Resident Care Specialist

Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs•Mcloud, OK

10d•Onsite

About The Position

The Office of Juvenile Affairs is seeking a Resident Care Specialist to provide care, custody, supervision, and security for adjudicated and at-risk youth at Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center in Tecumseh, Oklahoma. The role provides paraprofessional guidance and counseling, supports residents’ daily activities and goals, documents behavior and activities, and monitors and moderates resident behavior. Staff use prescribed and approved techniques to address aggressive behavior and respond to emergencies. The facility operates 24 hours a day, and employees must be willing to work any shift as needed. Overtime may be required to maintain facility coverage. The position also requires job-related travel and 24/7 on-call availability. The Resident Care Specialist conducts resident transportation to placements, detention centers, court hearings, and appointments; monitors and documents GPS equipment; maintains facility security; and completes reports and activity logs. The position is safety sensitive and requires successful completion of background, fingerprint, and drug screening requirements. A 12-month trial period applies.

Requirements

For Resident Care Specialist I: Be at least 21 years old and have a high school diploma or equivalent.
For Resident Care Specialist II: Meet the Resident Care Specialist I requirements and have either 30 semester hours from an accredited college or university or one year of security experience.
Be willing to work any shift as needed at a 24-hour facility; overtime may be required.
Be willing and able to perform job-related travel and be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Possess a valid Oklahoma driver’s license at the time of appointment.
Pass background checks, fingerprinting, and drug screening.
Demonstrate knowledge of security methods, basic human physical and psychological needs, first aid, crisis intervention, health and safety precautions, delinquent resident behavioral problems, household management practices, youth-in-custody environments, and applicable statutes and agency policies.
Be able to interact with juveniles; establish effective working relationships; follow written and oral instructions; gather facts and communicate them in reports; interact positively with residents of varied backgrounds; respond appropriately to emergencies; physically handle escapees and violent or unruly residents; and exercise sound judgment.

Nice To Haves

Previous security experience working with juveniles in a residential care and treatment facility.

Responsibilities

Provide security and supervision to adjudicated residents in a variety of situations and activities.
Perform routine care, custody, education, and treatment duties; observe, record, and report residents’ health symptoms, behavior, and activities.
Manage aggressive and non-aggressive behavior using approved verbal and physical intervention techniques, and respond to assaults, riots, and other emergencies.
Conduct resident counts, enforce institutional rules, and observe resident and staff activities using surveillance monitors.
Provide paraprofessional counseling and instruction, direct residents’ daily activities, support personal goal development, participate in treatment-team reviews, and lead resident groups.
Inspect living areas and work locations for health and safety; search for unauthorized objects and contraband; and maintain security at assigned posts and areas.
Control resident movement to activities and off-campus appointments, and maintain order during programs, meals, and recreation.
Patrol facility grounds, living quarters, and work areas; check authorized persons in and out; deny access to unauthorized persons; and check physical security features such as doors, windows, and lighting.
Prepare written or typed incident and behavior reports, maintain daily activity logs, communicate over a hand-held radio, and contact emergency responders by telephone during crises.
Safely transport youth in OJA custody to and from placements, detention centers, court hearings, and other appointments, including medical, dental, and mental health evaluations.
Conduct GPS monitoring, tracking, inventory, and documentation in assigned areas, and perform other assigned high-risk transportation duties.
Assist other OJA employees and perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

$5,000 sign-on bonus available.
$6,000 continuous service bonus available.
Shift differential of $2.50 per hour for second- or third-shift hours worked Monday through Friday, and for any shift worked Saturday or Sunday; eligibility criteria apply.
Generous state-paid benefit allowance to help cover insurance premiums.
Choice of insurance plans with no pre-existing condition exclusions or limitations.
Flexible spending accounts for health care and/or dependent care expenses.
Retirement savings plan with a generous match.
15 vacation days and 15 sick leave days in the first year for full-time employees.
11 paid holidays per year.
Student loan repayment options.
Employee discounts with a variety of companies and vendors.
Longevity bonus for years of service.