Probation Counselor - Detention Diversion Program (Bilingual)

Position Information

Exciting opportunity for an experienced professional in juvenile probation!

The Arlington Juvenile Court Services Unit (CSU) is seeking a Probation Counselor to work in the Detention Diversion/Electronic Monitoring Program. This position will provide intensive supervision and conduct intake interviews to a caseload of juveniles who have been placed by the Court in the Detention Diversion Program/Electronic Monitoring (DDP/EM.) This position will also provide counseling and coaching to youth and parents to promote behavior change using cognitive-behavioral interventions and techniques.

The DDP is a short-term alternative to secure detention for juvenile offenders and monitors their compliance with home-detention and mandatory school attendance. Compliance is monitored through daily contact with youth and frequent contact with parents, school officials and other professionals. There are three counselors assigned to the DDP who will coordinate the work schedule that consists of weekday afternoons and evenings.

Specific duties include:

• Making announced and unannounced visits to homes, schools, and other community locations;

• Installing and removing EM devices and holding clients accountable and supporting their compliance with the conditions to the court orders and rules of DDP/EM;

• Performing drug screens to assess drug use and connecting them to substance abuse services if needed;

• Advocating and responding to crisis situations for their clients in the school setting and in the community in general;

• Coordinating and facilitating a specialized programs such as a Basics of Safe Driving Class;

• Making referrals to service providers and community-based services such as substance use, behavioral health, family counseling, therapy, etc.;

• Maintaining daily interaction with teachers, treatment professionals, and any other professionals involved with clients;

• Presenting cases and providing written and verbal testimony to the court and providing information and recommendations to prosecutors, defense attorneys, and guardians-ad-litem;

• Updating client information databases such as BADGE to document all communication with clients and submitting closing summaries for clients who have been released from the DDP/EM program; and

• Assisting teammates and supporting inter-departmental agencies such as Young Achievers, Girls' Outreach, Argus House, Aurora House, Arlington Public Schools, and Department of Human Services, etc.

The ideal candidate will have the following:

• Knowledge and understanding of the Court system;

• Knowledge of causes of delinquent behavior and various community resources, particularly those dealing with substance abuse and mental health counseling;

• Knowledge of Electronic Monitoring supervision; and

• Knowledge and experience in the use of the Virginia DJJ Caseload Management System (BADGE).

Selection Criteria

Minimum:

• Bilingual (English/Spanish);

• Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, Psychology, Sociology, or related field; and

• Considerable experience providing probation, social work, crisis intervention, or family counseling including at least one year which required working within a legal/court/probation environment.

Substitution: Additional qualifying related experience may be substituted for the education requirement on a year-for-year basis.

Desirable: Preference may be given to candidates with experience in one or more of the following:

• Providing probation services within the juvenile justice system;

• Interviewing juveniles involved in the justice system and their parents;

• Counseling troubled youth and their families, who may be in crisis;

• Conducting risk assessments on youth, such as the Youth Assessment and Screening Instrument (YASI); and/or

• Training and Experience in evidence-based, cognitive-behavioral interventions with clients, for use in community supervision and probation.

Special Requirements

An assessment of verbal Spanish (or second language) proficiency would be required before a candidate can be appointed to a bilingual position (English/Spanish, etc.). The incumbent in a bilingual position would receive the language pay premium on all hours worked and on paid leave hours.

The applicant must possess, or obtain by the time of appointment, a valid driver's license or must have the ability and willingness to use alternative methods of transportation to perform assigned duties and responsibilities at locations other than the primary worksite. The applicant must authorize Arlington County to obtain, or the applicant must provide, a copy of the applicant's official state/district driving record. Any offer of employment may be contingent upon a favorable review of the applicant's driving record and criminal background checks.

Additional Information

The pay ranges listed above are effective June 30, 2024.

Work hours: This is a 40-hour per week Monday

• Friday 8:00 a.m.

• 5:00 p.m. position with one telework day.

The official title for this position is Probation Counselor II.

Your responses to the supplemental questionnaire are considered part of the selection process and are required for this position. Please do not give "see resume" as a response to the questions. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

#LI:Hybrid

Applicants who have questions or need assistance with the application may telephone (703) 228-3500 or visit the Human Resources Department. Our staff will be happy to work with you to enter your application into the system. Public access computers are available at all County Libraries, and in the Human Resources Department.

The examination process for this position may include: (1) training and experience evaluation; (2) written and oral examination; (3) personal interview; (4) performance test/work sample; and/or (5) physical examination.

