness Community Connectors will assist eligible individuals by using motivational interviewing skills to help determine their needs, develop goals they would like to work on to address those needs, and make connections to resources and services in the community. Individuals who are voluntarily diverted through the Wellness Program have an opportunity for positive case resolution in the form of dismissal. The program serves and operates on a harm-reduction model, meeting individuals where they are, providing empowerment through choice, and a more trauma-informed perspective by supporting the goal of not returning to the courthouse or jail.

What You’ll Do 

A Wellness Community Connector engages individuals with municipal level cases and behavioral health needs to connect them to resources and services in the community that will help them be successful in their daily lives.

As a Wellness Community Connector, you can expect to:

• Engage eligible individuals at the Downtown Detention Center (DDC) by meeting with them in the lobby after being released, and/or meeting them in the community
• Conduct initial risk/needs assessment to determine what a client’s risk factors are, and what needs they may have, such as behavioral health, education, employment, substance use, etc.
• Use motivational interviewing skills to engage with the client and help determine what goals they would like to focus on
• Work with clients to develop an individual program plan, including formulating goals with associated timelines, and identifying community agencies, resources, and services available.
• Make referrals to the appropriate community service provider or agency to meet the client’s social, behavioral, medical, and/or psychological needs
• Facilitate access to services with knowledge of eligibility and program requirements to ensure expedited and continued services and resources for the client to succeed. Use problem-solving skills with the client to resolve any barriers to receiving and/or participating in services or programs in the community
• Monitor and track client’s participation in services/programs to see if they’ve completed their self-identified goals. Maintain regular contact with community agencies/resources as needed to discuss progress, problems, and solutions
• Build professional relationships and networks with outside community resources and service providers
• Maintain communication with the Court on client’s progress towards achieving their goals. Notify the Court when the individual completes their goals, if the person needs additional time, or if there has been no contact with the client
• Monitor and record data on client contacts/participation, connections made, resources used, and outcomes for program evaluation

This position will partner closely with the Pretrial Services Office in the Pretrial Services Program.

About You

What You'll Bring

Our ideal candidate will have:

• Familiarity with commonly used risk/need assessment tools, and skill in interviewing techniques
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including knowledge of open-ended questions, active listening, feedback, empathetic listening, and emotional validation
• Working knowledge of standard office technology: Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Excel
• Ability to problem solve and multi-task in a high-paced work environment
• Experience working with individuals who have criminal justice system involvement and behavioral health needs
• Knowledge of community resources, programs, and services available to assist individuals with behavioral health needs
• Ability to work effectively on a team and with multi-disciplinary stakeholders and service providers.
• Knowledge of theories and practices of counseling and case management such as Stages of Change and Motivational Interviewing

Required Minimum Qualifications

We realize your time is valuable so please do not apply if you do not have at least the following required minimum qualifications:

• Education requirement: Graduation from high school or the possession of a GED, HiSET or TASC Certificate.
• Experience Requirement:  Four (4) years of experience performing intake including assessing and identifying client strengths and needs and providing referrals for assistance.
• Education/Experience Equivalency: Additional appropriate education may be substituted for the minimum experience requirement.

To be considered for this position, please include the following on your job application (upload the attachment(s) to the Resume/CV section on the My Experience tab):

• Resume - required
• Cover Letter highlighting how your experience will assist helping people who have criminal justice system involvement and behavioral health needs. - Highly preferred

Application Deadline

This position is expected to stay open until day June 11, 2024. Please submit your application as soon as possible and no later than June 11, 2024 at 11:59PM to ensure consideration. 

About Everything Else

Job Profile

CA2668 Outreach Case Coordinator

To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click here.

Position Type

Limited (Fixed Term)

Position Salary Range

$22.76 - $34.14

Starting Pay

Based on education and experience

Agency

Denver County Court

The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law. 

It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please contact Jobs@Denvergov.org with three business days’ notice.