PSCS Social Worker I, Criminal Justice

Public Safety and Correctional Services Social Workers work with individuals in the criminal justice system, focusing on rehabilitation, reintegration, and addressing issues like substance abuse and mental health within correctional facilities. 

Employees in this classification do not supervise other PSCS Social Workers, Criminal Justice.  Positions duties for both levels include, but are not limited to:

• Applying social work values, principles and techniques to assist clients to confront their personality disorders including anti-social behaviors and any co-existing health, mental health, substance abuse or other social adjustment factors; 
• Providing individual therapeutic social work counseling, crisis intervention and on-going treatment to clients with chronic health or mental health conditions and other presenting social adjustment factors, such as substance abuse, physical or developmental disability or communicable disease; 
• Providing psycho-social assessments and remediation plans and makes treatment recommendations; 
• Completing required institutional or court reports and recommendations; 
• May conduct therapeutic group sessions with a cognitive behavioral theory base to remediate clients’ personality disorders, including anti-social behaviors; 
• May participate in multidisciplinary treatment teams; 
• May participate on special work groups to develop proposals for treatment interventions and new treatment protocols or recommendations for agency social work policies and procedures; 
• May conduct support groups to address social and emotional issues of special concern to clients, such as grief, pregnancy, parenting skills and domestic violence; 
• May maintain special files related to confidential social work interactions with clients in a correctional facility; 
• May provide case management services and act as liaison to community organizations to develop and coordinate after-care plans for special needs clients scheduled for release from a correctional facility; 
• May act as a mentor to social work interns by providing guidance in specialized areas of group and individual counseling and may provide guidance in case management; 
• May provide forensic social work services; 
• May provide expert testimony in court proceedings; 
• Performs other related duties.

PSCS Social Worker I, Criminal Justice: This position is classified as intermediate level work that receives moderate supervision from a PSCS Social Worker Supervisor, Criminal Justice.

Experience: None.

Most recent job experience is (or was) with the US Federal Government or Maryland State Government, defined as AT LEAST ONE of the below:

• Currently employed with the US Federal Government;
• Separated from the US Federal Government after January 15, 2025, with or without other employment since;
• Currently employed with the Maryland State Government.

2. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle.  Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

2. Employees must complete an approved training program in group counseling techniques. 

3. Employees may be required to complete the Level I Counseling course certified by the Maryland AIDS Professional Education Center. 

4. Employees required to qualify for and successfully complete the Entry Level Training Academy operated by the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commissions.

After your application is reviewed, you will receive a notice to your online account of whether you meet the qualifications. If you meet that threshold, your application will be forwarded to the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, and you may hear from them to begin an interview process.

Paper application materials must be received in our office by the closing date for the recruitment. No postmarks will be accepted.

For questions regarding this recruitment, please contact the DBM Recruitment and Examination Division at Application.Help@maryland.gov or 410-767-4850, MD TTY Relay Service 1-800-735-2258. 

The State of Maryland is committed to diversity among its staff and recognizes that its continued success requires the highest commitment to obtaining and retaining a diverse staff that provides the best quality services to supporters and constituents. 

The State of Maryland is an equal opportunity employer and it is our policy to recruit, hire, train, promote and administer any and all personnel actions without regard to sex, race, age, color, creed, national origin, religion, economic status, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity or expression, ethnic identity or disability, or any other legally protected basis. The State of Maryland is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities in the hiring process and on the job, as required by applicable law. The State of Maryland will not tolerate any unlawful discrimination, and any such conduct is strictly prohibited.