Behavioral Health Specialist, Social Work/Counselor II - Platte Valley Youth Services Center

State of Colorado•Greeley, CO

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Division of Youth Services (DYS) provides a continuum of residential and non-residential services that encompass juvenile detention, commitment, and parole. DYS is the agency statutorily mandated to provide for the care and supervision of youth committed by the District Court to the custody of the Colorado Department of Human Services. The Division operates fifteen secure facilities that serve youth between the ages of 10 and 21, who are pre-adjudicated, sentenced, or committed. The Division also contracts with numerous private residential and non-residential service providers throughout the State. For pre-adjudicated youth, the Division is also responsible for the management and oversight of Colorado Youth Detention Continuum, a State-funded, locally administered program that provides services to youth at risk of further progressing into the juvenile justice system. In addition to residential programming, the Division administers juvenile parole services throughout the State. This position exists to provide mental health/crisis management services for a caseload of DYS committed youth. DYS committed youth often have behavioral and/or psychiatric problems resulting from trauma-related issues such as neglect, abuse, or severe family problems. This position provides individual, group and family services to this population. This position uses Evidence Based Curricula in working with this population. It provides approved treatment services to youth who have engaged in delinquent behaviors, in a secure state operated treatment facility. This position provides treatment planning, individual, family and group counseling, ongoing assessment, case management, record keeping, and service coordination in conjunction with a Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) responsible for the overall treatment, supervision and transition of the youth. These youth often have behavioral and psychiatric issues resulting from trauma related exposure such as neglect, abuse or severe family problems. This position completes an integrated and comprehensive strength-based treatment plan and provides expertise in the area of mental health, co-occurring, special needs and family issues. This position utilizes the Colorado Juvenile Risk Assessment and other validated assessment tools to address criminogenic risk factors and what is driving underlying behavior by using a strength-based approach and a youth’s protective factors and resources. This position utilizes a case conceptualization model which gathers the facts about the youth, determines needs, identifies strengths and develops treatment plans. Training and consultation to staff in regard to treatment and milieu interventions specific to juveniles who have complex mental health needs is also a responsibility along with the development and implementation of transition plans in coordination with the multidisciplinary team of client manager, family, youth facility staff and community programs. This position takes a lead role on the clinical team in the unit, assists in conducting in service trainings and communicates youth’s needs to milieu staff. Behavioral Health Specialists will utilize Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral therapy, Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports and the Sanctuary model, in their work with youth and families.

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 Candidate (LPCC) Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist Candidate (LMFTC) Addiction Counselor Candidate (AC-C)
Full Background - Name check, TRAILS and Fingerprinting
Must be 21 years of age, with no felony convictions or history of domestic violence
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 Check, (MVR) required
Must possess a valid, non-restricted Colorado Driver’s License
Required to report without delay or interruption to provide essential or emergency services to ensure health, safety, and welfare.
Travel to assigned trainings and/or alternate work sites.
Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must: Disclose that information on the application. Explain why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify you from the current position. Provide your employee number from your prior State employment. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination and failure to provide this information will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.
Employment history is calculated on a full-time basis (40/hrs per week). Part-time employment is calculated on a prorated basis to determine qualifications.
You must specifically document your work experience and qualifications in the application form. Do not use "see resume" or "see attached."
You must meet the minimum qualifications to continue in the selection process.
Part-time work experience will be prorated.
Document your work experience/job duties to the extent to which you possess the skills, education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications.
If listed, answer all supplemental questions as your answers to these questions will be evaluated during this phase.
Provide at least 4-8 sentences for each supplemental question.
Answer the supplemental questions completely and thoughtfully. We will rate your answers based on the content of your response and your writing skills (spelling, grammar, and clarity of your writing).

