Juvenile Probation Officer III (Soar Care Coordinator-Social Services)

Job Summary

The Strengthening Opportunities for Achieving Reentry (SOAR) Court Unit is within the Department's Social Services Division. The SOAR Reentry Court takes a balanced and restorative justice approach and is designed to protect the community, hold juveniles accountable for their actions, recognize the interest of victims, develop juvenile competencies, and reduce recidivism. Dispositional decision-making is deliberately conscious of the juvenile's eventual return to the community.

The SOAR Unit Care Coordinator works within a multidisciplinary team and specialty court to provide case management services to the families of high-risk and high-needs juveniles who have been court-ordered to residential treatment in the TCJPD Intermediate Sanctions Center. The SOAR Care Coordinator provides a continuum of case management support to families during the juvenile's placement and through reentry into the community. The Care Coordinator performs and develops advanced service planning and case management, provides comprehensive juvenile/family support services (to include in-home services), and assists families by connecting them to the services and supports they need to achieve their individual and family goals. This position will provide advocacy, support, and encourage family involvement, and will assist in coaching and educating family members regarding family involvement by supporting their efforts to be involved in family and individual counseling, multi-disciplinary team meetings, and court hearings. The Care Coordinator must be flexible, creative, able to work varied hours, and comfortable working in families' homes. The Care Coordinator will be expected to function well with crisis situations, with individuals who have experienced trauma, have limited resources, and have challenges in functioning in everyday settings.

The Care Coordinator will conduct assessments of juvenile/family needs and determine eligibility for service assistance. Attends and participates in treatment and reentry team meetings, as well as court hearings. Collaborates with Juvenile Probation Officers, Counselors, Resource Coordinators, and other support team members. Provides advocacy at meetings and service linkage. Makes recommendations for juvenile's transition/reentry. Ensures caregivers understand juvenile's conditions of probation and supports engagement with programs and services ordered by the Court. Conducts regular home visits, provides transportation assistance, assists caregivers with navigating community systems and other needed contacts. Prepares written and verbal updates and presents information and recommendations to the Court. Completes timely data entry and documentation and interactions. Other responsibilities include planning, organizing, coordinating and scheduling activities that may include facilitating workshops and training for families of juvenile-justice involved juvenile. This position may work non-traditional hours.

The Travis County Juvenile Probation Department is committed to creating a supportive environment that recognizes diversity, equity and cultural competency as key components to the services provided. The position offers opportunities to develop professional skills related to trauma-informed services, evidence-based practices and children's mental health while making a difference in the lives of children and families.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

This is the fourth in a series of five juvenile probation-related job classifications within the Court Services job family. This classification provides supervision to clients who are within various phases of the juvenile justice system. This classification is distinguished from the Juvenile Probation Officer Lead in that incumbents do not have lead responsibilities. This classification may require work in secure facilities. This classification may require a flexible work schedule in order to meet the needs of the department.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Conducts investigations on the background of each case, which includes interviewing clients, their families and other significant contacts. Reviews documentation such as police reports, court transcripts and criminal records and makes assessments regarding the nature of the individual's environmental, employment, financial or domestic difficulties as they apply to the case. Makes recommendations for sentencing and disposition of probationer and prepares probation plans.

• Supervises and monitors juveniles on probation through regular home, school and office visits and other needed contacts. Determines the needs of the client and family and develops supervision plans for clients. May supervise specialized caseload of clients.

• Assures client's understanding of obligations with respect to conditions of the court's order and monitors compliance with the terms and conditions of probation. Addresses violations of court orders by taking appropriate action. Coordinates case management with representatives of criminal justice and social service agencies. May serve as liaison with court system on higher-level departmental issues.

• Provides individual and crisis intervention counseling, as required.

• Assists clients with various referrals, including, but not limited to, counseling, treatment and job referrals. Verifies attendance and completion of alcohol, drug, mental health counseling and any other court ordered programs.

• Prepares written assessments and recommendations to the court concerning alternative forms of sentencing, treatment, custody release, suspension of sentence, release into treatment facilities, out-of-custody probation supervision, and compliance and progress during probation.

