Security/Crisis Response

Job Description

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is seeking a Youth Services Technician for Security and Crisis Response to join the team at the State Training School (STS) in Eldora which provides supportive counseling and behavioral health treatment for young men ages 12-18 who were adjudicated delinquent. The primary responsibility of this position is to ensure the safety of our students and staff and to monitor all areas of the campus. This is a full-time position with a 12:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. schedule over a 4-day work week, either Wednesday – Saturday or Sunday – Wednesday, and opportunity for advancement, growth, and development. In addition to the base pay, there is also a $0.90/hour shift differential for 2 nd shift and a $1.00/hour shift differential for 3 rd shift.

Some Duties Include

• Operate as security personnel campus wide.
• Assist in the physical control/restraint of assaultive students using Safe Clinch techniques.
• Maintain a controlled therapeutic atmosphere while supervising and observing student activities and communications.
• Ensure proper staff coverage throughout the facility and that safety and security are priorities for both students and staff.
• Prepare concise written reports on serious incidents, behavioral concerns, and restraint reports as needed.
• Provide and organize transportation of students as needed.
• Complete daily rounds as security personnel in cottages, school, and all other student locations.
• Operate as the first responder to all crisis situations, codes, and calls for help campus wide.
• De-escalate situations when needed and assist staff and students in working through conflict safely and appropriately.
• Communicate effectively with all staff members, supervisors, students, and visitors.
• Maintain appropriate control of campus while operating therapeutically and maintain appropriate communication with control center (Switchboard) regarding campus movements and operations.
  
  

Applicants will be required to complete a background check to be considered for this position.

If you enjoy rewarding yet challenging work, helping young men find stability in their lives and security in their future, this is this the right job for you. Your work at STS has the potential to help pull these young men together and change their future.

STS offers a holistic social, behavioral, psychiatric, academic, and vocational program that utilizes counseling, treatment, and consequences paired with praise and opportunity. Services and programs provide individualized evaluation and treatment along with opportunity in the form of educational, vocational, social, and recreational programs. Transitional services are provided by the STS staff as well as contract staff in an effort to maximize each young man’s chances for success upon return to their community.

Working at STS comes with a special perk! This location offers access for staff to the impressive on-campus gym during off student hours. This includes 3 full size basketball courts, two fully stocked weight rooms with machine and free weights, showers, and lockers. We also provide a cardio room for staff only featuring exercise mats and advanced treadmills and stationary bikes. Usage of these resources is completely free for all STS staff.

We Have a Great Total Compensation Package, Including

• Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System (IPERS) (Employee contributes 6.29%/State of Iowa contributes 9.44%)
• Retirement Investors Club (RIC) (Employer Sponsored Retirement Plan) (State of Iowa matches up to $75/month)
• Health, Dental and Vision Insurance (See below for additional information)
• Vacation Leave (96 hours/year to begin, and increases with years of service)
• Sick Leave (144 hours/year)
• Paid Holidays (9 days/year)
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Life Insurance ($20,000 paid for by the State of Iowa)
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Free On-Campus Workout Facilities
  
  

For Additional Information On Benefits Click Here .

Click here to see how we compare with other employers or offers by using our Total Compensation Calculator.

Eldora Highlights

STS is located in Eldora, a quaint community with a population of approximately 2,800 residents, located in north central Iowa. Eldora is an Iowa River Greenbelt Community and the Iowa River Greenbelt Scenic Drive winds through a picturesque landscape of valleys, woods, and streams. With easy access to the Iowa River and Pine Lake, outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy hiking, kayaking, canoeing, hunting, and fishing, as well as the many educational opportunities, cultural activities, and entertainment events nearby, including a picturesque 9-hole golf course surrounded by Pine Lake State Park.

Eldora is 45 minutes away from Ames and Cedar Falls, 30 minutes from Marshalltown, and only 20 minutes from Iowa Falls. Des Moines, Iowa’s capital, is just 1 hour and 15 minutes away.

• Ames, Iowa is the home of Iowa State University, featuring one of the nation’s premier Engineering schools and leading Veterinary and Agricultural programs. https://www.iastate.edu/
• Cedar Falls is the home of the University of Northern Iowa, https://uni.edu/
• Iowa Falls is the home of Ellsworth Community College. https://ecc.iavalley.edu
• Des Moines has one of the nation’s finest State Fairs and is home to the Iowa Cubs, Wells Fargo Arena host site of NCAA Basketball, premier concerts, and Lauridsen Skatepark, the nation’s largest skatepark.
  
  

The State of Iowa is an EEO/AA Employer

HHS values those with “lived experience” and encourages adults who were fostered as youth, foster parents, and/or parents who were in the DHS system to apply. Minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply (Hearing and Speech Impaired – Relay Iowa 1-800-735-2942 TDD).

Our agency uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify .

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:

• Graduation from high school, GED, or equivalency, and experience equal to one year of full-time work in a youth services program working directly in the treatment of adjudicated, at risk, or other youths needing service or assistance.
• Graduation from high school, GED, or equivalency, and experience equal to one year of full-time work in corrections, law enforcement, or security.
• A total of one year of education and/or full-time experience (as described in number one or two), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university coursework in any field equals one year of full-time experience.
• Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes six months of full-time work as a Youth Services Worker.
  
  

For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description.

Additional Qualification Requirements

Within a period of time after hire, as determined by the appointing authority, employees in this class may be required to obtain a valid driver’s license..