CLASSIFICATION TITLE: Youth Specialist II & Youth Specialist III
FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt
EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Full-time
DEPARTMENT: Detention
REPORTS TO: Youth Specialist Supervisor
CIVIL SERVICE STATUS: Unclassified
PAY GRADE: A9 and A12
WORK SCHEDULE: 40 hours per week
DISTINGUISHING JOB CHARACTERISTICS
This position is in a 24 hour/7 day a week correctional facility and will be assigned to a work shift, with essential job duties and responsibilities specific to the shift’s needs. Work involves monitoring, coaching and directing juvenile behavior and activities in a correctional setting.
“In this position, you are an At-Will Employee serving at the pleasure of the Judge.”
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfactorily perform each essential duty listed below. Reasonable accommodations will be made for disabled persons, covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, in accordance with its requirements.
Supervise and monitor youth in a detention/correctional facility in accordance with established procedures, processes and requirements.
Observe youth behavior and maintain awareness of juvenile emotional and physical needs. Watch for signs of depression, suicide, disturbances, escape plans and other problems and issues. Maintain group control. Control noise level, behavior, and diffuse potentially escalating situations through application of verbal and non-verbal deescalating techniques.
Provide therapeutic environment that promotes accountability and appropriate consequences for delinquent behavior. Expose youth to adaptive and social skills training and teach and mentor responsibility and self-control. Ensure youth attend required educational classes.
Maintain and enforce security procedures and ensure safety and security of both youth and staff. Resolve differences and disagreements among youth and intervene in youth altercations. Help restrain youth and deal with behavior problems as necessary in accordance with prescribed guidelines. Conduct searches of youth and rooms to locate contraband and conduct night perimeter checks to identify unusual situations to ensure building security.
Complete Behavior Observation Logs which reflect juvenile behavior, problems, visitation, isolation, restrictions, interaction with peers, and other issues. Complete incident reports, damage reports, emergency medical reports and other records. Recommend discipline and complete juvenile disciplinary reports.
Conduct group sessions to help establish peer communication and understanding, and to explore alternatives to delinquent behavior. Guide students in owning their decisions and developing a strong sense of self-worth. Assist youth in dealing with peer and social pressures, and family issues. Guide youth in developing school, home and social skills, and assist in formulating life objectives.
Maintain communication with “ending shift” Youth Specialists to discuss youth problems, incidences and other issues to ensure understanding of youth issues and needs and maintain security.
Operate vehicle to transport youth to and from hospital, medical appointments, activities, programs and other locations.
Monitor visitation and maintain log reflecting names of visitors, juvenile visited and related information. Observe visitors and monitor physical contact between youth and visitor to maintain facility security. Confer with parents and guardians to provide feedback and solicit information pertaining to youth problems, issues and needs.
Admit youth to facility. Search youth for contraband, require youth to shower, and provide youth with personal necessities. Conduct initial orientation and attitude testing to assess youth’s mental, emotional and academic status. Explain facility rules and regulations and provide juveniles with a handbook to guide behavior and document understanding.
Provide basic physical needs for youth. Prepare for meal time and serve meals. Provide clothing, bedding, and other necessary items.
Provide CPR, AED and first aid as necessary, and contact medical personnel to provide professional medical care in serious emergency situations. Accompany youth to hospital to maintain security and youth well-being.
OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Perform related duties as assigned.
SCOPE OF SUPERVISION
Supervise up to 15 youth in a secure environment.
EQUIPMENT OPERATED
Vehicle, computer, copier, telephone and other standard office equipment; microwave, clothes washer and dryer; laundry cart; general household equipment; gym equipment; TV; DVD player; keys; handcuffs; shackles; mobile radio.
CONTACT WITH OTHERS
Juveniles; Mental health staff; youth families; legal guardians; clergy; interns; law enforcement officers; Public Defenders; Prosecutors; Probation & Parole Officers; Judges; Magistrates; Social Workers; counselors & therapists; Doctors; Teachers; Intervention staff; Children Service Workers; volunteers; Court administration.
CONFIDENTIAL DATA
Juvenile records; juvenile medical records; Court records; educational records; Youth Behavior Logs.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Good general working conditions but with occasional exposure to outside weather conditions when transporting youth or supervising outside activities. Possible exposure to assaults from youth. Possible exposure to blood, urine and other bodily fluids. Job requires employee to make physical contact with youth for the purposes of restraining, transporting, etc.
USUAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The following physical demands are typically exhibited by position incumbents performing this job’s essential duties and responsibilities. These physical demands are not and should not be construed to be job qualification standards, but are illustrated to help the employer, employee and/or applicant identify tasks where reasonable accommodation may need to be made when an otherwise qualified person is unable to perform the job’s essential duties because of an ADA disability.
The job duties require an employee to be absent from any limitations, which would impair effective performance. While performing duties of this job, the employee normally must be able to walk through the facility, perform physical labor, and may occasionally have to physically restrain and control individuals of varying weights and strengths, for short and prolonged periods. The employee typically stands for one or two hours at a time, bending, walking and running. The employee may occasionally drag weights up to 175 pounds and lift heavy objects up to 25 pounds. The employee commonly uses normal visual demands and must normally be able to converse verbally with the youth, visitors, family members, and general public and others, and to hear. The employee may occasionally sit in and operate a vehicle for variable periods of time. The employee is required to provide coverage for call-ins, high count and any open shift, as needed.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Knowledge of: facility rules, regulations and policy; laws related to detention operations; basic psychology and human relations; societal & familial issues; group dynamics; crisis intervention process and techniques; counseling techniques; security and safety precautions.
Ability to: apply regulatory requirements to practical situations; empathize with youths’ problems and serve as role model; post information accurately and legibly to written record; deal and communicate effectively with youth; develop and maintain effective working relationships with associates, youth, family members, visitors and general public; maintain confidentiality of confidential and sensitive subject matter; exercise sound judgement in making fair but firm decisions; work in a locked environment.; physically restrain an individual.
Skill in: first aid; CPR; listening; crisis intervention; mediation; verbal and written communication; observation; mediating differences between youth; adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing whole numbers; reading.
QUALIFICATIONS
YS II - High School Diploma or GED; experience working with youth preferred; Ability to pass criminal background checks; valid driver license and car insurance required.
YS III - Bachelor’s degree or higher; experience working with youth preferred; Ability to pass criminal background checks and valid driver license and car insurance.
Ability to document identity and employment eligibility within three (3) days of original appointment as a condition of employment in compliance with Immigration Reform and Control Act requirements.
LICENSURE OR CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
State Motor Vehicle Operator’s License.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.
