Social Service Counselor 1, 2, OR 3

Social Service Counselor 1, 2, Or 3

At the Louisiana Department of Corrections, our mission is to promote public safety and strengthen communities through fair, professional, and responsive corrections services. We are committed to protecting the people of Louisiana with integrity, accountability, and a deep respect for the rights and dignity of all. This is an opportunity to become part of a dedicated team supporting public safety, working in a correctional facility where professionalism, resilience, and teamwork are essential. EHCC houses adult male inmates of minimum, medium, or maximum security custody. The incumbent will be cross-trained in various case management duties to assist the mental health department's clinical staff in their obligations to the inmate population at Elayn Hunt Correctional Center.

An ideal candidate should possess the following competencies:

• Making Accurate Judgments: The ability to form an opinion objectively and decisively based on relevant information and in accordance with established standards.
• Managing Resources: The ability to ensure resources such as time, money, and people are utilized appropriately to result in maximum business value.
• Thinking Critically: The ability to generate ideas, manipulate ideas, and make unconventional connections to develop original approaches.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Three years of social services experience; OR
• Six years of full-time experience in any field; OR
• A bachelor's degree.

Experience substitution: Every 30 semester hours earned from an accredited college or university will be credited as one year of experience towards the six years of full-time work experience in any field. The maximum substitution allowed is 120 semester hours which substitutes for a maximum of four years of experience in any field.

Necessary Special Requirement: Positions that provide addictive disorder counseling or prevention services will require certification or eligibility for certification issued by the Addictive Disorder Regulatory Authority (ADRA), or its successor.

Job Duties:

• Assists the mental health department with discharge planning for both medically compromised and mentally ill clients in particular due to their needs for more comprehensive services upon release.
• Will work with multiple disciplines within the Department of Corrections as well as being a liaison between various outside agencies to link the clients with appropriate housing.
• Duties will include making mental health appointments, working with nursing homes and completing various tasks associated with getting eligible clients approved for and placed in appropriate nursing homes to meet their particular needs. Housing assistance to include applying for and following up on bridge funding as well as completing SSI (social security) paperwork for those clients to which this would apply.
• Compiles data, maintains records, and keeps stats for the department on these placements.

Position-Specific Details:

• Appointment Type: PROBATION, or PROMOTION OF A PERMANENT, CLASSIFIED LOUISIANA STATE EMPLOYEE
• Current permanent status classified LA State employees may be required to accept a probational appointment if accepted.
• An employee selected for a promotion may be required to serve a trial detail prior to being permanently promoted.
• This posting may also be used to fill a vacancy as a temporary job appointment. If filled as a temporary job appointment, should a permanent position become available, the employee may be converted to a probational appointment.
• Career Progression Group: SOCIAL SERVICE COUNSELOR 1, 2, or 3
• Filled at the highest level of experience of the selected applicant.
• Salary depends on level of experience.

Other Important Information:

• IMPORTANT: In the supplemental questions section, applicants must authorize the HR Office of DPS&C-Corrections Services to contact prior employers to check references under the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), to be considered for employment, by answering 'YES' to the PREA question.
• Any degree, certificate, special license, or DD-214 must be verified by official documentation prior to hire.
• Any qualifying experience that is based on college credit/college hours should have an accompanying transcript for verification.
• This is a 24-hour facility.
• Applicants may be required to work shift work.
• This Agency is a Drug Free Workplace.

How to Apply:

No Civil Service test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy. To apply for this vacancy, click on the "Apply" link above and complete an electronic application, which can be used for this vacancy as well as future job opportunities. Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the Information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.

Information to support your eligibility for this job title must be included in the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education). Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections on your application. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.

The Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections - Corrections Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on any non-merit factor including disability.