Juvenile Justice Specialist I/II

Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs • Woodward, OK

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About The Position

Positions in this job family provide services to rehabilitate juvenile offenders and protect the public through clinical and case management activities, including juvenile intake, probation, parole, and custodial responsibility for delinquent children and their families. In Office of Juvenile Affairs facilities, employees provide clinical social work services to residents and their families. The work combines program delivery and client intervention.

Employees carry a differentiated juvenile justice caseload and provide services and supervision to youth in custody, on probation or parole, or covered by the Interstate Compact on Juveniles. Duties may include interviewing youth and families, counseling, treatment planning, coordinating services and placements, preparing court-related reports, working with community providers, and participating in facility evaluations and due process hearings.

The role requires job-related travel, a valid Oklahoma driver’s license at appointment, and availability for on-call duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Some positions in this job family are designated safety sensitive. Applicants must pass background, fingerprint, and drug-screening requirements. A 12-month trial period is required.

Requirements

• Level I: Bachelor’s degree in a behavioral science; or a bachelor’s degree and one year of professional experience in juvenile justice, social work, community-based prevention and diversionary youth services programs, guidance and counseling, correctional case management, or probation and parole.
• Level II: Master’s degree in a behavioral science; juris doctorate; a master’s degree and one year of qualifying professional experience; a bachelor’s degree in a behavioral science and one year of qualifying professional experience; or a bachelor’s degree and two years of qualifying professional experience.
• No substitution of experience for the required bachelor’s degree is allowed; for Level II, no substitution of experience for education below a bachelor’s degree is allowed.
• Be willing and able to perform job-related travel normally associated with the position.
• Possess a valid Oklahoma driver’s license at the time of appointment.
• Be willing to be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Pass a background check, fingerprinting, and drug screening.
• Ability to multitask and adapt to demanding and changing timelines.
• Ability to maintain discretion, integrity, and sensitivity regarding confidentiality and privacy.
• Ability to work effectively in a team and build collaborative relationships.

Responsibilities

• Carry a differentiated juvenile justice caseload and provide services and supervision to youth in custody, on probation or parole, or covered by the Interstate Compact on Juveniles.
• Conduct intake interviews with juvenile offenders, families, and victims, and develop appropriate treatment plans.
• Provide individual and group counseling; arrange health screenings; recommend and implement placements, including out-of-home placement and community reintegration; visit clients in out-of-home placements and ensure appropriate services are provided.
• Prepare reports for the court, District Attorney’s office, and Parole Board; may testify in court as an expert witness and act as a liaison with the court.
• Staff cases with the District Attorney’s office and establish restitution amounts.
• Initiate, develop, implement, and monitor contracts with private nonprofit and for-profit entities, and coordinate service delivery with providers.
• Serve as liaison to facilities, agencies, and schools, and participate on community councils and planning boards.
• Conduct foster care studies and recruit foster parents.
• Conduct diagnostic and evaluation interviews with residents placed in facilities and their families; prepare written social assessments of diagnostic factors; participate in multidisciplinary evaluation staffing; prepare written clinical treatment plans with residents and families; and coordinate psychological, residential, and educational staff to meet residents’ treatment needs.
• May develop and maintain specialized training and expertise in areas such as HIV/AIDS education, Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor work, abuse survivors, or sexual offenders.
• Make Title XIX and Title IV-E applications for juveniles in custody.
• Provide detention screening for law enforcement entities and coordinate detention placement.
• Serve as advocate, presenter, or administrative hearing officer in due process District Review Hearings, which may result in sanctions against a juvenile.
• Demonstrate knowledge of and support the agency’s mission, vision, values, standards, policies, procedures, confidentiality standards, and code of ethical behavior.
• Adapt to demanding and changing timelines, maintain discretion and confidentiality, and work collaboratively and respectfully with colleagues at all levels.

Benefits

• Generous state-paid benefit allowance to help cover insurance premiums.
• Choice of health insurance plans with no pre-existing condition exclusions.
• Flexible Spending Accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses.
• Retirement savings plan with a company match.
• 15 days of vacation and 15 days of sick leave in the first year for full-time employees.
• 11 paid holidays per year.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Longevity bonuses.
• Training opportunities and continuous learning and development for CEU requirements.

What This Job Offers

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