JPO DETENTION COORDINATOR - 80061574

State of Florida • SAN ANTONIO, FL

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The Juvenile Probation Officer (JPO) Detention Coordinator serves as a liaison between Detention Services and Probation and Community Intervention to facilitate cooperation between branches to improve and maintain outcomes for youth transitioning into and out of secure detention by providing supervision, advocacy, collaboration, and coordination. The JPO Detention Coordinator will be stationed at their assigned detention center and work a non-traditional 40-hour week, making themselves available to interact with and assist youth, families, and detention center staff during evenings and weekends.

Requirements

• This position is required to maintain CPR and First Aid Certifications throughout employment.
• This position requires non-traditional hours, including weekend and evening hours when needed.
• Knowledge of case management practices.
• Knowledge of interviewing and counseling techniques.
• Ability to provide counseling and guidance to others.
• Ability to make recommendations concerning the processing, handling and disposition of delinquent youth.
• Ability to investigate and complete inquiries and reports.
• Ability to develop case plans.
• Ability to coordinate case assignments for multi-problem clients.
• Ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments.
• Ability to supervise, lead and motivate people.
• Ability to determine work priorities, assign work and ensure proper completion of work assignments.
• Ability to actively listen to others.
• Ability to understand, apply and explain applicable laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to establish and maintain an effective working relationship with co-workers, community/judicial partners, and act as a liaison to those entities in a capacity defined by the department.
• Ability to incorporate safe work practices with each task performed and actively participates in initiatives designed to promote a safe work environment.
• Ability to maintain a professional, safe and helpful work environment.
• Four years of experience working directly with adolescents in one or more of the following fields: criminal justice (e.g., law enforcement, courts, correction/rehabilitation facilities, or probation/parole), social services (e.g., child protective services, crisis intervention, foster care/group homes, adoption, or mental health/substance abuse treatment).
• Candidates must have at least one (1) or more years of experience working with delinquent youth and knowledge of the juvenile court system.
• A valid driver’s license is required.
• Be at least 19 years of age.
• Be a high school graduate or its equivalent as determined by the department.
• Not have been convicted of any felony or a misdemeanor involving perjury or false statement, or have received a dishonorable discharge from any of the Armed Forces of the United States. Any person, who after September 30, 1999, pleads guilty or nolo contendere to or is found guilty of any felony or a misdemeanor involving perjury or false statement is not eligible for employment, notwithstanding suspension of sentence or withholding of adjudication. Notwithstanding this subparagraph, any person who pled nolo contendere to a misdemeanor involving a false statement before October 1, 1999, and who has had such record of that plea sealed or expunged is not ineligible for employment for that reason.
• Abide by all provisions of s.985.644 (1), regarding fingerprinting and background investigations and other screening requirements for personnel.
• Execute and submit to the Department an affidavit-of-application form, adopted by the Department, attesting to his or her compliance with subparagraphs 1-4. The affidavit must be executed under oath and constitutes an official statement under s. 837.06. The affidavit must include conspicuous language that the intentional false execution of the affidavit constitutes a misdemeanor of the second degree. The Department shall retain the affidavit.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelors Degree from an Accredited College or University
• An associate degree from an accredited college or university and two years’ experience working directly with adolescents in one or more of the following fields: criminal justice (e.g., law enforcement, courts, correction/rehabilitation facilities, or probation/parole), social services (e.g., child protective services, crisis intervention, foster care/group homes, adoption, or mental health/substance abuse treatment), or education.

