Behavioral Support Officer

Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs•Tecumseh, OK

10d•Onsite

About The Position

The Behavioral Support Officer provides direct care, custody, supervision, and security for adjudicated youth at the Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center in Tecumseh, Oklahoma. The role includes transportation, role modeling, paraprofessional guidance and counseling, interventions to control aggressive behavior, and documentation and monitoring of residents’ behavior and activities. The Office of Juvenile Affairs is described as a Hope-centered agency focused on recognizing strengths, promoting resilience, and fostering a future-oriented mindset for staff and residents. The facility operates 24 hours a day. The position is subject to shift work, and employees must be willing to work any shift needed to provide coverage. Overtime may be required to maintain facility operations. The role may require job-related travel and being on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A 12-month trial period applies. The position is safety sensitive and requires passing background, fingerprint, and drug screenings. Applicants who test positive for marijuana will not be hired, including those with a valid medical marijuana license.

Requirements

For Resident Care Specialist I: at least 21 years of age and a high school diploma or equivalent.
For Resident Care Specialist II: meet Level I requirements and have either 30 semester hours from an accredited college or university or one year of security experience.
Be willing to work any shift as needed at a 24-hour facility; overtime may be required.
Be willing and able to perform job-related travel and to be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Possess a valid Oklahoma driver’s license at the time of appointment.
Pass a background check, fingerprinting, and drug screening.
Be able to interact with juveniles and establish and maintain effective working relationships.
Follow written and oral instructions and gather facts and communicate them effectively in reports.
Interact positively with residents of varied racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.
Remain alert and respond quickly and appropriately in emergencies.
Physically and appropriately handle escapees and violent or unruly juvenile residents, and use sound judgment when evaluating situations and making decisions.
Knowledge of security methods, basic human physical and psychological needs, basic first aid, crisis intervention, health and safety precautions, behavioral problems commonly found among delinquent residents, household management practices, environments and events affecting youth in custody, and applicable state statutes and agency policies.
Applicants who test positive for marijuana will not be hired, even if they possess a valid medical marijuana license.

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 varied 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 using prescribed and approved verbal and physical intervention techniques, and respond to assaults, riots, and other emergencies.
Conduct resident counts, enforce institutional rules and regulations, and monitor resident and staff activities on surveillance screens.
Provide paraprofessional counseling and instruction by directing residents’ daily activities, maintaining order, offering support, and helping residents develop and achieve personal goals.
Serve on treatment teams to review residents’ progress, treatment plans, and educational plans; lead groups and assess residents’ adjustment and functioning.
Inspect living areas and work locations for health and safety compliance, search for unauthorized objects and contraband, and maintain security at assigned posts or areas.
Control resident movement to and from living quarters, activities, and off-campus appointments; maintain order during programs, meals, and recreation using empathic verbal communication.
Patrol facility grounds, living quarters, and work areas; monitor resident activity and movement; check authorized persons in and out and deny access to unauthorized persons.
Check facility physical security, including doors, windows, and lighting.
Prepare written or typed reports about incidents and resident behavior, 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, juvenile detention centers, court hearings, and medical, dental, mental health, and other appointments.
Perform GPS monitoring, tracking, inventory, and documentation in assigned areas, as well as other assigned high-risk transportation duties.
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 $2.50 per hour for second- or third-shift hours worked Monday through Friday, and for any shift worked on 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.