DJS RESIDENT ADVISOR TRAINEE Washington & Frederick Counties Only

About the role

The Maryland Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) is seeking passionate individuals for the role of DJS Resident Advisor Trainee. This entry-level position involves providing supervision and guidance to youth in facilities operated by DJS.

Responsibilities

• Learns to escort groups of youth to and from daily activities at the facility and to supervise their conduct during movement and daily activities;
• Learns to observe individual and group behaviors and to determine when intervention or guidance is needed by the youth under his/her care;
• Learns to intervene in situations involving agitated or overwrought youth to prevent fights and to de-escalate potentially harmful behaviors;
• Learns to suggest alternative ways of reacting to problems, and may be required to physically restrain youth;
• Learns to promote an environment conducive to learning helpful alternative behaviors by encouraging communication among youth and staff, guiding and critiquing group discussions, offering advice at appropriate junctures and serving as a mentor and role model for resident youth;
• Learns to monitor the behavior of youth and assist them in complying with daily and weekly schedules of attending classes, completing school assignments, sleeping, eating and performing personal hygiene tasks;
• Learns to record behavior observations, prepare progress and incident reports on assigned youth for review by supervisors, and recommend behavioral sanctions;
• Learns to inspect residence areas for safety, security and cleanliness;
• Learns to assess inappropriate behaviors and recommend behavioral sanctions to supervisors;
• Attends in-service training on topics, such as crisis prevention, suicide prevention, emergency medical treatments, and behavioral modification models to maintain knowledge of childcare needs, counseling methods and trends in the juvenile justice field and to obtain and maintain certification;
• Learns to assess emergency and crisis situations, make appropriate contacts and referrals, and provide interim emergency medical and other assistance until specialized assistance is available;
• May be assigned to a cottage or dormitory post at night;
• May accompany youth to community service activities outside the facility;
• Performs other related duties.

Requirements

Education: Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: None.

Note: The above educational requirement is set by the Maryland Correctional Training Commission in accordance with the Correctional Services Article, Section 8-209, Annotated Code of Maryland.

Desired or Preferred Qualifications: Employment experience within the past 18 months, Associate’s Degree in a related field (e.g., Criminal Justice, Social or Behavioral Sciences).

Licenses, Registrations and Certifications: Employees in this classification must complete and successfully pass the Entrance Level Correctional Training Course for DJS staff required for the Maryland Correctional Training Commission certificate during the probationary period.

Special Requirements: In accordance with the Correctional Services Article, Section 8-209 of the Annotated Code of Maryland, the Maryland Correctional Training Commission shall establish the minimum qualifications for probationary or permanent appointment of a Department of Juvenile Services employee in a mandated position. These requirements are listed in detail in the Code of Maryland Regulations 12.10.01.04, general regulations of the Maryland Correctional Training Commission, and include:

• U.S. Citizenship or Resident Alien status;
• Must be at least 21 years of age;
• A thorough background check, including fingerprinting and drug testing;
• An oral interview;
• Physical and psychological examinations.

Employees in this classification are subject to substance abuse testing in accordance with Code of Maryland Regulations 17.04.09.03, Testing for Illegal Use of Drugs.