Master Correctional Counselor

Introduction

The Master Correctional Counselor serves as the frontline staff directly supervising and counseling residents with the responsibility of enforcing the policy and procedure, rules and regulations, and the Resident Orientation Manual, while encouraging and facilitating re-entry efforts. Master Correctional Counselors are expected to maintain professionalism and due diligence in performance of all duties. Collaboration and the consistency of staff in the performance of duties are critical in developing teamwork and cohesiveness amongst treatment staff. Team emphasis and positive culture are essential to the completion of daily assignments and maintaining the integrity of operations.

Master Correctional Counselors shall provide counseling, programs, and rehabilitative services to deal humanely with residents and assist them in their efforts to make a successful reentry into the community. This shall be accomplished by providing the services directly and through referral to community-based agencies and organizations. The Master Correctional Counselorâs work includes frequent contact with security, educational, and other treatment staff to monitor resident progress.

Work at this level is differentiated from the Senior Correctional Counselor level by the responsibility for developing, implementing, and overseeing a specialized treatment program for residents requiring intensive counseling (e.g., sex offenses and substance abuse). Work at this level also includes training counseling staff in program operations and treatment methods and providing technical guidance in the area of specialization. In addition to administering a specialized program, employees in this class conduct generalized counseling including conducting resident assessments, developing, and implementing treatment plans, and evaluating resident progress.

Summary Statement

A class incumbent is responsible for advanced level professional counseling work providing rehabilitation services to adult offenders incarcerated in correctional institutions or assigned to Community Corrections.

Essential Functions

Essential functions are fundamental, core functions common to all positions in the class series and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job duties for any one position in the class. Since class specifications are descriptive and not restrictive, incumbents can complete job duties of similar kind not specifically listed here.

• Identifies treatment need and develops program guidelines, operational procedures, and evaluation methods. Provides comprehensive, intensive counseling to inmates/clients in the area of specialty.Â
• Provides training and technical guidance to security and treatment staff on the goals and objectives of the specialized program and application of treatment program methodologies.Â
• Evaluates effectiveness of specialized program through review of inmate/client progress reports, case records, and related documentation. Makes recommendations to superior for revisions to program as required.Â
• Conducts general individual and/or group counseling sessions with inmates/clients.Â
• Develops treatment plan based on counseling sessions as well as information obtained from inmate file, records, and reports, family members, associates, former employers, and other counselors, or rehabilitation team members.Â
• Assesses inmate progress efforts toward re-socialization and compliance with recommended treatment plan.Â
• Prepares a variety of records, reports, and summary evaluations relative to inmate progress.Â
• Maintains files on clients/inmates which include appropriate supporting documentation, classification reports, social histories, progress notes, and counseling records.Â
• Serves on a variety of boards and committees such as the Multi-Disciplinary Team''s classification committees and inmate grievance committees.Â
• Makes recommendations relative to appropriate classification level of inmates/clients based on assessment of behavioral/attitudinal changes and positive effort made toward self improvement and compliance with program/institutional requirements.Â
• Participates in case conferences regarding treatment alternatives of inmates/clients. Makes referrals to such resources as drug or alcohol treatment programs or educational programs.

Job Requirements

JOB REQUIREMENTS for Master Correctional Counselor

Applicants must have education, training and/or experience demonstrating competence in each of the following areas:

• At least three years experience providing rehabilitation services to adult offenders OR a Masters degree or higher in Behavioral/Social Science and at least one year experience providing rehabilitation services to adult offenders OR a Bachelors degree or higher and at least two years experience providing rehabilitation services to adult offenders.Â
• Three years experience in behavior management which includes understanding, explaining, describing and predicting behavior, studying the connection between behavior and its causes and identifying appropriate behavior modification strategies for individual situations.Â
• Three years experience in case management which includes assessing, planning, developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating options and services to meet an individuals human service needs.
• Six months experience in providing rehabilitation services to adult offenders which includes evaluating progress in attainment of goals and adjusting treatment plans; analyzing social and criminal history; participating in interdisciplinary conferencing.
• Six months experience in interpreting laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures.
• Six months experience in narrative report writing.
• Six months experience in using an automated information system to enter, update, modify, delete, retrieve/inquire and report on data.
• Knowledge of staff training.Â

Additional Posting Information

Candidates must successfully complete all phases of the Non-Security Basic Training Course to receive Hazardous Duty A1. This course is five-weeks in duration, and is administered by the Department of Correction at the Steven R. Floyd Sr. Training Academy. Coursework includes physical, classroom and hands-on training.

Conditions of Hire

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. The State of Delaware Executive Branch participates in the Federal E-Verify system where the State will provide the federal government with each new hires Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. For more information refer to our job seeker resources.Â

This position is a classification organized under an exclusive bargaining representative (labor organization) that has been elected by employees as their representative for collective bargaining and other applicable terms and conditions of employment, in accordance with Title 29, Chapter 59 and Title 19, Chapter 13 and 16. This position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement based on its individual terms.Â

DOC(NSBT): For admission to the State of Delaware Department of Correction Academy applicants who are made a conditional offer of employment shall be required to successfully complete a criminal background check, pre-employment drug test and medical examination. The recruiting agency requires the applicant to pay for the medical examination as part of the conditional offer of hire.

Upon a conditional offer, the applicant must undergo a pre-employment base line two step tuberculin skin test (TST) as part of the hiring process.Â

All new hires are required to report to the Statewide New Employee Orientation (SNEO) on their first day of employment. Sessions are held at designated locations in Kent or New Castle County.

Benefits

To learn more about the comprehensive benefit package please visit our website at https://dhr.delaware.gov/benefits/

Selection Process

The application and supplemental questionnaire are evaluated based upon a rating of your education, training and experience as they relate to the job requirements of the position. It is essential that you provide complete and accurate information on your application and the supplemental questionnaire to include dates of employment, job title and job duties. For education and training, list name of educational provider, training course titles and summary of course content. Narrative information supplied in response to the questions must be supported by the information supplied on the application including your employment, education and training history as it relates to the job requirements.Â

Once you have submitted your application on-line, all future correspondence related to your application will be sent via email. Please keep your contact information current. You may also view all correspondence sent to you by the State of Delaware in the âMy Applicationsâ tab at StateJobs.Delaware.gov.

Accommodations

Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities in all phases of the application and employment process. TDD users may request an auxiliary aid or service by calling (800) 232-5470 or by visiting delawarerelay.com. You may also call (302) 739-5458 or email DHR_ADAConcerns@delaware.gov for additional applicant services support.

The State of Delaware is an Equal Opportunity employer and values a diverse workforce. We strongly encourage and seek out a workforce representative of Delaware including race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.Â