TJJD - Parole Officer II - Institutional Parole Of

About the Role

The Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) offers an evidence-based rehabilitation strategy with supplemental specialized treatment programs and services to youth committed to the agency. The agency's rehabilitative strategy includes a reentry system which aims to connect youth and their families to community resources well in advance of the youth's return to the community, and to execute those plans effectively following the youth's return, to maximize potential for a positive outcome.

The reentry system includes preparation and assistance to connect with services in the following areas: housing, transportation, workforce development employment, leisure skills activities, faith-based programming, mentoring, medical care, disability services, and specialized aftercare services including mental health treatment, aggression management, sexual behavior treatment, and substance use treatment.

An Institutional Parole Officer performs moderately complex (journey-level) care navigation and transition service-related work with primary responsibility of managing a caseload of youth with complex needs, severe emotional disturbance, and/or severe persistent mental illness; and those referred to Hard to Place Youth care coordination. The role requires coordinating closely with facility integrated treatment professionals, youth, community-based professionals, and families to ensure each youth's health and psychosocial needs are met post-release.

The position is located at the respective institutional facility and may require working in the facility staffing count in certain safety-related circumstances, though this is not a routine expectation. Works under general supervision with limited latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. May require working in excess of 40 hours per workweek, being on-call, and occasional travel.

Responsibilities

• Actively participates in staff and special meetings related to reentry and programming initiatives by preparing relevant information, identifying concerns and trends, recommending process improvements, and collaborating with multidisciplinary team members to enhance service delivery.
• Leads multidisciplinary care coordination meetings for Hard-to-Place Youth, ensuring effective collaboration among internal and external stakeholders to support successful reentry outcomes.
• Conducts interviews, screenings, and assessments with youth and caregivers to evaluate care coordination needs, determine reentry readiness, and identify required support services.
• Develops individualized reentry plans for Hard-to-Place Youth that address critical areas including education, housing, employment, aftercare services, essential documentation, peer recovery services, pro-social activities, and disability services.
• Coordinates and facilitates meetings involving youth, families, educational stakeholders, facility staff, and community resources to support continuity of care and successful community reintegration.
• Supports agency initiatives that strengthen reentry efforts by coordinating access to essential documents, completing Interstate Compact for Juveniles (ICJ) and disability applications, and collaborating across systems with external agencies and partners.
• Collaborates with external partners including the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), Texas Health and Human Services (HHS), Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), Interstate Compact for Juveniles (ICJ), and local nonprofit organizations to enhance reentry and care coordination services.
• Ensures specialized reentry treatment needs are identified and addressed during Youth Service Team meetings.
• Serves as the parole representative during facility meetings and related activities, coordinating with case management staff to strengthen parole involvement and support comprehensive reentry planning for youth transitioning back into the community.
• Maintains accurate and timely documentation of all youth interactions and completes reporting requirements in compliance with organizational case management standards.
• Ensures youth returning due to revocation are reassessed for additional treatment needs by conducting agency-approved screenings and assessments to identify responsivity factors contributing to the revocation.
• Performs all duties in compliance with agency safety policies and procedures, including reporting and correcting safety hazards, documenting accidents/injuries, and attending work on a regular and predictable schedule.