Director of Neighborhood Wellness Court

Company Description

A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact.

As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment, comprehensive health care and benefits, and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.

What we offer

• Impact - The work you do here matters to millions. 
• Growth - Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it? 
• Diversity & Inclusion - Find a career in a place where everyone belongs.
• Benefits - We care about your well-being.

Agency Description

The Office of Public Safety (OPS) was launched in 2024 to make communities safer, improve public perceptions of safety, and help communities heal from the traumas of violence. In pursuit of those goals, OPS coordinates multi-disciplinary public safety efforts across City government and with community and institutional stakeholders. Currently, OPS has over 100 staff and is home to five (5) individual offices: Office of Criminal Justice, Office of Safe Neighborhoods, Office of Reentry Partnerships, Office of Victim Advocate, Overdose Response Unit, and Town Watch Integrated Services.

The Office of Safe Neighborhoods (OSN) implements strategies and initiatives to prevent, reduce, and end violence in Philadelphia. OSN is particularly focused on addressing gun violence.

The Office of Criminal Justice (OCJ) advances the Parker’s Administration’s goals of public safety and community well-being through collaborative and data-driven initiatives in Philadelphia’s criminal and juvenile justice systems.

Town Watch Integrated Services (TWIS) is a volunteer focused safety effort. Residents of the community who wish to volunteer for their community will receive assistance from Town Watch Integrated Services.

The Office of Reentry Partnerships (ORP) was formed in August 2019 to elevate and organize citywide reentry efforts and support the Parker Administration’s goal for criminal justice reform, violence prevention, and community reinvestment.

The Overdose Response Unit (ORU) is committed to saving lives and rejuvenating communities that have been most affected by the opioid crisis. This unit works across City departments and within city neighborhoods to lead the citywide opioid response strategies, target interventions where opioid overdoses happen most, and align City resources and share expertise across departments.

The Office of the Victim Advocate (OVA) was opened in February 2022 to provide coordination, strategic planning, and service provision for the oversight for victims, co-victims, and survivors of crime, with a special emphasis on gun violence and homicide.

Job Description

The Wellness Court Program Director will be responsible for the successful implementation of the Neighborhood Wellness Court, a problem-solving, police-led, court-based program designed to increase access to treatment opportunities for individuals with substance abuse disorders. This position will be responsible for working with system partners in overseeing the daily operations of this initiative.  This includes a comprehensive analysis and recommendation for expansion from pilot to sustainable program. This also includes supervising Wellness Court staff, identifying best practices in the field and training opportunities for staff, and city agency partners, utilizing data collection and analysis to improve program design to increase positive outcomes for program participants, and coordinating high-level partnerships to deliver quality services. The mission of the Neighborhood Wellness Court is to address open air drug use by offering to individuals, who commit a summary offense associated with public drug use, the opportunity for same-day physical and behavioral health assessment, basic medical care and withdrawal management, a judicial hearing, diversion from deeper justice system involvement and treatment placement.                

 NWC Overview 

 The Neighborhood Wellness Court (NWC) is an innovation in the community courts model and serves people arrested for public drug use. In its pilot phase, initial NWC focus is in the Kensington area of Philadelphia. A post-arrest, rapid diversion program, individuals arrested for eligible offenses are transported immediately to the OPS Kensington Wellness Support Center, located at 265 E Lehigh Avenue, where they are pre-screened for ability to attend court that day and where related medical and behavioral supports are readily available. If eligible, an individual is then brought to the Neighborhood Wellness Court located at 3901 Whitaker Avenue, Philadelphia, PA.

The pilot operates once a week (although this position would be responsible for overseeing expansion) and is a partnership between The Office of Public Safety (OPS), the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD), the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS), Community Behavioral Health (CBH), the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, the Defenders Association, Merakey, and Penn Addiction Medicine. 

 NWC Goals and Objectives 

• The NWC prioritizes health and well-being by addressing the health needs of prospective participants before arrest processing or any judicial process. 
• The NWC aims to creatively fill gaps in the current diversion continuum for people arrested for drug use in Philadelphia by having them see a medical professional who specializes in substance use disorder (SUD) first and increasing access to SUD treatment options. 
• Participants benefit from ongoing communication, support, and involvement made possible by judicial supervision and linkage to ongoing behavioral health services.  
• The NWC minimizes the use of vital City resources by streamlining the diversion process. 
• By combining a focus on health and well-being of participants with a light-touch innovative court model designed to address the substance use crisis in the city, NWC also helps to address the safety, well-being and overall needs of the greater community.  

Essential Functions

• Overseeing daily operations and managing resources and personnel.
• Facilitating the flow of cases through the triage process and into the court system, ensuring timely processing.
• Developing a system for maintaining records, managing filings.
• Working with City of Philadelphia Municipal Criminal Court administration and other program partners to triage any issues and refine protocols and procedures.
• Coordinate across program partners, including the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, Police Department, the First Judicial District, and other external partners, to ensure high-quality program delivery; identify services gaps and foster partnerships and referral networks to support program participants.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to reduce systemic barriers to program participation and success, including local, state, and federal entities.
• Oversee Wellness Court staff and staffing structure including managing recruitment and retention activities, identifying training and capacity building opportunities, and monitoring staff capacity.
• Develop policies, processes, and procedures that streamline program operations; evaluate processes and procedures regularly for process improvement and safety standards.
• Lead data collection and quality improvement measures, conduct output and outcome evaluations, and communicate program results in a timely manner.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of program design and operations elements, staff management, performance measures, process improvement, and resource planning.
• Skills in synthesizing information, clear communication, and navigating high-level stakeholder engagement.
• Knowledge of the local criminal justice system, including criminal charges, warrants, courts proceedings, probation and parole, legal services, and diversionary programs.
• Familiarity with local, state and federal government.
• Strong reading, writing, and analytical skills.
• Excellent attention to detail.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent professional experience required. Juris Doctorate and criminal litigation experience preferred
• Prior success implementing and scaling programs across multiple partners and entities.
• Experience leading teams of direct service staff with diverse professional and personal backgrounds.
• Experience working with individuals residing in the City of Philadelphia with substance abuse disorder and/or complex mental and behavioral health needs.
• 10+ years of experience working in project or program management, operations, criminal justice and/or behavioral health preferred.
• Bi-lingual Spanish preferred but not required.

Additional Information

TO APPLY: Interested candidates must submit a cover letter, resume, and references.

Discover the Perks of Being a City of Philadelphia Employee:

• Transportation: City employees get unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program. Employees can ride on SEPTA buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail for their daily commute and more.
• Parental Benefits: The City offers its employees 8 weeks of paid parental leave.
• We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available
• Pay off your student loans faster - As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Join the ranks of hundreds of employees who have already benefited from this program and achieved student loan forgiveness.
• Unlock Tuition Discounts and Scholarships - The City of Philadelphia has forged partnerships with over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities in the area, ensuring that our employees have access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships. Experience savings of 10% to 40% on your educational expenses, extending not only to City employees but in some cases, spouse and dependents too!

Join the City of Philadelphia team today and seize these incredible benefits designed to enhance your financial well-being and personal growth!

*The successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire

Effective May 22, 2023, vaccinations are no longer required for new employees that work in non-medical, non-emergency or patient facing positions with the City of Philadelphia. As a result, only employees in positions providing services that  are patient-facing medical care (ex: Nurses, doctors, emergency medical personnel), must be fully vaccinated.

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to faqpchr@phila.gov.

For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx