Master Correctional Counselor

State of Delaware•Dover, DE

14h•Onsite

About The Position

The Master Correctional Counselor serves as the frontline staff directly supervising and counseling residents with the responsibility of enforcing the policy and procedure, rules and regulations, and the Resident Orientation Manual, while encouraging and facilitating re-entry efforts. Master Correctional Counselors are expected to maintain professionalism and due diligence in performance of all duties. Collaboration and the consistency of staff in the performance of duties are critical in developing teamwork and cohesiveness amongst treatment staff. Team emphasis and positive culture are essential to the completion of daily assignments and maintaining the integrity of operations. Master Correctional Counselors shall provide counseling, programs, and rehabilitative services to deal humanely with residents and assist them in their efforts to make a successful reentry into the community. This shall be accomplished by providing the services directly and through referral to community-based agencies and organizations. The Master Correctional Counselor’s work includes frequent contact with security, educational, and other treatment staff to monitor resident progress. Work at this level is differentiated from the Senior Correctional Counselor level by the responsibility for developing, implementing, and overseeing a specialized treatment program for residents requiring intensive counseling (e.g., sex offenses and substance abuse). Work at this level also includes training counseling staff in program operations and treatment methods and providing technical guidance in the area of specialization. In addition to administering a specialized program, employees in this class conduct generalized counseling including conducting resident assessments, developing, and implementing treatment plans, and evaluating resident progress.

Requirements

At least three years experience providing rehabilitation services to adult offenders OR a Masters degree or higher in Behavioral/Social Science and at least one year experience providing rehabilitation services to adult offenders OR a Bachelors degree or higher and at least two years experience providing rehabilitation services to adult offenders.
Three years experience in behavior management which includes understanding, explaining, describing and predicting behavior, studying the connection between behavior and its causes and identifying appropriate behavior modification strategies for individual situations.
Three years experience in case management which includes assessing, planning, developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating options and services to meet an individuals human service needs.
Six months experience in providing rehabilitation services to adult offenders which includes evaluating progress in attainment of goals and adjusting treatment plans; analyzing social and criminal history; participating in interdisciplinary conferencing.
Six months experience in interpreting laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures.
Six months experience in narrative report writing.
Six months experience in using an automated information system to enter, update, modify, delete, retrieve/inquire and report on data.
Knowledge of staff training.

Responsibilities

Identifies treatment need and develops program guidelines, operational procedures, and evaluation methods.
Provides comprehensive, intensive counseling to inmates/clients in the area of specialty.
Provides training and technical guidance to security and treatment staff on the goals and objectives of the specialized program and application of treatment program methodologies.
Evaluates effectiveness of specialized program through review of inmate/client progress reports, case records, and related documentation.
Makes recommendations to superior for revisions to program as required.
Conducts general individual and/or group counseling sessions with inmates/clients.
Develops treatment plan based on counseling sessions as well as information obtained from inmate file, records, and reports, family members, associates, former employers, and other counselors, or rehabilitation team members.
Assesses inmate progress efforts toward re-socialization and compliance with recommended treatment plan.
Prepares a variety of records, reports, and summary evaluations relative to inmate progress.
Maintains files on clients/inmates which include appropriate supporting documentation, classification reports, social histories, progress notes, and counseling records.
Serves on a variety of boards and committees such as the Multi-Disciplinary Team's classification committees and inmate grievance committees.
Makes recommendations relative to appropriate classification level of inmates/clients based on assessment of behavioral/attitudinal changes and positive effort made toward self improvement and compliance with program/institutional requirements.
Participates in case conferences regarding treatment alternatives of inmates/clients.
Makes referrals to such resources as drug or alcohol treatment programs or educational programs.