Applicants with disabilities may request reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process. Please call the ADA Coordinator at 703-228-3559 (voice) or email pers@arlingtonva.us.

Eligibility for Arlington County Government employee benefits depends on your position type (permanent or temporary) and your status (full-time or part-time).

More detailed information on benefits and conditions of employment is available on the Arlington County Human Resources Department website: www.arlingtonva.us/pers.

Permanent, Full-Time Appointments

All jobs are permanent, full-time appointments unless otherwise stated in the announcement. The following benefits are available:

Paid Leave: Vacation leave is earned at the rate of five hours biweekly. Leave accrual increases gradually until eight hours of leave are earned biweekly for twelve or more years of service. Sick leave is earned at the rate of four hours biweekly. Paid parental and family leave benefits are also offered. Leave is pro-rated for part-time employees.

Holidays: There are eleven paid fixed holidays each year, as well as two floating holidays. Initial allotment of floating holidays may vary based on when you are hired.

Health and Dental Insurance: Four group health insurance plans are offered - a health maintenance organization, two plans with in-network only coverage, and a high-deductible plan with in and out-of-network coveerage, along with a Health Savings Account (HSA). Group dental insurance is also offered, with two options for coverage. The County pays a significant portion of the premium for these plans for employees and their dependents. The County also contributes to the HSA.

Life Insurance: Basic life insurance is provided at no cost to employees. The benefit is one times annual salary. Additional life insurance may be purchased for yourself, spouse, and/or children.

Retirement: The County retirement program is made up of three parts: a defined benefit (pension) plan, a defined contribution plan (401(a)), and a deferred compensation plan (457). The defined benefit plan provides a monthly retirement benefit based on your final average salary and years of service with the County. You contribute a portion of your salary on a pre-tax basis to this plan. General employees contribute 4% of pay; uniformed public safety employees contribute 7.5% of pay. The County also contributes to this plan. Employees become vested in the plan at five years of service.

For general employees, the County also contributes 4.2% of pay to a defined contribution plan (401(a)). The 457 deferred compensation plan allows you to save for retirement on either a pre-tax (457b) or post-tax (457 Roth) basis up to the IRS annual limit. New employees are automatically enrolled with a pre-tax contribution equal to 2% of your pay. A variety of investment options are available for the 401(a) and 457 plans.

Other Benefits: The County also offers health care, dependent care, and parking flexible spending accounts; adoption assistance, tuition reimbursement; transit and walk/bike to work subsidies; a college savings plan; wellness programs; training opportunities; and a variety of other benefits.

Permanent, Part-Time Appointments:

Part-time employees who work ten or more hours per week receive paid leave and benefits in proportion to the number of hours worked per week.

Limited Term Appointments:

Benefits are the same as permanent appointments except that the employees do not achieve permanent status.

Temporary Regular Appointments:

Temporary regular employees who work 30 hours or more per week are eligible for health, dental, and basic life insurance as described above. They are also eligible for vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays.

Temporary Seasonal and Occasional Appointments:

Temporary employees who work on a seasonal basis or variable hours receive sick leave, but do not normally receive other paid leave or benefits. Exceptions are noted in individual announcements.

01

What is your highest level of education?

• Associates Degree

• BA/BS Degree related to position

• BA/BS Degree unrelated to position

• MA/MS Degree

• Other

02

How many years of experience providing probation, social work, crisis intervention, or family counseling do you have?

• None

• Less than 1 year

• 1 but less than 2 years

• 2 years or more

03

Do you have at least one year of experience working in a legal/court/probation environment?

• Yes

• No

04

Please use the space below to describe your knowledge and experience with the following: • Interviewing youth and their families involved in the juvenile justice system; • Counseling vulnerable youth and their families who may be volatile or in crisis; and • Community supervision of youth, using case management systems such as BADGE, Motivational Interviewing techniques, and conducting risk assessments on youth using tools such as YASI. If you do not have this experience, type N/A.

05

Are you sufficiently proficient in oral Spanish to interview, assess the needs or, counsel and refer Spanish-speaking individuals who have limited English proficiency and who are facing a crisis?

• Yes

• No

06

Do you currently possess a valid Driver's License?

• Yes

• No

Required Question

Agency Arlington County

Address 2100 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 511

Arlington, Virginia, 22201

Phone 703-228-3500

Website https://careers.arlingtonva.us/