What are the responsibilities and job description for the Social Work / Counselor III (Commitment) - Grand Mesa YSC position at State of Colorado?
The primary duties of this position are located within 30 miles of the state border; therefore, this position is exempt from the residency requirements. Applications will be considered from residents and non-residents of Colorado.
Please note: This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies at the locations below.
Division of Youth Services - Grand Mesa Youth Services Center
About the Division of Youth Services: The Division of Youth Services (DYS) provides a continuum of residential and non-residential services that encompass juvenile detention, commitment, and parole. DYS is the agency statutorily mandated to provide for the care and supervision of youth committed by the District Court to the custody of the Colorado Department of Human Services. The Division operates fifteen secure facilities that serve youth between the ages of 10 and 21, who are pre-adjudicated, sentenced, or committed. The Division also contracts with numerous private residential and non-residential service providers throughout the State. For pre-adjudicated youth, the Division is also responsible for the management and oversight of Colorado Youth Detention Continuum, a State-funded, locally administered program that provides services to youth at risk of further progressing into the juvenile justice system. In addition to residential programming, the Division administers juvenile parole services throughout the State.We invite you to explore the DYS website and learn about the services provided to youth, families, and local communities in the State of Colorado at: https://www.colorado.gov/cdhs/dys
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Summary of Work Unit:
It is the mission of the Division of Youth Services (DYS) to effectively build skills and competencies of youth to become responsible citizens. The Social Work series and other identified Behavioral Health Specialists employed by the facility are responsible for providing evidenced based and research supported therapeutic intervention services to youth committed and detained with the Division of Youth Services. Behavioral Health Specialists are expected to provide for the therapeutic care of and support opportunities for growth and change for youth and their caregivers, to ensure healthy and successful reintegration back into our communities. These positions maintain and support the DYS treatment model and Sanctuary principles with transition staff, client management, mental health services, medical, special education, security staff and administration as needed. As a Behavioral Health Specialist within our facility, they are expected to remain current on literature and research in the field, especially as relates to emerging practices with complex mental health populations and behavioral and sensory interventions.
Summary of the position:
This position functions as a mental health counselor. This position provides mental health and case management services to committed and detained youth in the Division of Youth Services. Services to be provided include: clinical assessment (recognizing signs and symptoms of specific DSM-5 diagnosis, identifying youth in need of additional assessment interventions such as neurological testing and medication evaluation), monitoring medication effectiveness in conjunction with the facility psychiatrist, individual, group, family and milieu therapies, suicide risk assessment and monitoring, report writing, and mental health service coordination with a Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) of experts.
This position exists to provide mental health/crisis management services for a DYS detained / committed youth. DYS youth often have behavioral and/or psychiatric problems resulting from trauma-related issues such as neglect, abuse, or severe family problems. This position provides individual, group and if applicable family services to this population. This position uses the approved DYS approved Evidence Based Curricula in working with this population
Job Duties:
Provide Treatment
Maintains a caseload and conducts individual, group, and family therapy sessions using evidence-based treatment theories in mental health treatment for adolescents.
Maintains a clear understanding of adolescent development, appropriate interventions for this population, and developmental needs.
Uses theories relevant to the needs of the youth and their individual history, considering their age, ethnic, cultural, religious and sexual issues to affect behavior change. Interpret treatment issues, problems, expectation, and changes in behavior for residents and families.
Document and assess the effectiveness of specific interventions toward program progression and youth stabilization.
Therapy needs may include substance abuse, mental health issues, trauma histories, cognitive limitations, and specific services for sexually abusive or violent youth. Clinical services are relevant to the needs of the youth and the individual needs and protective factors, when identified, considering their age, ethnic, cultural, religious, and sexual issues to affect behavior change and the reduction of substance abuse activity and symptoms in the individual and family.
Provides therapeutic services using a strength-based approach and holistic manner.
Collaborate with the medical team and psychiatrist regarding psychotropic medication assessment or continuation to aid in youth stability.
Collaborate with educational/vocational systems to ensure appropriate academic services are provided.
Seek out additional resources as necessary to ensure the best approach to treating the youth based on their developmental and neurocognitive ability.
Provide therapy in a manner that is consistent with the youth’s ability, taking into account any necessary modification needed as a result of trauma, substance abuse, brain injury, and mental health disorders.
Support agency services of cognitive behavioral-based interventions, social learning theory, and motivational interviewing.
Position actively engages family/caregivers in the process of stabilizing and transitioning youth to placement.
Assess progress, and barriers to progress, and document all case management and therapeutic services in the Fusion Electronic Health Record system.
Follows Sanctuary/ROCK Program.
Facilitate Community Review Teams as needed for Individual Growth and Change Plans and other interventions as they are developed.
Assessment and Treatment Planning
This position addresses mental health and other needs identified, taking into consideration the estimated length of stay.
Review assessment data, when completed, and recommendations with youth, gather additional historical information from youth, develop therapeutic rapport, ensure the youth is engaged in a supportive and educative manner, that confidentiality is maximized and problematic symptoms are thoroughly evaluated and handled in a sensitive and safe manner.
Engage parents/family members, significant others, guardians and referring agents to interview and obtain relevant collateral and supportive data to enhance the understanding and dynamics of the youth’s situation.
This position recognizes signs and symptoms of serious mental illness (per DSM-5) standards), exacerbation of symptoms, decompensation or improvement of mental health status is imperative for monitoring each youth’s progress.
