Mental Health Counselor – Juvenile (TJJD-A State Aid) – J2906 - 28201

Nueces County•Hillsboro, OR

10d•Onsite

About The Position

The Mental Health Counselor at the Robert N. Barnes Juvenile Justice facility addresses the multiple and complex needs of the youth committed to the facility, as well as their families, through a multidisciplinary integrated approach. This includes the implementation of a general rehabilitation strategy and a Mental Health Treatment Program (MHTP). The MHTP provides psychiatric and counseling assistance to youth diagnosed with moderate to severe mental health problems and/or illnesses, chemical dependency issues, or complex trauma. This allows general rehabilitation case managers to focus on risk reduction and protective factor enhancement strategies to reduce the risk of reoffending. This collaboration enables holistic and individualized treatment of youth in need of MHTP services.

Requirements

Must be 21 years of age.
Any employee who drives a vehicle on official business must have a driving record which meets standards set by the County and the County’s insurance carrier.
Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) or LCDC-I attending a Master's degree program in counseling, social work, psychology or a related field with one year of graduation; or attending a Master's degree program in counseling, social work, psychology or a related field and be within six months (last semester of course work) or graduating.
Knowledge of counseling theories, strategies and skills including treatment techniques used for behavior modification.
Knowledge of diagnostic criteria outlined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM V), and the Texas Education Association for the evaluation of serious emotional disturbance.
Knowledge of psychological tests and measurements related to working with juvenile offenders.
Knowledge of juvenile risk assessment, treatment practices and principles, family interventions, and regulatory standards.
Knowledge of or ability to acquire knowledge of Robert N. Barnes Juvenile Justice Facility and its programs.
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
Ability to write reports, business correspondence and procedure manuals.
Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and draw and to interpret bar graphs.
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
Valid Texas Operator's Driver's License.
Must be licensed in Texas within one year as one of the following: Licensed Psychological Associate (LPA), or Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), or Licensed Professional Counselor Associate (LPC - Associate) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist-Associate (LMFT-A).
Must obtain and provide proof of Professional Liability Insurance and keep current.
Knowledge of modern principles of sociology, criminology, child and adolescent psychology, social casework techniques, methods and techniques of counseling and of laws and regulations relating to the function of the juvenile justice system and family law matters.

Responsibilities

Provides a range of direct counseling services to youth adjudicated and committed to the Robert N. Barnes Juvenile Justice facility.
Conducts group, individual, family, trauma, and crisis counseling.
Administers and interprets evaluations of youth at risk and youth in need of suicide assessments.
Assists in monitoring the agency’s multifaceted treatment program and reviews and monitors specialized treatment programs.
Assists with related in-service training for facility staff and trains group leaders.
Collaborates with facility administrators, specialized treatment case management or program specialist staff, probation officers, and contracted staff.
Assists in the supervision of intake, assessment, and treatment, while collaborating with case managers, educational staff, juvenile correctional officers, and probation officers.
Provides services in the juvenile detention center and probation department under the direction of the Mental Health Services Supervisor.
Maintains and tracks all data related to the mental health treatment program and the juvenile probation department for generating statistical reports.
Conducts individual and group counseling sessions with juvenile offenders, including trauma-based approaches.
Conducts family counseling and family reintegration sessions.
Conducts interviews, evaluations, and assessments, and makes appropriate decisions and recommendations regarding treatment options.
Trains and/or teaches others.
Maintains accurate records and files.
Organizes and prioritizes workloads to carry out assigned tasks in a timely manner.
Maintains confidential information.
Functions as a member of a multidisciplinary treatment team.
Provides services to youth in a correctional setting with a wide variety of temperaments and specialized needs.
Works under stressful conditions, with possible occurrences of extreme heightened stress.
Communicates clearly and effectively to direct the activities of youth.
Applies the agency’s doctrine to youth, treating them with respect in all situations.
Intervenes and corrects behavior and facilitates group discussions and activities.
Recognizes when decisions need to be made, processes information logically, makes decisions, and demonstrates the soundness of those decisions.
Reads, writes, and uses a computer on a regular basis.
Participates in ongoing didactic training as scheduled by the agency.
Works flexible hours.
Travels.
Works in excess of 40 hours per week and works a schedule other than 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Makes investigations and reports the results clearly, accurately, and impartially.
Gathers, analyzes, and evaluates facts from which to develop individual program plans and appropriate case dispositions.
Communicates effectively both orally and in writing.
Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with other county employees and officials, clients, representatives of other agencies, and the general public.
Deals effectively with mentally disturbed, hostile, and aggressive individuals.