NSD Children's Counselor (5404)

About the role

The Non-Secure Detention Counselor plays a vital role in ensuring the safety, well-being, and positive development of at-risk youth in a short-term residential detention facility. Responsible for supervising the daily activities of youth, the counselor provides a safe, structured, and therapeutic environment. The facility houses residents for short-term stays, during which staff ensure that all youth adhere to program schedules, maintain proper behavior, and participate in daily activities. In this dynamic environment, the counselor will work collaboratively with leadership to address any concerns and support the facility’s mission to foster a safe and supportive space for youth during their stay.

Responsibilities

• Provides daily support, supervision, and mentorship to youth
• Models positive behavior and conflict-resolution strategies
• Helps youth develop life skills, emotional regulation, and accountability
• Ensures safety, structure, and consistency within the facility
• Collaborates with case managers, probation officers, educators, and mental health professionals ensuring youth’s well-being
• Maintains accurate documentation and provides detailed documentation pertaining to incident management
• Performs daily food preparation
• Adheres to agency policies and procedures; follows and supports agency mission, vision, and values including participating in internal surveys and data collection for continuous improvement initiatives
• Assists with daily general household tasks including but not limited to laundry
• Transports youth and performs check-in with youth while outside the facility
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

• Minimum of High School Diploma or GED required
• Minimum 1 year of experience working in juvenile detention centers, group homes, youth shelters, youth diversion programs, or in a comparable discipline involving work with youth and families OR an associate’s degree in Human Services, Social Work, Psychology, Criminal Justice, or a closely related field may be substituted for the required experience
• Successful completion of training of Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) certification and First Aid/CPR training is required following hire as part of on-the-job training
• Successful completion and training to administer medication under direction of facility or designee
• Must be able to work a flexible schedule with variable hours including day, evening, weekend, and holidays
• Must have a valid driver’s license with an acceptable driving history
• Ability to work with an economically and culturally diverse population

Pay

The hourly pay ranges from $25.50 to $26.75 per hour, based on experience.

Benefits

• One hour of paid travel time per workday
• Mileage reimbursement for eligible miles
• $500 monthly travel stipend during the transitional period