Detention Counselor - Juvenile Probation - Juvenile Post Adjudication

Denton County•Denton, TX

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Counselor performs counseling services to residents in the Department’s juvenile justice facilities. This position provides counseling services to juveniles to help with behavioral health needs which includes mental health, substance abuse, behavior management, and emotional regulation. This position provides crisis counseling and suicide risk assessments for juveniles that are currently detained in the Pre- and Post-Adjudicated facilities. This position works with others in the department and in the community to meet the behavioral health needs of juveniles. Employee is subject to the usual potential hazards of contact with detained juveniles in a secure facility.

Requirements

Master's degree in related field required and a minimum of one year of experience in a related field (counseling, social work, substance abuse, etc.); or an equivalent combination of education and related experience required.
Licensed through the state of Texas as a: Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor, Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist-Supervisor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist-Associate, Licensed Master Social Worker (working towards LCSW- under active supervision), or a Licensed Clinical Social Worker is required.
Per Chapter 344 of the TAC or any successor statute, the minimum qualifications of the Juvenile Supervision Officer are that the candidate: be at least 21 years of age; have no disqualifying criminal history as described in the TAC; never have had any type of certification revoked by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department; complete the training required by the TAC; and pass the certification exam as required by §344.700 of the TAC or any successor statute.
Certification as a Juvenile Supervision Officer by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department within six (6) months of initial employment is required.
Possession of a valid driver’s license.
Must be able to obtain a State of Texas driver’s license within 90 days.
Requires the ability to work more than 40 hours during the workweek when necessary.

Nice To Haves

Additional license as a Chemical Dependence Counselor preferred.
Certification as a Juvenile Supervision Officer, upon hire, preferred.
Bilingual preferred, but not required.

Responsibilities

Provides individual and group counseling services to juvenile offenders.
Provides crisis counseling and on-call counseling services to juvenile offenders.
Provides suicide risk assessments, risk and needs assessments, and substance abuse assessments when needed.
Conducts training for juvenile facility staff on topics relating to mental health, suicide prevention, substance abuse, and juvenile offender traits and behaviors.
Coordinates counseling sessions to maximize time available for conducting required counseling sessions.
Interacts with other professionals to discuss treatment, new resources or techniques, behavioral health needs, and to share pertinent information.
Communicates with guardians to provide updates about the youth.
Documents counseling sessions and completed assessments in the prescribed manner to meet standards established by the Juvenile Probation department and the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.
Utilizes computerized data entry equipment and various word processing and/or file maintenance programs to enter, store, and/or retrieve case file information.
Develops curriculum for training and counseling purposes.
Regular and punctual attendance is required.
Performs other related duties as required.