Mental Health Professional Counselor I

State of Maryland•Howard, MD

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) is seeking dedicated candidates to fill important roles within our department. We are one of the largest departments in Maryland with nearly 12,000 employees and a budget of more than $1 billion. In order to fulfill our mission of promoting safety, we have increased security at our institutions while leading the way in innovative restorative justice projects that will help offenders reintegrate into society upon release. As a member of the DPSCS team, you can have a fulfilling career, while also enjoying a wide range of benefits such as medical and dental coverage, paid time off (i.e. vacation, sick leave), becoming vested in the State pension, supplemental retirement options, and even joining the Maryland State Employees Credit Union. This position is eligible for 1 day of telework after the probation period. The Mental Health Professional Counselor is the full performance level of the professional counseling work, at the Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor level, providing counseling services to clients with mental disorders by using assessment, evaluation, and intervention, rehabilitation, and treatment regimens. Functioning as an independently licensed mental health professional, the Mental Health Professional Counselor is responsible for providing mental health services to incarcerated individuals within a defined population of a correctional facility.

Requirements

Must be licensed by the Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC).
May be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be to possess a motor vehicle operator's license valid in the State of Maryland.
Must be fluent in spoken and written English.
Must effectively and respectfully communicate with diverse populations, providing services to individuals with different beliefs, behaviors, and interpersonal styles in confinement or community settings.

Nice To Haves

Professional working fluency in Spanish, Mandarin, Korean, or any other language is a plus.

Responsibilities

Assesses the incarcerated individual's situation to determine the appropriate services using clinical interview techniques, objective assessments, and psychological testing under the supervision of a licensed psychologist
Intervenes in crisis situations to de-escalate the situation and provide acute care using suicide prevention planning and crisis intervention techniques
Develop treatment plans and provides treatment to incarcerated individuals who have significant mental or emotional disorders through the use of individual and/or group counseling
Develops and implements behavioral management plans for incarcerated individuals that are disruptive to the operation of the institution
Refers incarcerated individuals for other services such as psychiatric care, inpatient mental health services, case management planning, medical evaluations, addictions services, etc.

Benefits

Medical and dental coverage
Paid time off (i.e. vacation, sick leave)
State pension
Supplemental retirement options
Maryland State Employees Credit Union
health insurance, dental, and vision plans offered at a low cost.
six (6) personnel days annually (prorated based on start date)
ten (10) days of accumulated annual leave per year
fifteen (15) days of accumulated sick leave per year
up to sixty (60) days of paid parental leave upon the birth or adoption of a child
at least twelve (12) holidays per year
Reimbursement of costs for eligible classes and release time for job-related CEU training
Reimbursement of costs of licensure or certification as required by clinical specialty
Tuition reimbursement available through the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program