Senior Juvenile Probation Officer - 80061624

State of Florida • Highland, CA

4d • Onsite

About The Position

This is an internal agency opportunity for current DJJ employees only. The Senior Juvenile Probation Officer role involves comprehensive case management, referrals, recommendations, and assessments for youth involved with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (FDJJ). The position requires engaging with youth, families, victims, and law enforcement, conducting home and school visits, and utilizing Motivational Interviewing to assess needs. Responsibilities include conducting FDJJ screenings and assessments, formulating case management strategies, making service referrals, and providing recommendations to judicial partners. The role also involves acting as a DJJ representative in court hearings, preparing reports, and testifying when necessary. Case management includes completing risk and needs assessments, developing and modifying case plans with youth and family input, conducting face-to-face contacts in various settings, and assisting youth with accessing community resources, mental health services, and educational/employment opportunities. Crisis intervention and developing personal goals with youth are also key components. The position requires monitoring a specialized caseload, responding to concerns, and determining appropriate interventions for violations of supervision. Records management involves entering all case management activities into the Juvenile Justice Information System (JJIS) and maintaining accurate case files. Community collaboration includes liaising with schools, law enforcement, care providers, and other agencies, cultivating restorative justice sites, and supervising youth in group work projects. Special assignments include attending professional development, participating in case audits, serving on committees, and potentially training interns or volunteers. The role may require assuming supervisory functions in the absence of a supervisor.

Requirements

• Four years of experience working directly with adolescents in one or more of the following fields: criminal justice (e.g., law enforcement, courts, correction/rehabilitation facilities, or probation/parole), social services (e.g., child protective services, crisis intervention, foster care/group homes, adoption, or mental health/substance abuse treatment).
• A valid driver’s license.
• Must maintain a valid Florida Driver’s License throughout employment.
• Must maintain Protective Action Response (PAR) certification throughout employment.
• Must maintain CPR & First Aid certifications throughout employment.
• All prospective candidates will be subject to a sex offender check, criminal background checks (state, local, and national) and pre-employment drug screening for direct care positions.
• If initially hired with an out-of-state license, the Florida resident must obtain a valid Florida state driver’s license within 30 days of hire.
• Licenses suspended or revoked for any reason, work permits (Business purpose/Employment/education only licenses) and some types of restricted licenses are not acceptable.
• Licenses that have Corrective Lenses Restriction are acceptable, provided the driver wears corrective lenses while operating the vehicle.
• Positions that include the transportation of youth while performing any work or work-related functions on behalf of DJJ require: (1) a valid driver’s license; and (2) a three-year acceptable driving record as defined in FDJJ Policy 1920.
• Be at least 19 years of age.
• Be a high school graduate or its equivalent as determined by the department.
• Not have been convicted of any felony or a misdemeanor involving perjury or false statement or have received a dishonorable discharge from any of the Armed Forces of the United States.
• Any person, who after September 30, 1999, pleads guilty or nolo contendere to or is found guilty of any felony or a misdemeanor involving perjury or false statement is not eligible for employment, notwithstanding suspension of sentence or withholding of adjudication.
• Notwithstanding this subparagraph, any person who pled nolo contendere to a misdemeanor involving a false statement before October 1, 1999, and who has had such record of that plea sealed or expunged is not ineligible for employment for that reason.
• Abide by all provisions of s. 985.644 (1), regarding fingerprinting and background investigations and other screening requirements for personnel.
• Execute and submit to the Department an affidavit-of-application form, adopted by the Department, attesting to his or her compliance with subparagraphs 1-4. The affidavit must be executed under oath and constitutes an official statement under s. 837.06.
• The affidavit must include conspicuous language that the intentional false execution of the affidavit constitutes a misdemeanor of the second degree.
• The employing agency shall retain the affidavit.

Nice To Haves

• A bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
• An associate degree from an accredited college or university and two years’ experience working directly with adolescents in one or more of the following fields: criminal justice (e.g., law enforcement, courts, correction/rehabilitation facilities, or probation/parole), social services (e.g., child protective services, crisis intervention, foster care/group homes, adoption, or mental health/substance abuse treatment).
• One year of experience working with youth.
• Successful candidate must be certified in accordance with State of Florida Department of Juvenile Justice direct care training policy or obtain such certification within 180 days of employment.
• For those candidates who are not currently in the state system as a direct care worker for DJJ at the time of application, the top-ranking candidate(s) after the interview phase will be required to take and pass Ergometric’s IMPACT Assessment and Training Test to be considered for this direct-care employment opportunity.

