Behavioral Health Specialist Assessment Court Liaison (Social Work/Counselor IV) - Denver

State of Colorado•Denver, CO

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Division of Youth Services (DYS) Assessment Unit provides comprehensive, multidisciplinary assessments for juveniles committed to the Department of Human Services. Services include administering and interpreting criminogenic risk, mental health, substance use, and sex offense–specific screening and assessment instruments to inform treatment recommendations and ensure efficient, effective service delivery. The unit also provides specialized sex offense services and treatment needs, as well as coordination with internal and external stakeholders. Principal functions include identification of criminogenic risk factors; evaluation of mental health functioning; determination of substance use treatment needs; assessment of individual strengths and responsivity factors; evaluation of sexual behavior concerns; and development of recommendations for placement type and individualized service plan goals. Additionally, the unit serves a court liaison function, facilitating communication with judicial partners, attorneys, and community agencies; preparing and presenting DYS Assessment and treatment services. Evaluation services are delivered through a multidisciplinary team decision-making process that incorporates family input and community support. All assessment services are empirically supported and aligned with best practice standards. The Behavioral Health Specialist Assessment Court Liaison serves as an on-site assessment subject matter expert within the regional Assessment team, providing supervision and oversight to assure quality of work product, consistency across regions, and effective communication/delivery of new practices. This position regularly completes assessments and works within a multidisciplinary team to offer empirically supported criminogenic, mental health, trauma, and substance abuse evaluation services to the youth and families that DYS serves. This position conducts individual and family structured clinical interviews, administers and interprets psychological assessment information, acts as a liaison with psychiatric professionals, completes substance abuse screening and assessments, and participates as a team member and clinical consultant with other assessment and regional personnel. Information gained through the assessment process is synthesized into a comprehensive and professional report and is completed within the timelines specified in Colorado Revised Statutes and internal implementing procedures. Additional aspects of this position include receipt and provision of training related to various criminogenic, mental health, neuropsychological, and substance abuse issues, and sex offense specific issues, coordination and support of sex offense services programming, referral and coordination of executive transfers to the Colorado Mental Health Institutes, ongoing communication with Client Managers and treatment providers regarding assessment, court representatives, attorneys, probation personnel, and treatment providers regarding assessment, treatment, transition, and court-related issues, treatment and transition issues, consultation for youth placed across the DYS continuum of care, and ensuring the safety and security of each youth, staff, and the community according to Colorado law. Providing high quality criminogenic, mental health, and substance abuse screening and evaluations across the continuum of care helps to ensure that the diverse and complex needs of committed juvenile offenders are being met in the most effective and cost efficient manner.

Requirements

Current, valid Colorado or State participating in the Social Work Licensure Compact licensure as a: Licensed Social Worker (LSW) OR Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) OR Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) OR Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC)
Two (2) years of experience with current, valid licensure from a state participating in the Social Work Licensure Compact based on the work assigned to the position.
Applicants for supervisory positions must have licensure that meets the legal requirements to perform supervisory responsibilities.
Be a minimum of 21 years of age, with no felony convictions or history of domestic violence
Full background check and reference check required
This position requires State of Colorado residency at the time of application (unless otherwise identified in the posting), and residency within the state throughout the duration of employment in this position.
Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) Check
Must possess a valid, non-restricted Colorado Driver’s License
Continued employment is contingent upon successful completion of the DYS Pre-service Training Academy, Field Training Program (FTO) and mandatory annual training in all subject areas.

Nice To Haves

Relatable experience as a current or previous State of Colorado employee.
Sex Offender Management Board (SOMB) certification

