Family Counselor-Juvenile Residential

The Juvenile Residential Counselor will effectively engage youth and families, helping them to maximize their strengths, build assets, and minimize weaknesses.

Education / Experience Requirements

• Minimum of a Bachelor degree in social work, criminal justice, or related field.
• A minimum of two years progressive experience in providing services with youth and families.

Essential Functions

• Meets and counsels individual students as necessary.
• Conducts a minimum of two face to face monthly sessions with assigned families.
• Maintains routine telephone contact with families, referring workers and other stakeholders involved in the student’s treatment plan.
• Continually assesses the viability of assigned families to effectively provide nurturance and support for their son.
• Assists parents and student in identifying and resolving crises.
• Devises, implements and supports intervention strategies with families promoting successful reintegration and community based living.
• Arranges use of campus facilities and programs with families (e. g., visitation, family days, cabin visits, etc.).
• Helps family learn how to identify and deal with community service agencies.
• Interacts with referring agents through telephone contacts, personal meetings and correspondence.
• Represents agency in community contacts, IEP (Individualized Education Plan) committees, and court hearings for assigned cases during placement.
• Serves as primary case manager for assigned students through be regular communication with referring workers, other stakeholders, and providing documentation and testimony in court proceedings.
• Prepares reports and records according to the formats required by Highfields, MDHHS, referring courts, and/or the placing agency, and does this in a timely and accurate manner.
• Coordinates and implements a reintegration plan with students and families as they prepare to return to their community.
• Meet with family and other members of aftercare plan within two weeks after release, meet once per month thereafter.
• Be accessible and available by phone for crisis situations.
• Uses supervisor consistently and effectively as resource for increasing and improving job knowledge, job performance, and for resolving job-related issues.
• Participates in agency training as well as professional workshops and conferences to enhance job-related skills and adhere to agency policy.
• Effectively manages work time by setting priorities, making timetables and keeping appointments.
• Manages crisis situations, extended travel, last minute details.

Knowledge or Experience

• Demonstrated ability to interact effectively with people in various situations and circumstances.
• Must possess valid driver license and have a driving record acceptable to Highfields insurance carrier.
• Be able to handle the unpredictable hours of the position, including nights and weekends to accommodate families’ schedules.
• Shall be a person of good character who possesses the health, emotional stability, maturity and strength to carry out assigned duties.
• Ability to show sensitivity to the service populations’ cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.

Travel Requirements

• Travel to clients’ homes as needed.
• Must have/maintain a valid driver’s license with minimal driving infractions

A high level of decision making is required in this position. 8 on a 10 points scale.

Physical Requirements of the job attached