SOCIAL SERVICE COUNSELOR 1/2/3

State of Louisiana; Bunkie (LA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Insurance coverage

Parental leave

Holidays and leave

Retirement plan

Job summary

Acadiana Center for Youth-Bunkie in Bunkie, LA seeks a Social Service Counselor to provide direct counseling and case management for youth in secure care. You will guide emotional, behavioral, and social development through individual and group interventions and collaborative treatment planning.

The role emphasizes trauma-informed, youth-centered care, requiring empathy, clinical insight, and commitment to positive outcomes for youth and communities.

Qualifications

• Three years of social services experience or six years of full-time experience in any field or a bachelor's degree.
• Experience substitutions: every 30 semester hours credit one year of experience, up to 120 semester hours for four years.

Responsibilities

• Provide individual and group counseling using behavior-modification, reality-based, and supportive therapeutic approaches.
• Collaborate with security, education, and clinical staff to develop a full profile of each youth.
• Represent youth in Reclassification, Code of Conduct, and other classification-related meetings.
• Monitor PbS data quarterly and participate in in-service training; liaison across facility departments.
• Deliver targeted counseling for a designated dormitory population with significant behavioral and emotional challenges.
• Coordinate psychiatric and psychological referrals and distribute clinical reports.
• Facilitate or co-facilitate multidisciplinary groups and programs (substance abuse, crisis counseling, Thinking for a Change, pro-social skills, victim awareness, LAMOD, family groups, regional staffings).
• Prepare progress reports, closing summaries, and correspondence for courts, probation, parole, and other agencies.
• Make recommendations for early release, step-down placement, or transfer to more secure settings when appropriate.
• Maintain complete case records and required documentation for courts and families.
• Support dormitory operations with the Group Leader and provide staff oversight.
• Perform additional duties including Social Services Counselor responsibilities.

Skills

Three years of social services exp

Six years of full-time experience

Bachelor's degree

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

1536 Bordelon Rd., Bunkie, LA 71322. https://ojj.la.gov/location/acadiana-center-for-youth-bunkie

About This Job

Office of Juvenile Justice

Acadiana Center for Youth-Bunkie

The Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice (OJJ) is driven by a powerful mission: protecting the public while transforming the lives of youth through safe, effective, and individualized services that help them grow into productive, law-abiding citizens. We are excited to welcome a compassionate, motivated, and skilled professional to join our team as a Social Service Counselor, playing a vital role in the rehabilitation and well-being of youth in secure care.

In this impactful position, you will provide direct counseling and case management that supports each youth’s emotional, behavioral, and social development. Through meaningful one-on-one interventions, dynamic group facilitation, and collaborative treatment planning, you will help guide young people toward healthier choices and brighter futures. The ideal candidate brings empathy, strong clinical insight, and a deep commitment to trauma-informed, youth-centered care—someone who believes in the potential of every young person and is energized by the opportunity to make a lasting difference.

Ideal Candidate Competencies

• Demonstrating Accountability: Owns results, meets standards, and responds to feedback professionally.
• Focusing on Customers: Understands customer needs, communicates clearly, and delivers timely, reliable service.
• Making Accurate Judgments: Makes timely, well-reasoned decisions using available info, context, and trade-offs.
• Acting with Ethics and Integrity: Acts with integrity, respects confidentiality, and treats people fairly.
• Adapting to Change: Adjusts quickly and stays effective during change.

Minimum Qualifications

• Three years of social services experience; OR
• Six years of full-time experience in any field; OR
• A bachelor's degree.

Experience Substitution

Every 30 semester hours earned from an accredited college or university will be credited as one year of experience towards the six years of full-time work experience in any field. The maximum substitution allowed is 120 semester hours which substitutes for a maximum of four years of experience in any field.

Necessary Special Requirement

Positions that provide addictive disorder counseling or prevention services will require certification or eligibility for certification issued by the Addictive Disorder Regulatory Authority (ADRA), or its successor.

Job Specification

The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.

Job Duties

• Provide individual and group counseling using behavior-modification, reality-based, and supportive therapeutic approaches.
• Collaborate with security, education, and clinical staff to develop a full profile of each youth.
• Represent youth in Reclassification, Code of Conduct, and other classification-related meetings.
• Monitor PbS data quarterly and participate in in-service training; serve as liaison across facility departments.
• Deliver targeted counseling for a designated dormitory population with significant behavioral and emotional challenges.
• Initiate, coordinate, and track psychiatric and psychological referrals; distribute clinical reports to relevant departments.
• Facilitate or co-facilitate multidisciplinary groups and programs (substance abuse, crisis counseling, Thinking for a Change, pro-social skills, victim awareness, LAMOD, family groups, regional staffings).
• Prepare progress reports, closing summaries, and correspondence for courts, probation, parole, and other agencies.
• Make recommendations for early release, step-down placement, or transfer to more secure settings when appropriate.
• Maintain complete and accurate case records, including counseling notes, visitation updates, custody levels, and required documentation for courts and families.
• Support dormitory operations by assisting the Group Leader with daily routines, youth needs, activities, and informal staff oversight; represent supervisory staff when needed.
• Perform additional duties as assigned, including Social Services Counselor responsibilities.

Position-Specific Details

Work Location: This vacancy is located at the Acadiana Center for Youth in Bunkie, Louisiana.

Appointment Type: Full-time Probational, Promotional, Detail to Special Duty, or Job Appointment

Career Progression: This position may be filled as a Social Service Counselor 1, 2, or 3.

The incumbent of this position must not have been convicted or pled nolo contendere to a crime listed in R.S. 15:587.1 (c).

The Office of Juvenile Justice will receive a list of eligible applicants ONLY from the people who respond to this posting.

Contact

Garilyn London

OJJ/ Human Resources Division

[e-mail]

In the supplemental questions section, applicants must authorize the HR Office of Juvenile Justice to contact prior employers to check references under the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) to be considered for employment.

The Office of Juvenile Justice is a State as a Model Employer (SAME) agency that supports improved employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. For more information on employment-related resources available for those with disabilities, refer to the Louisiana Employment Resource Guide.

NOTE: Prior to an appointment, the selected applicant must take and pass a drug screening test, possess a valid Louisiana Driver's License and clear a background check.

This agency participates in the E-Verify system for verification of citizenship and employment authorization.

Louisiana State Government represents a wide variety of career options and offers an outstanding opportunity to make a difference through public service. With an array of career opportunities in every major metropolitan center and in many rural areas, state employment provides an outstanding option to begin or continue your career.

Benefits and Perks

• Insurance Coverage: More information can be found at https://info.groupbenefits.org/
• Parental Leave – Up to six weeks paid parental leave. More information can be found at https://www.civilservice.louisiana.gov/Parental-Leave/Default.aspx
• Holidays and Leave – State employees receive the following paid holidays each year: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Mardi Gras, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Additional holidays may be proclaimed by the Governor.
• Retirement – State Of Louisiana Employees Are Eligible To Participate In Various Retirement Systems (based On The Type Of Appointment And Agency For Which An Employee Works). These Retirement Systems Provide Retirement Allowances And Other Benefits For State Officers And Employees And Their Beneficiaries. State Retirement Systems May Include (but Are Not Limited To): Louisiana State Employees Retirement System (www.lasersonline.org). LASERS has provided this video to give you more detailed information about their system Teacher's Retirement System of Louisiana (www.trsl.org), Louisiana School Employees Retirement System (www.lsers.net), among others