Resident Care Specialist

Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs; Choctaw (OK); On-site; USD 26,491 - 29,797; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous state paid benefit allowance

Flexible spending accounts

Retirement Savings Plan with a match

Vacation and sick leave

Paid holidays

Student Loan repayment options

Employee discounts

Longevity Bonus

Job summary

A state agency for juvenile services seeks individuals to provide direct care and security for adjudicated youth. Roles include supervising residents, documenting behaviors, and implementing treatment plans. Applicants should be at least 21 years old with a high school diploma or equivalent; additional educational qualifications are preferred. The agency offers competitive compensation, a generous benefits package, and bonuses for eligible employees.

Qualifications

• At least 21 years of age required.
• Ability to interact with juveniles and maintain effective relationships.
• Knowledge of security methods and behavioral problems common in delinquent residents.

Responsibilities

• Supervise adjudicated youth in a secure environment.
• Conduct safety inspections and manage residents' behavior.
• Provide paraprofessional counseling and support.

Skills

Behavioral problem management

Crisis intervention

Effective communication

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Thirty semester hours from an accredited college

Job description

Overview

This job is located at the Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center in Tecumseh, Oklahoma.

Compensation

• RCS I- $19.23 an hour
• RCS II- $21.63 an hour

Basic Purpose

Positions in this job family are involved in providing direct care, supervision and security, transportation, and role modeling to adjudicated youth in the custody of the juvenile justice system. This will include providing paraprofessional guidance and counseling to residents, interventions to control aggressive behaviors, documentation of behaviors and activities, and monitoring and moderation of resident behavior.

Education and Experience

RCS I

Requirements at this level consist of the statutory requirements of OAC 377:3-13-43(c)(1): All direct-care staff shall be at least 21 years of age and possess a high school diploma or its equivalent (10 O.S. § 401 et seq.).

RCS II

Requirements at this level consist of those identified at Level I and the completion of thirty semester hours from an accredited college or university, or one year of security experience.

Why you’ll love it here!

HOPE. COMPASSION. COMMITMENT. As a Hope-centered agency the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) strives to provide Oklahoma youth and families the resources and support they need to reach their full potential. Our mission is to collaborate with youth, families, and community partners to create pathways for success through prevention and treatment for all Oklahoma Youth. Check out why we are passionate about juvenile affairs and believe it is the career for you!

Oh yeah, did we mention perks? We know that benefits matter and that is why we offer a competitive benefits package for all eligible employees.

• Generous state paid benefit allowance to help cover insurance premiums.
• A wide choice of insurance plans with no pre-existing condition exclusions or limitations.
• Flexible spending accounts for health care expenses and/or dependent care.
• Retirement Savings Plan with a generous match.
• 15 days of vacation and 15 days of sick leave the first year for full time employees.
• 11 paid holidays a year.
• Student Loan repayment options
• Employee discounts with a variety of companies and venders.
• Longevity Bonus for years of service

$5,000 SIGN ON BONUS AVAILABLE

$6,000 CONTINUOUS SERVICE BONUS AVAILABLE

*Must meet eligibility criteria*

This position is a safety sensitive position as defined by 63 O.S. § 427.8 (K)(1)(i)(2) due to providing direct childcare. Therefore, those applicants testing positive for marijuana will not be hired even when in possession of a valid medical marijuana license.

