CORRECTIONS COUNSELOR 2 - LOVELOCK

State of Nevada (NV); Lovelock (NV); On-site; USD 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

State of Nevada (NV) Department of Corrections seeks a Corrections Counselor II in Lovelock to provide a broad range of mental health services within a correctional setting. Responsibilities include testing, assessments, treatment planning, psychotherapy, and crisis intervention, with collaboration across treatment teams.

The role requires advanced degrees in psychology or related fields and relevant post-master’s experience, including inmate interviews and written reports.

Qualifications

• Master’s or Doctoral degree in psychology or closely related field required.
• Two years post-master's experience providing therapy, testing and programmatic services in correctional or institutional settings.
• Doctoral Psy.D. with one-year internship accepted.
• Ability to interview, assess, and prepare written reports on offenders.

Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive psychological evaluations including tests, interviews and data interpretation.
• Provide individual and group psychotherapy; apply biofeedback, relaxation, and substance abuse strategies.
• Deliver psychoeducational programs and crisis intervention as needed.
• Participate in treatment teams, committees, and quality assurance activities; document in progress notes.
• Maintain thorough medical documentation and prepare reports for billing and audits.
• Engage in research/evaluation to improve services and outcomes.

Skills

Therapy experience

Psychological testing and evaluation

Crisis intervention

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Education

Master’s degree in psychology/related field

Doctoral degree with internship

Psy.D. with internship

Two years’ Corrections Counselor I experience

Job description

The Department of Corrections is seeking to fill a Corrections Counselor 2 in Lovelock. The Corrections Counselor 2 is responsible for providing a wide range of psychological services, including testing, assessment, treatment planning and implementation, psychotherapy, consultation, psychoeducational programming, research, and training. This role involves conducting comprehensive psychological evaluations by selecting and administering appropriate tests, interpreting results, and interviewing individuals to determine treatment, programming, or placement needs. The counselor delivers psychotherapeutic services through both individual and group therapy, incorporating approaches such as biofeedback, relaxation techniques, substance abuse counseling, and pain management.

In addition, the psychologist diagnoses mental and related disorders and may provide both oral and written testimony in court. Responsibilities also include assessing inmates’ level of disability and credibility, staffing a walk-in psychology clinic, and participating in crisis intervention efforts. The role further supports institutional operations by completing Parole Board evaluations, contributing to quality assurance by monitoring psychological services and ensuring appropriate care, and maintaining thorough medical documentation through progress notes. Active participation in interdisciplinary classification committees and treatment team meetings is also an essential component of the position.

Corrections Counselors within in the Nevada Department of Corrections provide mental health services to offenders in a correctional setting including interviews, behavioral planning and implementation, consultation, psycho‑educational classes, research, and training. Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in clinical psychology, psychology, counseling, education, social work, or closely related field and two years of postMaster's degree experience providing therapy, psychological testing and programmatic services in a correctional, rehabilitative, clinic or institutional setting; OR a Doctoral degree from an accredited college or university in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, educational psychology, social work, or closely related field which included a one-year internship in an applied program in a correctional, law enforcement, rehabilitative, clinic or institutional setting; OR a Doctoral degree (Psy.D.) in clinical psychology from an accredited school of professional psychology, and a one-year internship in an applied program as described above; OR two years of experience as a Corrections Counselor I in Nevada State service. Interview individuals to determine treatment, programming, or placement needs; make behavioral health recommendations; interpret and integrate data with interview findings and behavioral observations; discuss results with offenders or other authorized individuals; prepare written reports on offenders interviewed which include potential behavioral health needs.

• Participate as a member of the treatment team in staff meetings; share information and analyze treatment options; define, provide, and schedule appropriate care.
• Provide counseling services, relaxation training, relationship counseling, substance abuse counseling, and pain management counseling to facilitate recovery and maintain offender in the least restrictive environment possible.
• Provide crisis intervention by applying appropriate de‑escalation techniques and principles in order to relieve the immediate problem; intervene with offenders who may be hostile, aggressive, combative or assaultive; follow established protocol in order to protect offenders, staff, and others who may be at risk; form a crisis debriefing team of mental health and security professionals and debrief staff involved in emergency situations to alleviate emotional concerns.
• Consult and train staff regarding current policies and procedures to comply with statutory and ethical requirements and current scientific developments in areas relevant to agency services.
• Participate in planning, developing and coordinating program services to meet the needs of the population served; participate in committees and facility activities in developing policies and procedures; and participate in quality review programs. In a correctional setting, participate on the Unit Management Team to deliver services to offenders within their units.
• Document activities in regular written reports and on charts to comply with legal requirements and maintain adequate records; prepare information and documentation necessary for billing and recommend third party payments as appropriate.
• Conduct research and evaluation studies, for data collection and statistical purposes, to enhance services provided which may include interviews, offender characteristics, prediction of positive treatment outcomes, or prediction of recidivism or violence of an individual offender.
• Perform related duties as assigned.
• Under general supervision, Corrections Counselor II’s perform the full range of duties described in the series concept.

This job specification lists the major knowledge, skills and abilities of the job and is not all inclusive. Incumbent(s) will be expected to have knowledge, skills and abilities from a previous level.

• Working knowledge of: theories and principles of counseling; symptoms, characteristics, and treatment of neurological impairment, mental illness, developmental disabilities, and emotional and behavioral disorders; laws governing abuse and neglect of clients/offenders; ethical standards of care and treatment; verbal communication skills sufficient to confer with colleagues, clients/offenders, and others.
• General knowledge of: client rights and confidentiality of information.
• Ability to: develop and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships with co-workers, medical and health professionals, social service agency representatives and others; write comprehensive evaluations, reports and recommendations; observe and detect signs and symptoms of psychological disorders.