Correctional Counselor (#MDDP01)

A class incumbent is responsible for professional counseling work providing rehabilitation services to adult offenders incarcerated in correctional institutions or assigned to Community Corrections.

An incumbent in this class works under the supervision of a technical supervisor and participates with other counseling personnel and/or members of the institutional team involved in inmate/client rehabilitation/treatment by individual counseling sessions. A class incumbent evaluates inmates progress in attainment of goals and adjusts treatment plans as needed. Work includes frequent contact with security, educational and other treatment staff in order to monitor inmates/client's progress towards resocialization. In addition, incumbents maintain case records and prepare various reports regarding initial assessment, inmate progress and security classification of inmates motivating criminally-oriented persons towards re-socialization.

Essential functions are fundamental, core functions common to all positions in the class series and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job duties for any one position in the class. Since class specifications are descriptive and not restrictive, incumbents can complete job duties of similar kind not specifically listed here.

• Conducts individual counseling sessions with assigned inmates/clients.
   
• Develops treatment program based on counseling sessions, information obtained from inmate files, records, and reports as well as from family members, associates, former employers, and other counselors or rehabilitation team members.
   
• Assesses inmate progress efforts towards re-socialization and compliance with treatment program recommendations.
   
• Prepares a variety of records, reports and summary evaluations relative to inmate progress.
   
• Maintains files on clients/inmates which include supporting documentation, classification reports, social histories, progress notes and counseling records.
   
• Participates in case conferences regarding treatment alternatives of inmates/clients.  Makes referrals to such resources as drug or alcohol treatment programs, educational programs etc.
   
• Makes recommendations relative to appropriate classification level of inmates/clients based on assessment of behavioral/attitudinal changes and positive effort made towards self improvement and compliance with program/institutional requirement.
   
• Serves on a variety of boards and committees, such as the Multi-Disciplinary Team's classification committee and inmate grievance committees.

The intent of the listed knowledge, skills and abilities is to give a general indication of the core requirements for all positions in the class series; therefore, the KSA’s listed are not exhaustive or necessarily inclusive of the requirements of every position in the class.

• Knowledge of human behavior with particular emphasis on criminally oriented or deviant behavior.
• Knowledge of psychological counseling techniques, attitude/behavior assessment, and symptoms of maladaptive behavior.
• Skill in eliciting information of a sensitive nature from a variety of persons of varying social-economic backgrounds.
• Ability to establish effective two-way communication with criminally oriented person, recognize symptoms and patterns of abnormal or anti-social behavior/attitude and develop the appropriate course of action.
• Ability to work harmoniously with other professionals involved in inmate/client treatment programs with an appreciation for other points of view and professional judgement.

JOB REQUIREMENTS for Correctional Counselor
Applicants must have education, training and/or experience demonstrating competence in each of the following areas:

• Possession of a Bachelors degree or higher in Behavioral or Social Science or related field.

         OR

1. Six months experience in behavior management such as understanding, explaining, describing and predicting behavior, studying the connection between behavior and its causes and identifying appropriate behavior modification strategies for individual situations.
2. Six months experience in case management which includes assessing, planning, developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating options and services to meet an individuals human service needs.
3. Six months experience in interviewing which includes using structured or unstructured interview techniques to obtain facts, explore issues and identify courses of action.
4. Six months experience in interpreting laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures.
5. Six months experience in using an automated information system to enter, update, modify, delete, retrieve/inquire and report on data.
6. Six months experience in narrative report writing.