Responsibilities

• Initiate contact with the youth, family, victims, and law enforcement when referrals are received by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (FDJJ).
• Conduct home and school visits as an integral part of the information collection/family involvement model.
• Initiate contact with the victim when a referral is received by the FDJJ to obtain the victim’s opinion regarding case handling and disposition.
• Use Motivational Interviewing to engage the youth and family to determine the youth’s social, developmental, emotional, financial and other needs.
• Obtain and review collateral information such as abuse and neglect history, educational, mental health, substance use, gang related activity and other pertinent information from other agencies involved with the youth and family.
• Conduct and document FDJJ screening(s) and assessments to identify the youth’s risk and needs, protective factors and/or the need for further evaluations, including but not limited to detention and intake screening, Suicide Risk Screening Instrument, and any Department approved risk/needs screening and/or assessment instrument(s).
• Facilitate the completion of comprehensive assessments, and if results indicate needed services refer the youth and family for services regardless of youth’s legal status (e.g., intake status youth that may include diversion and civil citation).
• Document all referrals for services regardless of youth’s legal status and the youth or parent’s acceptance or refusal of services.
• Formulate case management strategies based on assessments and/or information gathered to address the specific needs of the youth and family.
• Make service referrals to the appropriate provider (s) and follow up actions needing to be taken.
• Make supervision and treatment recommendations to the State Attorney and other judicial partners that allow the Department to provide the most appropriate services in the least intrusive manner.
• Discuss with the youth and family a safety plan that focuses on averting exposure to situations of risk, harm or injury to prevent victimization.
• Complete the screening instruments and reports used by the Department and/or the courts that include but are not limited to the following: Provide technical assistance and conduct case reviews with staff to determine applicable case management intervention strategies.
• Act as the DJJ representative during court hearings in support of the Department’s recommendation for the youth, family, and community.
• Confer and advocate with attorneys (e.g., State Attorney, Public Defender, Youth’s Private Counsel, DJJ General Counsel) on the Department’s recommendations based on information gathered during the screening, assessment, intake and supervision process, which represents a balanced and restorative justice approach taking into consideration youth competency development, accountability to the victimized community and promoting public safety.
• Prepare and maintain current social histories, court reports, referral letters, and related correspondence.
• Explain court procedures to youth and their families.
• Provide current information to the staff responsible for detention screening, detention reviews, and related court hearings.
• Testify at hearings, when appropriate.
• Prepare affidavits/petition for Violation of Probation for any violation that result in the filing of a delinquency petition.
• Request hearings when appropriate.
• Communicate and distribute the outcome of court proceedings to all affected parties (i.e., youth, family, supervisor, detention, residential, providers, schools, victims, etc.).
• Notify circuit management on referrals to the Office of the General Counsel for resolution of problem court orders or proceedings.
• Complete a risk and needs assessment using the appropriate Department approved instrument(s) for all youth screened/supervised by the department.
• Prior to the development of or revisions to the case plan staff should negotiate, implement, and modify the plan based on input from the youth and family, and the risk and needs identified by the instrument in accordance with departmental rule/policy.
• Conduct face-to-face contacts in the home, school and varied community-based settings by interacting with the youth, family and community during non-traditional hours (weekends and evening hours) in addition to business hours.
• Initiate a face-to-face contact with the youth and family following court to conduct a preliminary review of the court order and to provide contact information for the JPO and/or program information to the youth and parent.
• Maintain communication based on departmental requirements for all stages of youth and family involvement; gain firsthand knowledge of where the youth resides, the family, and the immediate and extended environment by meeting in various locations, including the home, detention centers, schools, out-of-home placements, places of employment, community sites, other agencies, treatment providers and/or offices.
• Assist the youth with obtaining appropriate mental health, substance abuse evaluations based on administered assessments, and arrange for specialized testing and treatment, as needed.
• Follow up with service provider(s) to ensure that assessments, evaluations and progress reports, written or verbal, are received on a regular basis, and follow-up with the youth and parent(s)/guardian(s) on any actions taken or issues communicated by the service provider.
• Assist the youth and family with accessing community resources and services at an appropriate agency or placement resources, including intra-agency services, education and employment resources that will address youth and family needs.
• Review written or verbal reports from collateral sources, such as educational institutions, employers, counselors, electronic databases, etc.
• Assist with obtaining identification documents needed for employability skills training (Workforce Development) and employment, education, recreational activities, or child in care application.
• Assist youth and family with school and after school enrollment; maintaining school contact, verifying school attendance, academic performance, and behavior.
• Assist youth and family with enrollment in after school and weekend pro-social recreational activities.
• Arrange for life skills groups, counseling, etc., as needed.
• Confer with mental health practitioners, school personnel, public health specialists, law enforcement, adult corrections, child welfare and others to identify appropriate services and for the development of a youth specific supervision plan.
• Provide crisis intervention; assist the youth and family in accessing crisis intervention services/resources by making necessary referrals and follow-up on actions taken.
• Work with the youth to establish personal goals/ plans and provide ongoing support to help youth achieve their goals and maintain skills.
• Assist youth, family and/or facilities with the planning and coordination of transportation of youth and family to and from detention centers, court, school, after school programs/activities, residential programs, homes and other community-based appointments.
• Discuss with youth and family projected timeframes for completion of goals, sanctions/conditions of supervision and anticipated date for termination of supervision based on progress and as ordered by the court.
• Monitor a specialized client caseload as assigned and refer for services, provide direct services and/or supervision, participate in all case related staffing’s, document all case work in JJIS, and prepare required reports for the other involved agencies and/or the court as required.
• Respond to concerns, needs, and risks as presented by youth, family, and the community by staffing cases, plans or violations with the unit supervisor in accordance with existing departmental policies, procedures, administrative rules, and FL statutes.
• Enlist concerned parties in a team conferencing approach to provide input on interventions and revisions to supervision plans.
• Determine recommended handling of law violations and provide appropriate interventions when a youth violates the conditions of supervision based on the Effective Response Matrix and follow up on actions taken in response to a violation.
• Conduct staffing when benchmarks occur, case milestones are achieved by the youth and or family or case is complex and in need of additional considerations (i.e. when youth is still securely detained a certain number of days pre-adjudication or post disposition, or beyond a timeframe identified in statute, when youth have completed all court ordered requirements and conditions of supervision, or violated supervision, and when transition and exit conferences are scheduled for a set number of days prior to the youth’s release from residential commitment, complex cases).
• Prepare case transfer or progress summaries within required timeframes as defined by administrative rule.
• Participate in transition and exit planning to finalize plans for the youth pending release from residential programs, which includes referrals for post-residential services to for mental health, substance abuse, education and workforce services.
• Provide the youth and family with needed support to ensure best outcomes are achieved prior to Department’s involvement being terminated.
• Provide technical assistance and conduct case reviews with staff to determine appropriate case management intervention strategies.
• Enter into Juvenile Justice Information System (JJIS) all case management activities, including risk/needs screening, assessment and case planning related to the youth and family during youth’s involvement in the juvenile justice continuum.
• Upload required forms/ documents into the Juvenile Justice Information System (JJIS) case file to ensure accurate and timely entries, in accordance with administrative and JJIS business rules.
• Organize and maintain hard copy or electronic (JJIS Case Notebook Module) records to ensure inclusion of all required case file document.
• Review referral history and other JJIS data for accuracy and conduct data collection for statistical purposes within established rules.
• Obtain and maintain in JJIS the youth’s photograph with updated images.
• Conduct case reviews in JJIS, review for accuracy of data entries by staff, and when necessary correct data to reflect applicable JJIS data entry guidelines.
• Act as the liaison to the Circuit Data Integrity Officer (DIO) on JJIS related issues as directed and approved.
• Provide contact information for community-based service providers in response to inquiries from non-involved youth and families that may address the family’s issues.
• Meet and maintain communication with schools, teachers, law enforcement, care providers, and other agencies and organizations for the purpose of information sharing and collaboration to address community concerns and promote safe and nurturing communities.
• Provide input to circuit management on provider community-based service delivery issues that may assist on with grant proposals or community-based program development and be knowledgeable of community-based resources.
• Ensure familiarity with community resources.
• Cultivate restorative justice community service work sites, schedule work crews, and supervise youth participating in group work projects, as needed.
• Act as a liaison with co-workers, community organizations, agency partners, and the court in a capacity defined by the Department.
• Attend and participate in professional development trainings and meetings.
• Participate in informal and formal supervision case audit reviews and annual performance reviews.
• Participate in committees and workgroups to develop policies and procedure or other task as assigned.
• Speak to community groups or external parties and explain DJJ functions as directed and approved.
• Serve on committees and workgroups in the community and within the department and offer input on projects, policies, procedures, rules and training as directed and approved.
• Train and/or oversee interns, volunteers and/or students, as directed and approved.
• Participate in special projects, as needed.
• Provide assistance to other staff when language interpretation is needed.
• Follow all departmental policies, procedures and administrative rules.
• Provide presentations/training to other staff, community organizations and partnering agencies as directed and approved.
• Assume supervisory functions as directed or in the absence of the Juvenile Probation Officer Supervisor.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• The Department of Juvenile Justice Salutes our heroes. We are honored to have the opportunity to support our nation's veterans and their families. We value the service given to our country and support the hiring of service members and military spouses.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: High school or GED