Nice To Haves

Relevant years of state experience
CAC III or LAC to support coaching and oversight of Behavioral Health Specialists working towards CAC credentialing

Responsibilities

Utilizes and presents a case conceptualization model of youth on caseload upon entering the facility and discusses this with supervisor and presents to Department chairs for collaboration and decision making around appropriate services.
Thoroughly assesses youth’s treatment needs by reviewing the youth’s main and medical files and making initial and collateral contacts as appropriate.
Collaborates and coordinates treatment needs of youth with DYS client manager, and assessment services to match treatment with estimated length of stay and client need, within 30 days of admission.
Interviews the resident ensuring assessment data is reliable as possible, that the resident is engaged in a supportive and educative manner, that confidentiality is maximized, and that problematic symptoms and behaviors are thoroughly evaluated and handled in a sensitive and safe manner.
Contacts/engages parents/family members, significant others, guardians, and referring agents to interview and obtain relevant collateral and supportive data to enhance the understanding and dynamics of the youth’s situation.
Collaborates and coordinates with direct staff, education, client manager, youth, and other pertinent treatment team members in the development of a treatment service plan.
Provides oversight to the treatment plans and identify goals and measurable objectives, interventions and those responsible for providing them, frequency of interventions, and responsibility of the youth.
Treatment plan objectives include skills that youth is working on in addition to individual and group session objectives.
A multi-disciplinary integrated and comprehensive approach is applied to treatment planning, involving the youth, and family members as well as professionals utilizing best practice strength-based approach.
Utilizing a case conceptualization model gathers facts about the youth, determining needs, identifying protective factors and developing treatment needs and results are presented to supervisor and discussed with multi-disciplinary team.
Facilitates a review, making recommendations, and developing alternative interventions to be implemented by team staff and client for cases that represent a negative or no change response to treatment.
Treatment planning is cognizant of gender, cultural, religious or spiritual and sexual identity issues to affect behavior change and reduction of symptoms in the adolescent and family.
Guides transition planning and services to aid in successful youth reintegration into the community.
Collaborates with client manager and MDT in recommending transition and aftercare programming as appropriate.
Participates in the assessment of safety and intervention/and monitoring plans for suicidal youth, with the direct supervision of a licensed behavioral health specialist, only for youth on their caseload.
Maintains a caseload and conducts individual, group, and family psychotherapy sessions using evidence-based treatment theories and curriculum in complex mental health treatment for adolescents.
Conducts counseling in accordance with training and expertise gained through specific training and knowledge of Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) standards and ethics.
Conducts treatment needs include substance abuse, mental health issues, trauma histories, cognitive limitations, offense specific services for sexually abusive or violent youth.
Consults with supervisor about treatment issues, problems, expectation, and changes in behavior for residents and families.
Documents the youth’s response to specific interventions toward meeting the objectives and goals of treatment plan.
Treatment will incorporate and address the youth’s risk/needs and protective factors and how criminal conduct, sex offense specific, substance abuse and mental health issues are related.
Consults and collaborates with medical team and psychiatrist regarding psychotropic medication use in treatment.
Collaborates with client manager and assists in developing wrap-around transition and aftercare services for the youth nearing parole.
Collaborates with educational/vocational systems to ensure appropriate academic services are provided.
Discusses in supervision and identify any need for additional resources as necessary to ensure the best approach to treatment with the youth based on their developmental and neurocognitive ability.
Provides psychotherapy in a manner that is consistent with the youth’s ability, taking into account any necessary modification needed as a result of trauma, substance abuse, brain injury and mental health disorders.
Supports agency services of cognitive behavioral based interventions, social learning theory, and motivational interviewing.
Actively engages family/caregivers in the process of treatment with the youth and transition to the community.
Facilitates daily groups and multifamily groups as necessary.
Assesses progress, barriers to progress, collaborates with multidisciplinary team, communicates pertinent information to milieu staff and education, documents all case management and therapeutic services in TRAILS system.
Documents summary of progress in monthly treatment plans for youth on caseload.
Documents all assessments, sessions, court reports, transition plans, community passes and staffing sessions in a timely manner as indicated in policy to be within the next working shift.
Communicates effectively in verbal and written formats, that demonstrates progress youth has completed while in treatment.
Elaborates on risk, protective factors, progress and barriers to progress in a manner that is understandable to all audiences and partners, to include the youth, family, client management, education staff, parole boards, private providers, courts, etc.
All treatment services are conducted in accordance with DORA standards and agency policy in order to mitigate risk and improve overall health.
Treatment will be provided using a strength based approach and holistic manner and the use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Social Learning, and Motivational Interviewing techniques are completed with the youth.
Recommends to the mental health team best practices in evidence-based curriculum, issues with staff and/or facility and changes in programming based on the individual needs of the population (for example, gender specific).
Recommends to the team resources necessary to meet the needs of DYS youth based on severity of service needs and facility ADP.
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