TJJD - Juvenile Correctional Officer II / III / IV - Mental Health Treatment Program (MHTP) - Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) - Behavior Stabilization Unit (BSU) - (GID)

About the role

This position provides supervision and direct care for youth in a residential correctional facility. The role includes helping youth to achieve progress in learning and applying methods to identify and manage reactions to stress and trauma, and reacting in more socially appropriate ways. It also involves facilitating unit programming, scheduling, and safety protocols, using appropriate intervention methods in response to behavioral issues.

Responsibilities

• Engages in competency-based training in the techniques and capabilities needed to coach youth under the Texas Model of trauma-informed corrections.
• Holds youth accountable in ways that fit the level of behavior, seeking to help youth to learn socially acceptable responses and approaches.
• Uses good judgment in determining when safety is at risk and higher levels of intervention are required.
• Helps youth to identify their responses to stress, fear, and other triggers and works with the youth to learn ways to increase emotional self-regulation skills.
• Practices and models appropriate self-regulation skills and remains calm during times of stress and crisis.
• Gains a basic knowledge of each youth's treatment plan and provides support in learning the skills and applying Texas Model and clinical interventions recommendations needed to meet those goals.
• Coaches youth on how to resolve conflict and helps to facilitate repairs with other youth and staff as appropriate.
• Participates in the Youth Service Team and provides input into each youth's treatment plan; and is a responsible and supportive team member, who understands that an effective team is composed of reliable people who provide backup and support for their fellow team members and the facility as a whole.
• Provides for a predictable schedule for youth that is transparent to them and provides warnings and prompts for all movements and transitions; and exercises appropriate independent judgment when the need arises to alter a schedule (while still maintaining transparency and warnings).
• Implements and monitors youth activities, programs, and behaviors on an individual and group basis, to ensure healthy youth engagement and to provide appropriate role modeling for all youth.
• Observes and keeps staff informed daily of significant behavioral medical, social, emotional needs and treatment-related conditions and events known about a youth and/or the group.
• Provides services to potentially aggressive/combative youth in a correctional setting with a wide variety of temperaments (volatile, mentally ill, suicidal) and specialized needs (chemically dependent, sexual offenders/misbehaviors, emotionally disturbed, developmental delays, etc.).
• Physically restrains and secures, if necessary, sometimes aggressive youth and participates in follow up debriefing conversations to assess the relationship and determine alternative strategies to avoid future physical restraints.
• Maintains security in buildings, grounds, and other posts; intervenes during emergencies or altercations to prevent escapes and protect the safety of all youth.
• Conducts searches for contraband and health/safety hazards; performs room, property pat, and strip searches of youth as required.
• Supervises assigned youth during all of their daily activities, including on the dorm, at school, during meals, and other activities; manages all movements between activities; conducts periodic headcounts; ensures youth engage in required activities; and transfers and transports youth, on foot, in vehicles, and other forms of transportation.
• Maintains privacy and follows all policies, regulation, and laws in regards to youth records.
• Completes and maintains required records, files, and forms in a timely and accurate way.
• Performs a variety of related duties not listed, to be determined and assigned as needed.
• Performs all duties in compliance with agency safety policies and procedures: Reports safety hazards and corrects hazards when possible. Completes required documentation in the event of an accident/injury within requested timeframes. Attends work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency attendance and leave policies.

Requirements

• Must be at least 21 years of age and have a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Preferred qualifications include a college degree or coursework, experience supervising or providing rehabilitation/treatment services to youth or adults in a treatment program, correctional program, or a residential setting, and certification in TJJD's Use of Force techniques and First Aid and CPR.
• Must pass mandatory pre-employment drug test, fingerprinting, criminal records check, and driving record check; Fitness-for-Duty Assessment which may include both physical and behavior evaluations.
• Requires certification in TJJD's Use of Force techniques, which requires physical restraint of juveniles, and certification in First Aid and CPR.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of safety and security procedures and practices.
• Knowledge of general counseling and guidance techniques with adolescents.
• Knowledge of facility rules and regulations.
• Knowledge of individual and group behavior.
• Knowledge of child development and the role of the family.
• Knowledge of causes of juvenile delinquency and current methods of juvenile offender treatment.
• Ability to remain calm and regulate one's own behavior while helping to serve as a role model for youth who are learning to self-regulate their own behavior.
• Ability to maintain healthy and engaging relationships with youth while maintaining appropriate boundaries important for healthy development.
• Ability to work with youth in an empathetic and understanding manner with sustained positive interactions.
• Ability to communicate effectively with youth to foster youth cooperation in the treatment process.
• Ability to plan and implement youth programs.
• Ability to facilitate group discussions and activities.
• Ability to set limits on youth behaviors when appropriate in a consistent, firm and fair manner.
• Ability to intervene and redirect behavior.
• Ability to appropriately respond to abusive language and behavior in a manner consistent with instructions received in training.
• Ability to remain alert, observant, and physically able to respond appropriately to work situations or emergencies including, but not limited to, physical restraint of youth.
• Ability to learn verbal and physical crisis intervention/de-escalation techniques and emergency treatment procedures.
• Ability to maintain order and discipline.
• Ability to physically restrain youth, when necessary, in a manner consistent with instructions received in training.
• Ability to explain the progress of the youth to their family members and other treatment staff.
• Ability to interpret rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Ability to accept and adapt to changes in assignments, methods, policies, etc.
• Ability to work collaboratively with all stakeholders and maintain a professional, courteous demeanor.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks.
• Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate work assignments; and meet deadlines.
• Ability to process information logically, make decisions, and demonstrate the soundness for those decisions.
• Ability to document observations and incidents and maintain written files and records.
• Ability to transport youth and travel as necessary.
• Ability to utilize Texas Model levels of engagement to appropriately intervene with youth.
• Ability to work a variety of shifts, weekends, holidays, and be on-call.
• Ability to work in excess of 40 hours per workweek, and travel, when required.

Benefits

Includes promotion opportunity within the TJJD career ladder for Juvenile Correctional Officers, with salary adjustments based on experience and performance. New hires or rehires separated more than 18 months must attend pre-service training academy and full-time on-the-job training. Physical and mental demands include remaining calm and regulating behavior, maintaining healthy relationships, and responding to emergencies.

Pay

Salary range is based on experience and performance, with opportunities for advancement within the TJJD career ladder for Juvenile Correctional Officers.

Schedule

Works assigned shift, is subject to being on-call, and may be required to work in excess of 40 hours per work week. Occasional travel may be required.