Responsibilities

• Remove and deactivate or confirm the deactivation of electronic monitoring (EM) equipment if a youth is on EM at the time of admission to the detention center.
• Obtain and review the screening instruments used by the Department and recommendations submitted to the court, including, but not limited to, the Detention Screening Risk Instrument (DRAI), Suicide Risk Screening Instrument (SRSI), and State Attorney Recommendation (SAR).
• Obtain and review collateral information, such as abuse and neglect history, educational records, mental health and substance abuse history, gang-related activity, and other pertinent information from other agencies involved with the youth and family.
• Initiate contact with the youth and family to explain court procedures and answer any questions. If a residential youth is placed in the detention center as a result of an unplanned interruption in residential services (e.g., a program closure), share appropriate information with the family.
• Use Motivational Interviewing to engage the youth and family to determine the youth’s social, developmental, educational, emotional, financial, and other needs.
• Ensure that each youth has a valid Authority for Evaluation and Treatment (AET); if the youth does not have a valid AET, work with the family to obtain the necessary signatures.
• Liaison with the local school transition specialist and the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (FDJJ) education liaison to ensure that the youth has been enrolled in the detention center’s school and that all appropriate education paperwork has been provided to the detention center.
• Formulate case management strategies based on assessments and other information gathered to address the specific needs of the youth and family.
• Communicate and distribute the outcome of court proceedings to all affected parties (i.e., youth, family, supervisor, detention staff, residential staff, providers, schools, victims, etc.).
• Coordinate and maintain each youth’s visitation list by reviewing and updating the Family Member Maintenance module in the Juvenile Justice Information System (JJIS), in partnership with the youth’s assigned JPO, for the duration of the youth’s stay in detention.
• Participate in at least one visitation session per week (including one weekend session per month) to answer any questions that parents/ guardians and youth may have, being present and available in the lobby area before and after visitation and on the secure floor during visitation.
• Review Electronic Commitment Packet (ECP) for all youth pending placement and ensure, along with the assigned JPO, that it is completed in a timely manner.
• Document all case management activities in JJIS, including, but not limited to, risk and needs assessments, contacts with the youth and family, collateral contacts, and other case management activities related to the youth and family for the duration of the youth’s stay in detention.
• Organize and maintain hardcopy or electronic records to ensure inclusion of all required case management documentation in the JJIS Case Notebook module and Document Upload module.
• Communicate with the JPO who will appear in court (or court liaison, if applicable) to ensure that all pertinent information about the youth and family is available during court hearings.
• Participate in weekly detention review meetings.
• Maintain contact with each youth for the duration of their stay in detention on behalf of the assigned JPO, including relaying information from the assigned JPO to the youth, if requested.
• Work to identify early lockout youth and work in coordination with detention center staff, the Department of Children and Families (DCF), the DJJ Crossover Champion, and the assigned JPO to handle potential lockout situations proactively in an expeditious manner.
• Assist the youth, family, and other parties (if applicable) with the planning and coordination of transportation for the youth and family upon the youth’s release from detention, as well as transportation for any court, school, after school programs/activities, and other community-based appointments scheduled while the youth is in detention.
• Assist the youth and family with locating and accessing community resources and services to address the youth and family’s needs, including, but not limited to, mental health and substance abuse providers, educational services, and employment assistance.
• Assist the youth and family with enrollment in school, after school program/activities, and pro-social weekend activities (e.g., educational, recreational, community service, etc.).
• Liaison with the local school transition specialist and the FDJJ education liaison to ensure that the youth has been enrolled in a local school and that all appropriate education paperwork has been provided to the school.
• Document all referrals for services in the JJIS Case Notebook module, regardless of youth’s legal status and the youth or parent’s/guardian’s acceptance or refusal of services.
• Coordinate with other JPO Detention Coordinators when youth in detention are administratively moved between detention centers.
• Install and activate EM equipment if a youth is placed on EM upon release from the detention center; create zones and schedules to accommodate the youth’s trip home, as well as all court, school, after school programs/activities, and other community-based appointments scheduled while the youth is in detention.
• Conduct post release follow-up calls with the parent/guardian, school, and referred community resources and services to verify that the youth’s release was successful and to determine if there are any follow up action items to be addressed by the assigned JPO.

Benefits

• The Department of Juvenile Justice salutes our heroes. We are honored to have the opportunity to support our nation’s veterans and their families. We value the service given to our country and support the hiring of service members and military spouses.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED