Correctional Counselor

DE; Walker (DE); On-site; USD 42,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

The Delaware Department of Correction is seeking a qualified Correctional Counselor to provide professional counseling services to adult offenders in correctional facilities or Community Corrections. You will conduct individual sessions, develop treatment plans, monitor progress, and prepare reports to support rehabilitation and re-socialization.

Responsibilities include maintaining comprehensive records, collaborating with education and treatment staff, and participating in case conferences to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Behavioral or Social Science or related field.
• Six months experience in behavior management such as understanding, explaining, describing and predicting behavior, studying the connection between behavior and its causes and identifying appropriate behavior modification strategies for individual situations.
• Six months experience in case management which includes assessing, planning, developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating options and services to meet an individuals human service needs.
• Six months experience in interviewing which includes using structured or unstructured interview techniques to obtain facts, explore issues and identify courses of action.
• Six months experience in interpreting laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures.
• Six months experience in using an automated information system to enter, update, modify, delete, retrieve/inquire and report on data.
• Six months experience in narrative report writing.

Responsibilities

• Conducts individual counseling sessions with assigned inmates/clients.
• Develops treatment program based on counseling sessions, information obtained from inmate files, records, and reports as well as from family members, associates, former employers, and other counselors or rehabilitation team members.
• Assesses inmate progress efforts towards re-socialization and compliance with treatment program recommendations.
• Prepares a variety of records, reports and summary evaluations relative to inmate progress.
• Maintains files on clients/inmates which include supporting documentation, classification reports, social histories, progress notes and counseling records.
• Participates in case conferences regarding treatment alternatives of inmates/clients. Makes referrals to such resources as drug or alcohol treatment programs, educational programs etc.
• Makes recommendations relative to appropriate classification level of inmates/clients based on assessment of behavioral/attitudinal changes and positive effort made towards self improvement and compliance with program/institutional requirement.
• Serves on a variety of boards and committees, such as the Multi-Disciplinary Team's classification committee and inmate grievance committees.

Skills

Behavior management

Case management

Interviewing

Laws and regulations

Automated information systems

Narrative report writing

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher in Behavioral or Social Science or related field

Tools

Automated information system

Job description

Summary Statement

A class incumbent is responsible for professional counseling work providing rehabilitation services to adult offenders incarcerated in correctional institutions or assigned to Community Corrections.

Nature and Scope

An incumbent in this class works under the supervision of a technical supervisor and participates with other counseling personnel and/or members of the institutional team involved in inmate/client rehabilitation/treatment by individual counseling sessions. A class incumbent evaluates inmates progress in attainment of goals and adjusts treatment plans as needed. Work includes frequent contact with security, educational and other treatment staff in order to monitor inmates/client's progress towards re-socialization. In addition, incumbents maintain case records and prepare various reports regarding initial assessment, inmate progress and security and prepare various reports regarding initial assessment, inmate progress and security classification of inmates motivating criminally-oriented persons towards re-socialization.

Career Ladder

Upon satisfactory completion of department promotional standards and job requirements, employees may be eligible to be promoted to the next level.

Essential Functions

Essential functions are fundamental, core functions common to all positions in the class series and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job duties for any one position in the class.�Since class specifications are descriptive and not restrictive, incumbents can complete job duties of similar kind not specifically listed here.

• Conducts individual counseling sessions with assigned inmates/clients.�
• Develops treatment program based on counseling sessions, information obtained from inmate files, records, and reports as well as from family members, associates, former employers, and other counselors or rehabilitation team members.�
• Assesses inmate progress efforts towards re-socialization and compliance with treatment program recommendations.�
• Prepares a variety of records, reports and summary evaluations relative to inmate progress.�
• Maintains files on clients/inmates which include supporting documentation, classification reports, social histories, progress notes and counseling records.�
• Participates in case conferences regarding treatment alternatives of inmates/clients. Makes referrals to such resources as drug or alcohol treatment programs, educational programs etc.�
• Makes recommendations relative to appropriate classification level of inmates/clients based on assessment of behavioral/attitudinal changes and positive effort made towards self improvement and compliance with program/institutional requirement.�
• Serves on a variety of boards and committees, such as the Multi-Disciplinary Team's classification committee and inmate grievance committees.

Job Requirements

JOB REQUIREMENTS for Correctional Counselor

• Possession of a Bachelors degree or higher in Behavioral or Social Science or related field. ��������
• OR
• Six months experience in behavior management such as understanding, explaining, describing and predicting behavior, studying the connection between behavior and its causes and identifying appropriate behavior modification strategies for individual situations.
• Six months experience in case management which includes assessing, planning, developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating options and services to meet an individuals human service needs.
• Six months experience in interviewing which includes using structured or unstructured interview techniques to obtain facts, explore issues and identify courses of action.
• Six months experience in interpreting laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures.
• Six months experience in using an automated information system to enter, update, modify, delete, retrieve/inquire and report on data.
• Six months experience in narrative report writing.

Additional Posting Information

Candidates must successfully complete all phases of the Non-Security Basic Training Course to receive Hazardous Duty A1. This course is five-weeks in duration and is administered by the Department of Correction Steven R. Floyd Sr. Training Academy. Coursework includes physical, classroom and hands‑on training.

Conditions of Hire

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. The State of Delaware Executive Branch participates in the Federal E-Verify system where the State will provide the federal government with each new hire’s Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. For more information refer to our job seeker resources.

This position is a classification organized under an exclusive bargaining representative (labor organization) that has been elected by employees as their representative for collective bargaining and other applicable terms and conditions of employment, in accordance with Title 29, Chapter 59 and Title 19, Chapter 13 and 16. This position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement based on its individual terms.

DOC: For admission to the State of Delaware Department of Correction Academy applicants who are made a conditional offer of employment shall be required to successfully complete a criminal background check, physical ability test to demonstrate fitness for duty, an approved psychological examination, pre-employment drug test and medical examination. The recruiting agency requires the applicant to pay for the medical examination as part of the conditional offer of hire.

Upon a conditional offer, the applicant must undergo a pre-employment base line two step tuberculin skin test (TST) as part of the hiring process.

All new hires are required to report to the Statewide New Employee Orientation (SNEO) on their first day of employment. Sessions are held at designated locations in Kent or New Castle County.

Benefits

To learn more about the comprehensive benefit package please visit our website at https://dhr.delaware.gov/benefits/

Selection Process

The application and supplemental questionnaire are evaluated based upon a rating of your education, training and experience as they relate to the job requirements of the position. It is essential that you provide complete and accurate information on your application and the supplemental questionnaire to include dates of employment, job title and job duties. For education and training, list name of educational provider, training course titles and summary of course content. Narrative information supplied in response to the questions must be supported by the information supplied on the application including your employment, education and training history as it relates to the job requirements.

Once you have submitted your application on-line, all future correspondence related to your application will be sent via email. Please keep your contact information current. You may also view all correspondence sent to you by the State of Delaware in the “My Applications” tab at StateJobs.Delaware.gov.

Accommodations

Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities in all phases of the application and employment process. Individuals who use TDD may request auxiliary aid or service by calling [phone] or by visiting delawarerelay.com. If you need assistance with an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or general applicant support, you may call [phone] or email [e-mail].

The State of Delaware is an Equal Opportunity employer and values a diverse workforce. We strongly encourage and seek out a workforce representative of Delaware including race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.