In Home Counselor - Des Moines

Four Oaks Family & Children Services•Ottumwa, IA

About The Position

As the In-home Youth Counselor you will be assigned to cases in the counties of Des Moines and Lee County and provide services to JCS Youth either returning to the community from placement in residential treatment and the State Training School or about to be placed in the same. The position provides supervision for the youth in the home community while providing treatment services to youth and families. Specific duties include: Prepare and implement a client Situational Plan and a Family Support Plan with input from the youth, family, referral source, and placement agency. Demonstrate proficiency in use of various service techniques. Develop a relationship with the youth and family. Conduct numerous telephone and one-on-one contacts with the youth & family. Update parents and referring worker of client status. Provide mentoring to client and family. Hold client accountable to the rules of supervision (probation contract). Monitor client behavior and risk domains utilizing the Thinking Errors and Anger Controls models as well as deliberate efforts improving domains (making more protective). Interface with school and community contacts. Provide formal reports or testimony on youth status. Provide consistent, individualized reinforcement to youth behavior, using daily issues to teach and reinforce adaptive behaviors. Assist clients in developing insight into their behaviors so they learn to self-identify and self-correct. Understand impact of youth behaviors on their actions and the resulting consequences, and utilizes team feedback to increase effectiveness of interventions.

Requirements

A Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from an accredited college or university OR Bachelor’s Degree in related field plus two years of human service related experience is required.

Responsibilities

Prepare and implement a client Situational Plan and a Family Support Plan with input from the youth, family, referral source, and placement agency.
Demonstrate proficiency in use of various service techniques.
Develop a relationship with the youth and family.
Conduct numerous telephone and one-on-one contacts with the youth & family.
Update parents and referring worker of client status.
Provide mentoring to client and family.
Hold client accountable to the rules of supervision (probation contract).
Monitor client behavior and risk domains utilizing the Thinking Errors and Anger Controls models as well as deliberate efforts improving domains (making more protective).
Interface with school and community contacts.
Provide formal reports or testimony on youth status.
Provide consistent, individualized reinforcement to youth behavior, using daily issues to teach and reinforce adaptive behaviors.
Assist clients in developing insight into their behaviors so they learn to self-identify and self-correct.
Understand impact of youth behaviors on their actions and the resulting consequences, and utilizes team feedback to increase effectiveness of interventions.