Request for Proposal (RFP)

The Utah County Public Defender Association is seeking to fill Attorney 1-Attorney 3 positions. The positions are open to members in good standing with the Utah State Bar Association, with 1-5 years of experience in the practice of criminal law. The positions are limited to practice in the Utah County Fourth District Court. The positions include handling large felony and misdemeanor caseloads through all stages of the district court proceedings, including pretrial, trial, sentencing, and probation violation hearings. The salary range is $58,000 – 78,000, based on experience, with benefits. For more information, please contact Debbie Hill, Assistant Director, Utah County Public Defender Association, at debbieh@utcpd.com or 801-852-1070. Posted Jan. 11, 2021.

The Utah County Public Defender Association is seeking to fill a Licensed Clinical Social Worker position. The position requires a Master’s Degree in social work, with one year of closely related experience, including work with the mentally ill and/or criminal justice populations. The position requires knowledge and training in mental health, intellectual disability, alcohol and drug abuse, and brain injury and their application to Utah law, corrections, and community treatment options.

The primary service provided by the Licensed Clinical Social Worker is to assist the attorneys in addressing the psychosocial and mental health needs of the clients involved in the legal system, and providing guidance in mitigation and treatment recommendations and planning. This involves screening for competency, mental health and substance abuse issues, referring to proper treatment agencies, and assisting in coordinating appropriate services as part of sentencing.

The following are specific functions to be performed by the Licensed Clinical Social Worker:

1. Assesses clients who appear to be incompetent to proceed. Also determines the basis of possible incompetency, i.e., intellectual disability, developmental delay, mental illness, substance-induced psychosis and then coordinates the appropriate subsequent actions for those clients deemed in need of further evaluation as per Utah Code 76-15-5.

2. Assesses and refers felony clients who have problems with mental health, intellectual disability, or substance abuse to the appropriate community resources or specialty courts, by taking into consideration issues such as legal standing, funding resources, past treatment history, as well as screens for additional applications of mental health law.

3. Serves as a liaison to attorneys, providing information from community agencies and guidelines for admission, availability of placements, and information relating to particular cases.

4. Coordinates the use of psychiatrists, psychologists, and other forensic mental health professionals who consult with the Utah County Public Defender Association.

5. Obtains all records of client’s psychological, psychiatric, mental health, substance abuse treatment, medical, and/or educational records. Also, reviews records and summarizes any such relevant information and makes recommendations to a written summary as needed.

6. Maintains an up to date standard of available sentencing alternatives and sentencing statutes.

The salary range is $62,000 – $70,000, based on experience, with benefits. For more information, please contact Debbie Hill, Assistant Director, Utah County Public Defender Association, at debbieh@utcpd.com or 801-852-1070. Posted Jan. 11, 2021.