Program Counselor

City of New York•New York, NY

About The Position

The Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) protects and promotes the safety and well-being of children and families through child welfare and juvenile justice services and community supports. ACS manages community-based supports and foster care services, and provides subsidized child care vouchers. ACS child protection staff respond to allegations of child maltreatment. In juvenile justice, ACS oversees detention, placement and programs for youth in the community. The Division of Youth and Family Justice (DYFJ) provides a wide range of services and programs for youth at every stage of the juvenile justice process. Our goals are to (a) build stronger and safer communities and advance public safety by preventing juveniles from entering the New York City's juvenile justice system, (b) provide therapeutic treatment and services to youth in our custodial care, and (c) help juveniles access the tools they need to leave the justice system for good. We strive to help families and young people by providing supportive services that are responsive to the needs of individual youth and families. JJPS ensures that youth served by DYFJ (from detention to placement) are receiving comprehensive and consistent medical, mental health, case management, social and educational services throughout their involvement with our system by: overseeing ACS’ entire array of programming and services for court involved youth, developing innovative programming and services for youth and families, strengthening mental health services, working together with stakeholders to identify trends, track data, and implement effective interventions, and coordinating training and staff development around specific clinical, mental health, and programmatic issues such as LGBTQ youth issues, family engagement, substance abuse, and the impact of trauma. In addition, JJPS organizes our family engagement and parent support work, and provides staff training on mental health, trauma, LGBTQ issues and Commercially Sexually Exploited Children. The Program Counselor will report to a Secure Detention and be responsible for performing the following duties:

Requirements

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or
2. High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or
3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in "1" above.

Responsibilities

Work closely with Youth Development Specialists, contracted providers and the Department of Education (DOE) to develop and implement cultural, educational and recreational programming for all Secure Detention youth throughout the year including monthly activities, workshops, and programs.
Work directly with youth to develop and implement programs and activities that promote teamwork, leadership, problem solving and critical thinking.
Build self-confidence in youth and contribute to violence reduction through activities and relationship-building.
Encourage healthy lifestyles for youth through sports, physical exercise and good nutrition.
Support the facilities and contracted providers in implementing special projects, workshops, or other events as needed.
Assess internal and external programs by observation, administering surveys to residents and staff, and other appropriate evaluation methods and provide feedback and recommendations for program improvement.
Act as a liaison with DYFJ’s contracted programs and contract management unit to ensure vendor clearance submission, tracking, and management, and certify vendors are in compliance with contracts.
Develop monthly provider meetings, progress reports and annual vendor performance evaluation.
Develop and learn new programming modules and assist with training other staff and contracted providers to implement programming.
Perform other duties as needed in relation to the youth’s cultural, educational, and recreational needs.