Responsibilities

Maintains consultation with Behavioral Health, Medical, and Educational Service members to ensure expertise in assessment and behavioral health services across DYS; provides expert, neutral testimony to the courts and responds to inquiries regarding DYS services, policies, reports, and population; and leads the development, implementation, oversight, and evaluation of sex offense–specific policies, programs, contracts, and practices in alignment with SOMB standards, evidence-based care, and DYS guidelines, including training, technical assistance, compliance monitoring, reporting, and participation in agency initiatives.
Ensures the oversight and application of appropriate, reliable and accurate assessment practices to ensure consistency across regions. Identifies system processes in any given situation and defines the issues related to the process from a division-wide perspective. Identifies areas of personal contributions and relationships to other Behavioral Health, Medical, and Educational Services disciplines and actively works to balance the needs of all discipline areas. Collaborates with other disciplines to create a shared vision for statewide SOMB Services and Behavioral Health services within DYS.
Conducts clinical interviews, criminogenic risk assessments, drug and alcohol screening and assessments, mental health evaluations, trauma assessment, and neuropsychological screenings on juvenile offenders who are committed to the Department of Human Services, Division of Youth Services.
Administers and interprets the Youth Assessment and Screening Inventory (YASI), Juvenile Automated Substance Abuse Evaluation (JASAE), and University of California Los Angeles Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – Reaction Index (UCLA PTSD-RI) to assess specified areas of functioning including, but not limited to: current and past delinquent behaviors, mental health presentation, criminogenic need areas, family issues, peer relationships, self-perceptions, use of free time, level of maturity, problem solving skills, breadth of decision-making, drug and alcohol involvement, personal goals, risk factors associated with neuropsychological deficits, and identified skills/competencies.
Conducts family interviews to ascertain individualized family strengths, needs, perspective, and expressed goals for treatment and DYS stay.
Reviews relevant collateral data, previous evaluation findings, legal documents, and any other information received at time of commitment, and incorporates the information into the finalized assessment report.
Contacts DYS Quality Assurance designee and/or courts to obtain any necessary legal interpretation or clarification and requests amendment to mittimi when warranted.
Completes all commitment paperwork, and calculates the security level designation.
Contacts collateral agencies to verify or request additional information on newly committed juveniles.
Reviews all information available in the judicial database to ensure accuracy of mittimi, additional/pending charges, sentencing requirements, court orders and/or restitution ordered, and notes any discovered discrepancies in the Assessment Report.
Outlines the assessment process to youth and families, including expectations, responding to questions, and requesting signed authorization for release of information and disclosure statements.
Communicates individualized assessment findings and treatment recommendations with interdisciplinary team members to arrive at collaborative decisions regarding Service Plan goals, optional placement types, and recommended treatment.
Participates in the initial DYS Multidisciplinary team meeting to discuss all relevant assessment findings in order to arrive at consensus related to prescribed placement type, service plan recommendations, and transition goals based upon individualized youth and family needs.
Incorporates all assessment findings into a comprehensive, individualized, and strengths-based written Assessment Report.
Enters all pertinent information into the Colorado Trails database and the Electronic Health Record (EHR).
Performs a quality review of all Assessment Reports prior to dissemination to ensure information contained in the report is accurate, conveys data necessary for Treatment Plan development, and represents correct grammar, spelling, and sentence structure.
Provides clinical oversight, expertise, quality assurance, and direction regarding evaluation findings of juveniles who have committed sexual offenses, committed to the Department of Human Services, Division of Youth Services.
Upholds the effectiveness, fit, and functionality of currently utilized services and provides recommendations for improving statewide SOMB Services practices and policies.
Participates in training topics related to Offense Specific Youth, including but not limited to, strengths-based evaluation and goal setting, effective report writing, identification of mental health and criminogenic need factors, psychological theories that apply, and motivational interviewing skills.
Participates as a representative for DYS SOMBServices at various mental health and juvenile justice conferences.
Maintains ongoing statewide correspondence with colleagues, service providers, and client managers to ensure reliable communication and continuity of services provided across the DYS continuum of care.
Maintains direct and ongoing communication with the Director of Assessment and SOMB services for DYS to review, uphold, and improve ongoing criminogenic practices.
Participates in Continuous Quality Improvement practices, as outlined by DYS Assessment Services protocol.
Communicates program/system strengths and limitations to the Program Manager.
Participates in program development activities and assigned committees designed to ensure continuous quality improvement and reinforcement of DYS SOMB Services initiatives.
Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus 401(k) and 457 plans
Medical and dental health plans
Employer supplemented Health Savings Account
Paid life insurance
Short- and long-term disability coverage
11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave
State of Colorado Employee BenefitHub Resource Center
Employee Wellness program
Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more
Remote work arrangements for eligible positions
Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.