Typical Functions

1. Provides security and supervision to adjudicated residents in a variety of situations and activities.
2. Performs routine duties in care, custody, education, and treatment of residents; observes, records, and reports health symptoms, behavior, and activity of residents.
3. Manages aggressive and non-aggressive behavior through verbal and physical intervention using prescribed and approved techniques; quickly responds to physical assaults, riots, and other emergency situations.
4. Conducts counts of residents and enforces institutional rules and regulations; observes resident and staff activities on multiple surveillance monitor screens.
5. Provides paraprofessional counseling and instruction to residents by directing their daily activities, maintaining order, providing support, and helping them develop and achieve personal goals; serves on a treatment team to review residents’ progress, treatment and educational plans; serves as a group leader by reviewing and assessing the adjustment and functioning of a group of residents.
6. Inspects the facility's living areas and work locations to ensure health and safety standards are being met, conducts searches for unauthorized objects, materials, and contraband; maintains security in an assigned area or post; controls movement of residents to and from living quarters for activities and off-campus appointments; maintains order and discipline during programs, meals, and recreation periods by utilizing empathic verbal communication skills.
7. Patrols facility grounds, juvenile living quarters and work areas on an assigned shift while observing the activities and movements of residents; checks authorized persons in or out of buildings and grounds area while assuring unauthorized persons are denied access.
8. Checks the physical security of the facility, including doors, windows, and lighting.
9. Completes written and/or typed reports on a variety of incidents and residents' behaviors; sends and receives verbal transmissions over a hand-held radio; maintains a written log of daily facility activities; communicates by telephone with emergency responder agencies in crisis situations.
10. Provide safe and secure transport services for OJA custody youth to and from placement, juvenile detention centers, court hearings, and various other appointments such as medical, dental and mental health evaluations.
11. Will have responsibility for GPS monitoring, tracking, inventory and documentation in assigned areas.
12. Other high risk transportation duties as assigned and specified through the Performance Management Process (PMP).
13. Assists other OJA employees as needed/other duties as assigned.

Level Descriptor

RCS I

This is the entry level of the job family where employees are responsible for performing basic and routine duties and receiving formal on-the-job training relating to the safety and security of the juvenile residents and staff in a treatment environment. Employees are responsible for performing routine entry level duties while in a training status to build their skills in providing resident supervision and managing, observing and recording behavior of residents. In this role the employee will attend orientation and training to learn policies, practices, and procedures utilized in the residential and the community service treatment programs of the juvenile justice system.

RCS II

This is the career level of the job family where employees are assigned a wide range of duties and responsibilities at a full performance level. Employees work independently enforcing appropriate rules and regulations to safeguard lives and property. In addition to security work, employees are required to furnish positive guidance, as well as sanctions for inappropriate behavior on the part of juvenile residents. Employees are responsible providing resident supervision, implementing group and individual treatment plans, developing constructive relationships with residents, coworkers, and other treatment team members. Positions will be assigned duties involving responsibility and sometimes hazardous disciplinary guidance and security work.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Competencies

RCS I

Required at this level include those at Level I plus the knowledge of behavioral problems typically found in delinquent residents; of methods and practices of household management; of environments and events that impact the problems of youth in custody; and of state statutes and agency policies concerning care of residents in secure facilities. Ability is required to exercise good judgment in the evaluation of situations and in making decisions.

RCS II

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of security methods; of basic human physical and psychological needs; of basic first aid methods; of crisis intervention techniques; of simple health and safety precautions; of behavioral problems typically found in delinquent residents; of methods and practices of household management; of environments and events that impact the problems of youth in custody; and of state statutes and agency policies concerning care of residents in secure facilities. Ability is required to interact with juveniles; to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others; to follow written and oral instructions; to gather facts and effectively communicate those facts in reports; to positively interact with residents of various racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds; to remain alert and act quickly and appropriately in emergency situations; to physically and appropriately handle escapees and violent or unruly juvenile residents; and to exercise good judgment in the evaluation of situations and in making decisions.

Special Requirements

Applicants must be willing and able to perform all job-related travel normally associated with this position, possess a valid Oklahoma driver’s license at time of appointment and be willing to be on-call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The Office of Juvenile Affairs has determined that some positions in this job family are safety sensitive as defined by63 O.S. § 427.8.

Must be able to pass background check and drug screening.

A trial period of 12 months will be required.

Please call the Service Desk at 405-521-2444 if you have issues with accessing your Workday account.

Equal Opportunity Employment

The State of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of genetic information, race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, or disability.

Current active State of Oklahoma employees must apply for open positions internally through the Workday Jobs Hub.