Correctional Counselor

Direct Offender Supervision/Case management –

• Under the general supervision, has sufficient understanding and experience to perform a broad range of moderate to difficult professional case work involving incarcerated individuals.
• Provides individual case management and group facilitation in a correctional facility in the areas of social, behavioral, educational, vocational, and related program planning; participates in the development and implementation of specific plans and goals utilizing evidence-based practices for rehabilitation and gradual reintegration into the community; performs related work as required.
• Participates in disciplinary, classification, and pre-parole classification committee meetings involving assigned incarcerated individuals; reviews misconduct reports and determines in conjunction with review committee.
• Recommends incarcerated individuals for release based on behavior, attitude and related factors; ensures that all institutional policies in regard to committee functions are followed relative to incarcerated individual rights, appeals, notification of hearings and explanations relative to committee findings.

Interpersonal Interactions and Core Correctional Practices -

• Demonstrates knowledge and understanding and utilization of skills of core correctional practice.
• Continuously interacts with incarcerated individuals, utilizing behavioral techniques to assist in the development of problem-solving skills, facilitating behavior change, role playing, providing positive reinforcement when appropriate, and instituting corrective measures through the effective use of disapproval.
• Through behavioral modeling and interactions, serves as a change agent when working with incarcerated individuals to prepare them for successful community reentry.
• With a balanced approach (treatment & accountability) instructs incarcerated individuals in conditions of supervision, legal terms, legal documents, policies and procedures, in a manner that best suits their learning style. Assists incarcerated individuals in the development of attitudes and skills necessary for successful adaptation to a pro-social lifestyle back in the community.

Report Writing and Documentation -

• Obtains and reviews all pertinent records and reports including probationary reports, criminal records and information concerning family, education, employment, health and other personal matters; assesses personal individual needs, capacities, educational level, family circumstances, behavioral problems and aspirations.
• Conduct and utilize assessments that identify risk, need, and responsivity for the purpose of developing effective intervention strategies targeted at improving institutional behavior and recidivism and development of case plans.
• Manage computer system ICON information and data input.

Multi-Disciplinary Team –

• As part of a multi-disciplinary team, develops incarcerated individual treatment plans and implements and supports those plans in an effort to prepare incarcerated individuals for successful community reentry.
• Observes incarcerated individual behavior/interaction and regularly communicates observations and perceptions with co-workers and other treatment staff to enhance an effective team approach.
• Communicates and documents observations to ensure effective case management and consistent application of change principles.
• Consults with other professional staff members in structuring rehabilitative services and activities for incarcerated individuals with strong counseling and guidance needs; develops treatment plans that require special emphasis and change to increase the possibility of reaching a desired level of adjustment and orientation.

Training and Facilitation -

• Attends and leads training classes and seminars; provides Training of Trainers in programs and provides continuous quality improvement to other staff as designated.

E-Verify and Right to Work The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States. The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization. For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov.

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

• Four years of full-time work experience in providing individual and group guidance and related counseling services in the areas of social, behavioral, educational, vocational and related program planning; or performing correctional, law enforcement, or jail administration duties involving community reentry preparation, pro-social behavior modeling, or supervision of individuals in work assignments.
• A total of four years of education and/or full-time experience (as described in number one), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university coursework in any field equals one year of full-time experience.

For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description.Within a period of time after hire, as determined by the appointing authority, employees in this class may be required to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and endorsements.