SOCIAL SERVICE COUNSELOR 1/2/3

Grambling State University; Columbia (LA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Office of Juvenile Justice in Columbia, Louisiana is seeking a Social Service Counselor to provide individual and group counseling, develop treatment plans, and guide youth toward healthier choices in secure care.

You will collaborate with security, education, and clinical staff, maintain case records, and participate in multidisciplinary groups while upholding trauma‑informed, youth‑centered care principles.

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.

Responsibilities

• Provide individual and group counseling using behavior-modification 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.

Skills

Accountability

Customer focus

Judgment

Ethics & integrity

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Office of Juvenile Justice – Swanson Center for Youth-Columbia

132 LA-850, Columbia, LA 71418

https://ojj.la.gov/location/swanson-center-for-youth-columbia

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.

AN IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL POSSESS THE FOLLOWING 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.

• 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.

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 Swanson Center for Youth in Columbia, 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).

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.

If you are contacted for an interview, please let us know at that time if you will need special accommodations.

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.

For further information about this vacancy, contact:
Garilyn London
OJJ/ Human Resources Division
[e-mail]