An ability to complete a brief mental health status exam is expected.
This position places an emphasis on, making recommendations, and developing alternate interventions for youth not responding positively to programming. Knowledge of suicide risk indicators is required, with ability to offer on-going suicide risk assessments of youth.
Providing input in conjunction with other transition specialists to transition planning and services to aid in successful reintegration of youth into the community. Coordination with YSSIII, Client Managers and milieu staff in the implementation of milieu interventions in order to achieve program success. Collaborate with client manager and MDT initial MDT staffing when needed. Refer to psychiatrists as needed.
Determine appropriate, strengths-based treatment goals and objectives for youth.
Determine appropriate individuals to provide treatment and other services to youth per treatment plan.
Training and Consultation
This position has a thorough knowledge of the federal confidentiality regulations 42 C.F.R. Part 2 and HIPAA, and all Colorado Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division Rules for treatment practice.
Takes responsibility for being current on literature and emerging research in the best practices of treating juvenile mental health, substance abuse issues and co-occurring disorders with a complex population.
Trains others in the facility in best practice treatment delivery approaches.
Participates in orientation, educational workshops, mental health, co-occurring disorders, and substance abuse discipline meetings, and trainings to assure and maintain competency in the provision of evidence-based substance abuse treatment services.
This position guides staff by modeling interventions, recommending practices and resident assignments that may be implemented.
Participates in initial case reviews of all new youth, assists in group placement, and assists in case consultation.
Provides trainings and consultation on a local/agency level. Is responsible for maintaining all professional certifications and licensure.
Actively participates in own professional growth and continued trainings, research and CEU’s.
Participates in clinical supervision with the clinical director.
Participates in supervision to remain in good standing for license renewals. Participates in treatment team meetings and briefings.
Provide input on decisions around milieu programming.
Provide input on implementation of treatment goals and objectives within the milieu.
Provide input in the development of additional treatment program options.
Documentation and Communication
Document in approved EHR a treatment note for all individual and group sessions in DAP format.
Group documentations must be individualized, reflecting how each particular youth participated in each group session.
Identifying appropriate information to be recorded and the appropriate place to record it.
Identifying appropriate parties to receive information on youth treatment and most appropriate mode of communication.
Education/Licensure/Certification/Experience:
Current, valid Colorado or State participating in the Social Work Licensure Compact licensure as a:
- Licensed Social Worker (LSW) OR
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) OR
- Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) OR
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
- Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC)
AND
One (1) year of experience with current, valid licensure from a state participating in the Social Work Licensure Compact based on the work assigned to the position.
Conditions of Employment:
- Must be able to obtain mental health licensure from the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies within 1 year after hire date.
- Must have a Colorado License, or be able to obtain a Colorado Driver's License within 1 year after hire date if you are an out-of-state applicant
- Full Background - Name check, TRAILS and Fingerprinting
- Colorado Driver's License
- Be a minimum of 21 years of age, with no felony convictions or history of domestic violence
- Social workers, addiction counselors, marriage family therapists, and professional counselors may practice in Colorado for a cumulative period of 20 days under C.R.S. §12-245-217(2)(e), as long as the services performed meet the individual's scope of practice.
- Non Colorado Residents must submit the required paperwork and materials to CO Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) to obtain a Colorado license within 20 days of hire.
- Continued employment is contingent upon successful completion of the DYS Pre-service Training Academy, Field Training Program (FTO) and mandatory annual training in all subject areas.
- The Diana Screen®, a sexual risk screening tool, is administered to all applicants to the Division of Youth Services (DYS) seeking positions of trust with children and teens to help ensure that ethical boundaries between children and adults are maintained. At the DYS, the safety and protection of the youth who have been entrusted to us is our #1 priority
- Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application and provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify the applicant from the current position. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS
APPEAL RIGHTS:
If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.
An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email (dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to spb.colorado.gov; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at (303) 866-3300; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.
About Us:
If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Human Services(CDHS). Our professionals strive to design and deliver high quality human and health services that improve the safety, independence, and well-being of the people of Colorado. In addition to a great location and rewarding and meaningful work, we offer:
- Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan www.copera.org plus 401(k) and 457 plans
- Medical and dental health plans
- Employer supplemented Health Savings Account
- Paid life insurance
- Short- and long-term disability coverage
- 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave
- BenefitHub state employee discount program
- Employee Wellness program MotivateMe
- Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more
- Remote work arrangements for eligible positions
*Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more
information, go to https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dhr/student-loan-forgiveness-programs.
Our Values:
We believe in a people-first approach: To serve the people of Colorado, we develop a culture and work environment that creates an energized, inspired, and healthy team capable of giving their best to Coloradans.
Balance creates quality of life: We want our team to be resilient through a supportive workplace that values flexibility, health and wellness, and employee engagement.
We hold ourselves accountable: We take responsibility through our actions, programs, and results for the state of health and human services in Colorado.
Transparency matters: We are open and honest with employees, our partners, the Coloradans we serve, and the public.
We are ethical: We abide by what is best for those we serve by doing what is right, not what is easy.
Collaboration helps us rise together: We work together with all partners, employees, and clients to achieve the best outcomes for Coloradans.
ADAA Accommodations:
CDHS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinator, Nancy Schmelzer, at cdhs_ada@state.co.us or call 1-800-929-0791.
Salary : $81,000