• Develops client placement plans, including completing placement applications, purchasing clothing, obtaining medical and psychological reports, and maintaining contact with clients in placement.

• Appears and testifiesin court, conducts urinalysis, requests and executes warrants, obtains consents and other required paperwork.

• Maintains client files and records consistent with laws and policies.

• Provides direct supervision of all clients' daily activities when working in secure facilities, including maintaining accountability of all clients and equipment and ensuring that the environment is safe, clean and secure; ensures that clients are aware of and understand their responsibilities and appropriate behavior. Implements corrective discipline plans and programs, as required; facilitates cognitive skill groups and relaxation training for clients; provides individual and crisis intervention counseling, as required; documents clients' behavior and enters into department computer information system; monitors security and fire alarm systems, including closed circuit monitors; maintains communication with facility posts; maintains communication with other staff to ensure continuity of care; physically restrains aggressive clients using approved protocols, as required; may assist in investigating incidents involving clients.

• Provides input into revising and updating policies and procedures.

• Transports clients to other facilities, as required.

• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

Education and Experience:

Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, Social or Behavioral Sciences or a directly related field AND three (3) years of experience in case management, a social service, community corrections or juvenile agency that deals with offenders or disadvantaged persons.

Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:

Must be at least 21 years of age.

Certification as a Juvenile Probation Officer and Juvenile Supervision Officer or eligible for certification the Texas Juvenile Justice Department within six (6) months of date of hire,

including successful completion of Cardio-pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certification, First Aid and

Handle with Care (state approved physical restraint techniques).

Valid Texas Driver's License.

Preferred Qualifications:

Bilingual in Spanish.

Knowledge of:

• Supervisory principles, practices and techniques.

• Policies, practices, procedures and legal terminology related to court system.

• Federal, State, Local and County applicable laws, rules, regulations, guidelines and applicable juvenile justice system standards and procedures.

• Standard practices in area of assignment.

• Psychological concepts of good behavior, social adjustment and emotional stability.

• Standard counseling techniques.

• Safety and security techniques and standards.

• Physical restraint techniques to control aggressive behavior.

• Computer equipment to include word processing, spreadsheets, databases and a variety of software packages.

• May be required to develop knowledge of and adhere to federal and state laws requiring the confidential handling of certain health information.

Skill in:

• Training, supervising and reviewing the work of others.

• Monitoring and responding to client behavior.

• Problem-solving and decision-making.

• Interviewing clients.

• Both verbal and written communication.

Ability to:

• Gather, analyze and evaluate facts to conduct investigations and report results clearly, accurately and impartially.

• Work efficiently both independently and as part of a team.

• Reason and make judgments and decisions.

• Work effectively and courteously under stressful circumstances.

• Deal effectively with mentally ill or emotionally distressed individuals undergoing acute episodes, who may also be hostile and aggressive.

• Manage time well, perform multiple tasks and organize diverse activities.

• Conduct investigations and report results clearly, accurately and impartially.

• Perform in a stressful environment while maintaining a professional manner.

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with departmental clientele, representatives of outside agencies, other County employees and officials, representatives of the juvenile justice system and the general public.

Work Environment & Other Information

Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 50-100 pounds, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and basic office equipment. Subject to standing, sitting, walking, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, crouching, kneeling, pushing, pulling, reaching, twisting, balancing, repetitive motion, and squatting to perform the essential functions. Subject to contact with communicable diseases, radiation, hazardous waste, human fecal matter and foul odors. Subject to client and customer contact for extended periods of time.

Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions.

This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.

Work Hours: 8am

• 5pm, Monday

• Friday.Works some holidays, Works some weekends

Department: Juvenile Probation

Location:2515 S. Congress Ave., Austin

Physical Exam, Drug Test, Alcohol Test, Psychological ExamRequired.

Criminal, Driving, Education, and Employment Background Checks Required.

You must ensure your application accurately reflects your skills and abilities as they relate to the position. Only periods of employment and experience detailed in the "Work Experience" section of the application will be considered in determining which applicants move forward in the selection process, as well as determining pay level for candidate(s) recommended for hire.