Behavioral Support Officer

Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs•Tecumseh, OK

11d•$19 - $22•Onsite

About The Position

The Office of Juvenile Affairs is hiring a direct-care employee at Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center in Tecumseh, Oklahoma, to provide care, custody, supervision, security, transportation, and role modeling for adjudicated youth. The role includes paraprofessional guidance and counseling, monitoring resident behavior, documenting activities and behaviors, and using approved interventions to manage aggressive behavior. The agency describes its approach as Hope-centered, emphasizing residents’ strengths, resilience, and future-oriented thinking. Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center operates 24 hours a day. Employees must be willing to work any shift as needed, and overtime may be required to maintain facility coverage. The position also requires job-related travel and availability to be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A 12-month trial period applies. The position is designated safety sensitive.

Requirements

Direct-care staff must be at least 21 years of age.
RCS I: High school diploma or equivalent.
RCS II: Meet RCS I requirements and complete 30 semester hours at an accredited college or university, or have one year of security experience.
Be willing to work any shift as needed; the facility’s listed shifts are 6:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m., and 10:00 p.m.–6:00 a.m.
Be willing to work overtime if necessary to maintain facility coverage.
Be willing and able to perform job-related travel and be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Have a valid Oklahoma driver’s license at the time of appointment.
Pass a background check, fingerprinting, and drug screening; applicants testing positive for marijuana will not be hired, including those with a valid medical marijuana license.
Demonstrate knowledge of security methods; basic human physical and psychological needs; first aid; crisis intervention; health and safety precautions; behavioral problems of delinquent residents; household management; environments and events affecting youth in custody; and applicable state statutes and agency policies.
Be able to interact with juveniles; build effective working relationships; follow written and oral instructions; gather facts and communicate them in reports; interact positively with residents of varied racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds; respond appropriately to emergencies; physically handle escapees and violent or unruly residents; and exercise good judgment.

Nice To Haves

Previous security experience working with juveniles in a residential care and treatment facility.

Responsibilities

Provide security and supervision to adjudicated residents in a variety of situations and activities.
Perform routine care, custody, education, and treatment duties; observe, record, and report residents’ health symptoms, behavior, and activities.
Manage aggressive and non-aggressive behavior through approved verbal and physical intervention techniques, and respond to assaults, riots, and other emergencies.
Conduct resident counts, enforce institutional rules, and monitor resident and staff activities using surveillance monitors.
Provide paraprofessional counseling and instruction; direct residents’ daily activities, maintain order, support personal goals, participate in treatment-team reviews, and lead resident groups.
Inspect living areas and work locations for health and safety; search for unauthorized objects and contraband; maintain security at an assigned post; and control resident movement.
Maintain order during programs, meals, and recreation using empathic verbal communication.
Patrol facility grounds, living quarters, and work areas; monitor resident activity; and control access to buildings and grounds.
Check the physical security of doors, windows, and lighting.
Complete incident and behavior reports, maintain a daily activity log, communicate over a hand-held radio, and contact emergency responders by telephone during crises.
Safely transport youth in OJA custody to and from placements, detention centers, court hearings, and other appointments, including medical, dental, and mental health evaluations.
Handle GPS monitoring, tracking, inventory, and documentation in assigned areas.
Perform other high-risk transportation duties as assigned through the Performance Management Process.
Assist other OJA employees and perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

$5,000 sign-on bonus available, subject to eligibility criteria.
$6,000 continuous service bonus available, subject to eligibility criteria.
Shift differential of an additional $2.50 per hour for second- or third-shift hours worked Monday through Friday, or any shift worked Saturday or Sunday; subject to eligibility criteria.
Generous state-paid benefit allowance to help cover insurance premiums.
Choice of insurance plans with no pre-existing condition exclusions or limitations.
Flexible spending accounts for health care and/or dependent care expenses.
Retirement Savings Plan with a generous match.
15 days of vacation and 15 days of sick leave in the first year for full-time employees.
11 paid holidays per year.
Student loan repayment options.
Employee discounts with a variety of companies and vendors.
Longevity bonus for years of service.