Juvenile Detention Counselor 1, 2, 3- Augusta YDC - Augusta, GA (CCR)

Juvenile Justice, Department of • Augusta, GA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Under supervision, plans, manages, and evaluates social services programs. Administers and coordinates the services and program activities in dependency, mental illness, youth development, or physical or developmental disability programs. This role involves supporting the delivery of programs and case management services in assigned facilities, ensuring services align with best practices and departmental policy. The counselor will provide structured cognitive behavioral groups and life-skills group counseling sessions, document programmatic activities, and perform administrative duties to facilitate juvenile rehabilitation and maintain a safe and secure environment. Responsibilities include facilitating groups, participating in facility-wide activities, working various shifts (afternoon, evening, holiday, weekends), conducting parent/youth support, assessing youth for housing, risk levels, and treatment needs, completing mandated progress reviews for courts, preparing for youth early release and alternative placements, and assisting with facility quality assurance processes. The role also involves performing intake services, collecting and assessing client information, admitting and orienting youth, reviewing collateral information, and providing counseling to individuals, groups, or families to effect positive change in youth behavior and social situations. This includes communicating program goals, conducting individual and group sessions, using behavioral and cognitive restructuring techniques, identifying high-risk situations, documenting sessions, conducting daily rounds, and providing evening and weekend coverage. Maintaining confidentiality of case records and releasing information as required by policy is crucial.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a related field from an accredited college or university.
• Two (2) years of job-related experience (for JDC2).
• Two (2) years of experience at the lower level Social Svcs Prgm Coord 1 (SSP030) or position equivalent (for JDC2).
• Four (4) years of job-related experience (for JDC3).
• Two (2) years’ experience at the lower level Social Svcs Prgm Coord 2 (SSP031) or position equivalent (for JDC3).
• Some positions require eligibility for licensure.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in one of the areas of: Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Forensic Psychology, School Counseling, Rehabilitation Counseling, School Counseling, Criminal Justice or a directly related field (preferred for JDC1).
• Master’s Degree in a related field from an accredited college or university in a related field from an accredited college or university (preferred for JDC2 & JDC3).
• Graduate coursework in treatment and assessment methods, group counseling, rehabilitation, adolescent development, and risks/needs/responsivity focuses on the needs of specific adolescent populations (preferred for JDC2 & JDC3).
• One (1) year of experience in mental health/substance abuse treatment settings/juvenile justice/residential setting (preferred for JDC2 & JDC3).
• Professional and/or general counseling experience in a mental health/substance abuse treatment/juvenile justice/residential setting (preferred for JDC2 & JDC3).
• Knowledge and experience of risk reduction principles and assessments with the juvenile or adult population (preferred for JDC2 & JDC3).

Responsibilities

• Performs and/or directs intake services to youth.
• Provides counseling to individuals, groups, or families, to effect positive change in the youth’s behavior and/or social situations.
• Provide collaborative meetings with other agency stake holders for discharge recommendations.
• Leads or participates as a member of a multidisciplinary team to identify youths’ strengths, resources, symptoms, and behavioral challenges to develop and monitor an effective implementation of the service plan.
• Prepares and submit required reports and other documentation.
• Attend continuing education course geared towards trends and professional development in the field of Case Management Services.
• Maintain confidentiality of Case Record and release information as required by policy.
• Support of the delivery of programs & case management services in assigned facilities.
• Works with program staff to ensure that services are in keeping with best practices and departmental policy.
• Provides structured cognitive behavioral groups and/or life-skills group counseling sessions, documents all programmatic activities, and performs a variety of administrative duties designed to facilitate juvenile rehabilitation and ensure a safe and secure environment at a youth detention facility.
• Facilitate or Co-facilitate Groups, participate in facility wide PBIS activities (if available), work hours to include Afternoon/evening/Holiday/Weekends and conduct parent/youth support (if needed).
• Conduct youth assessments for housing plans, risk levels (risks/needs/responsivity) and treatment needs.
• Responsible for completing code mandated youth progress reviews for local and state courts
• Preparation reviews for youth early release and for alternative placements.
• Manage and/or assist with facility quality assurance processes
• Collects and assesses in-depth information about a client's situation and functioning in order to assess his/her abilities, needs, and eligibility for services.
• Performs or directs admission and orientation of youth in accordance with policy
• Thoroughly review collateral information and other background information to determine appropriate services as a program participant in program services.
• Communicates clearly and accurately to the youth the goals and objectives of the program.
• Conducts individual counseling sessions with youth on a regular basis.
• Conducts group sessions in accordance with the program guidelines.
• Demonstrates knowledge of appropriate usage of behavioral, cognitive restructuring and relapse prevention
• Properly identifies high-risk situations and implements appropriate housing and/or safety plan.
• Documents each group session, to include concepts taught and an assessment of participants' progress, in accordance with established time frames and guidelines.
• Conducts rounds daily on the living unit to ensure youth needs are identified and addressed.
• Provides evening and weekend coverage to provide for the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of youth.
• Observes rules of confidentiality as stated by departmental guidelines in the dissemination and interpretation of tests results
• Provides information to educate the public, other agencies, vendors, and potential customers about case management services.

Benefits

• Health and dental insurance
• Retirement and savings plan options
• Paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave
• Eligible employees are offered generous benefits
• Part of a statewide initiative called Total Rewards that seeks to attract and retain employees by supplementing their base pay and benefits with programs designed to improve the quality of their work environment and lead to greater job satisfaction and work/life balance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level