Full-Time Correctional Counselor

Odyssey House of Utah; South Salt Lake (UT); On-site; USD 22,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition Reimbursement

Continuing Education

Transit Pass

Monthly Incentives

Casual Work Environment

Job summary

Odyssey House of Utah is seeking a full-time Correctional Counselor to serve at Salt Lake City Jail. You will work Tuesday through Saturday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, helping inmates access wrap-around community support and maintain client safety.

Odyssey House offers growth opportunities, strong internal promotion, and comprehensive health, retirement, and PTO benefits, plus tuition reimbursement, transit pass, and ongoing professional development.

Qualifications

• Previous experience working in recovery.
• Experience facilitating groups.
• Willingness to learn.
• Bachelor’s degree in related field or program graduate in good standing preferred but not required.
• Ability to pass Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office Background Screening

Responsibilities

• Assess clients' needs and connect them with appropriate resources.
• Coordinate care with clinical and correctional staff.
• Accurately document services and maintain client safety.
• Provide client skills development services and support long-term success.

Skills

Passion for community service

Communication skills

Reliability

Self-starter

Teachable

Willingness to learn

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field or program graduate in good standing preferred but not required

Job description

Description

Odyssey House of Utah is seeking a full time Correctional Counselor!

Summary: You can make a difference in people’s lives and our community! Odyssey House, a 501(c)3 non-profit, is recognized as the best mental health and addiction treatment center in Utah. If you want to expand your experience in the criminal justice, social work, and addiction field, we can help! We provide opportunities to learn and start a career with flexible schedules to accommodate school and family life. This role is critical to the client and the organization. Odyssey is a large and growing agency, and we are BIG on promoting from within. It is common for people who start here to get promoted to leadership roles. So come work with the people in our care; it is deeply rewarding!

Our goal with the Criminal Justice Program (CJP) is to create a structure for inmates while incarcerated and have wrap-around community support lined up before their release. Services are FREE to inmates and not an additional financial burden to them or their families. CJP includes Correctional Addictions Treatment Service (CATS), Interim Drug Offender Group Services (DOGS), and Prime for Life®.

These services are highly successful! For example, in 2019, Salt Lake County conducted a recidivism study on our CATS program and found a 76% reduction in new-charge bookings one-year post CATS, a 90% reduction two years post CATS, and a 99% reduction three years post CATS. Salt Lake County also found an 83% improvement in employment status and a 46% reduction in homelessness.

Odyssey House’s Core Values

• Integrity (I) – We do what is best for the clients and community. Always
• Wholeheartedness (W) – We are sincere in our commitment towards a better life for all.
• Connection (C) – We seek opportunities to engage with one another.
• Personal Growth (G) – We are curious about how to be better versions of ourselves.

Job Location

Salt Lake City - Salt Lake County Jail

Schedule

Tuesday through Saturday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Compensation

$19.50 per hour

Health And Welfare Benefits

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, FSA, and long-/short-term disability coverage.
• 403(b) Retirement Plan: Immediate participation available; 100% employer match up to 6% after 1 year of service.
• Paid Time Off (PTO): Accrue up to 35 paid days off per year (with increased accrual rates after 1 year).
• Sick Leave Rollover: Convert half of your unused accrued sick time into extra vacation days at year-end.
• Sabbatical Program: Paid extended leave rewarded after 5 years.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Confidential 24/7 support for mental health, financial advice, and personal well-being.

Perks

• Tuition Reimbursement: Up to $9,000 per year available for approved programs (subject to eligibility requirements).
• Continuing Education: Opportunities for paid training and professional development, subject to manager approval and eligibility.
• Transit Pass: Free UTA pass provided for your daily work commute.
• Monthly Incentives: Regular performance awards and team recognition.
• Casual Work Environment: Relaxed, casual dress code and workplace culture.

Core Responsibilities

We will teach you how to assess clients' needs, connect them with appropriate resources, accurately document services, learn healthy boundaries, and maintain client safety. You will provide client skills development services, coordinate care with clinical and correctional staff, and directly support our clients.

Day in the Life

You get to know clients one-on-one in a deep and meaningful way! You get to give them a lot of attention and help them change their lives. You will connect clients with important resources and communicate with their support systems to ensure long-term success. You get to help develop therapeutic interventions for clients, hold them accountable to these goals, and reward them for their excellent work.

Candidate Qualities

• Passion for Community Service and helping others to realize their own potential.
• Communication Skills to problem solve directly with clients and other staff.
• Reliability to fill their support staff shifts and deliver on position responsibilities.
• Self-starter qualities to independently address issues and needs in our organization's community.
• Teachable - Willingness to learn and grow in their position.

Requirements

• Previous experience working in recovery
• Experience facilitating groups
• Willingness to learn
• Bachelor’s degree in related field or program graduate in good standing preferred but not required
• Ability to pass Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office Background Screening

Employment offers are contingent upon

Employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of required pre-employment screenings, which may include background checks, fingerprinting, applicable sex offender registry screenings for Adult Residential roles, and other position-related verifications. Roles requiring driving are subject to a Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) review and valid Utah driver’s license.

All employees of Odyssey House are required to adhere to

Odyssey House mission, philosophy, and scope of service; Division of Human Services Code of Conduct and all other relevant service contract requirement standards; ensuring a safe environment for all clients and staff; providing exemplary customer service to both internal and external customers; fostering a positive work environment; ensuring high-quality client care within the scope of the assigned position.

Each employee is expected to clearly understand roles and responsibilities regarding

Specific job position, time management, personnel file requirements, client record system, incident reporting, mandatory training requirements, maintaining proper client boundaries, and individual rights of clients and staff.

Physical Demands of the Job

Ability to lift up to 15 lbs., drive (or adequate alternate transportation), sit for prolonged periods, and perform light to moderate physical activity at times.

EEOC Statement

Odyssey House is an equal-opportunity employer. All aspects of employment, including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.

Salary Description

$19.50 per hour