TJJD - Program Specialist IV - Family Liaison (GID

About the role

We are committed to transforming lives and building safer communities by working collaboratively, communicating openly, and upholding the highest standards of integrity and professionalism. Our team models accountability, transparency, and respect, taking proactive steps to ensure the physical and emotional safety of youth, staff, and the community.

Job Description

Performs highly complex (senior-level) consultative services and technical assistance work that involves planning, developing, and enhancing the agency's family reintegration goals. Facilitates a proactive, strengths-based, and holistic experience created with, and for, youth and their families, which begins at the time of commitment and sets up appropriate transitions supports.

Work involves providing outreach and service provision to youth and families and increasing meaningful connection while the youth is incarcerated. Work involves visitation support, orientation to TJJD services, providing support for families of youth who have needs beyond what can be addressed through the agency's standard case management and treatment practices.

Responsibilities

• Teaches assigned youth and families to navigate systems (medical, behavioral health, educational, workforce, human service agencies, community resources, housing, transportation, recreational/leisure) and to appropriately advocate for themselves within these systems.
• Works in partnership with the youth's identified family members, treatment team members, and assigned parole officer to provide support and enrichment approaches to bridge gaps and address areas of need identified.
• Collaborates with parole office staff, case managers, community resource personnel, local and state mental health authorities, local and state rehabilitative service agencies, local and state child placement agencies, and private residential providers.
• Coordinates visitation between youth and family and monitors visitor application process to ensure appropriate approvals are completed through visitor tracking system.
• Assists with support of visitation on the weekends.
• Participates in interagency/community committees and work groups which are involved in services provided for youth and families to enhance the continuity of care and re-entry process for youth and families.
• Provides DBT skills groups and resources, parenting education and support through the Family Reunification Series, specialized services and comprehensive case management to incarcerated and their families.
• Plans and coordinates campus Family Days.

Requirements

Works under limited supervision with moderate latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. May be required to work more than 40 hours per workweek, be on-call, work on weekends, and travel occasionally.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree with major course work in psychology, social work, family relations, criminal justice, or other related social science or behavioral science field. OR Five (5) years of full-time wage-earning experience that may be any combination of the following: (1) supervising or providing rehabilitation/treatment services to juveniles in a residential setting, treatment program, parole setting, or correctional program; (2) experience involving development and implementation of individual rehabilitation or treatment case plans, assessment of treatment needs, development and coordination of treatment services, or individual counseling; or (3) working with youth and families in a related field.