Social Service Counselor 4-A

Social Service Counselor 4-A

Salary

$3,720.00 - $6,703.00 Monthly

Location

Jackson, LA

Job Type

Classified

Job Number

ELMHS8.5.26SSC4A

Department

LDH-Office of Behavioral Health

Opening Date

08/05/2026

Closing Date

8/10/2026 11:59 PM Central

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

About this Job

This vacancy is located within the Total Quality Management (TQM) Department at Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System (ELMHS) in Jackson, Louisiana.

The Mission of ELMHS is to provide mental health evaluation, treatment, habilitation and consultation for adults. Programs include inpatient interventions, jail based evaluations, supervised group home and residential programs, forensic evaluation, care, custody, and aftercare; intermediate and long term psychiatric are in coordination with the total system of care in Louisiana.

ELMHS is seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Social Service Counselor 4-A to support the facilitys quality improvement initiatives by promoting compliance with treatment planning standards, reviewing clinical documentation, monitoring performance improvement activities, and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to enhance the quality of patient care and ensure adherence to regulatory and accreditation requirements.

An ideal candidate should possess the following competencies:

• Displaying Expertise: The ability to exhibit specialized skills or knowledge gained from experience or training.
• Making Accurate Judgments: The ability to form an opinion objectively and decisively based on relevant information and established standards.
• Managing Stakeholders: The ability to identify and respond to the sometimes competing perspectives, agendas, and expectations of different parties.
• Thinking Critically: The ability to objectively question, analyze, interpret, and evaluate information to form sound conclusions.
• Driving Results: The ability to identify important goals and work toward achieving them.

Minimum Qualifications

Six years of social services experience; OR

Six years of full-time experience in any field plus three years of social services experience; OR

A bachelors degree plus three years of social services experience; OR

An advanced degree in a social sciences field plus two years of social services experience.

EXPERIENCE SUBSTITUTION:

Every 30 semester hours earned from an accredited college or university will be credited as one year of experience towards the six years of full-time work experience in any field. The maximum substitution allowed is 120 semester hours which substitutes for a maximum of four years of experience in any field.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENT:

Positions that provide addictive disorder counseling or prevention services will require certification or eligibility for certification issued by the Addictive Disorder Regulatory Authority (ADRA), or its successor.

Job Specification

The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.

Job Duties and Other Information

Job Duties:

• Provides direct services as a leader for the Competency Restoration group with pre-trial clients who enter the facility as not competent to proceed.
• Coordinates, implements, and monitors the provision of substance abuse education, treatment, and relapse prevention.
• Completes social needs health equity assessments on all intakes and provides statistical data for Total Quality Management (TQM)
• Documents treatment summaries on each clients chart, specifying progress towards treatment objectives and goals and response to interventions using the BIRP documentation method. Documents daily for all social services provided.
• Documents daily pertinent information needed by other treatment team providers for optimal care.
• Participate in educational trainings that are mandatory for accreditation and licensure of the facility.
• Maintains current, valid, and unencumbered motor vehicle operator's license.

Position-Specific Details:

Appointment Type: Probational or Promotional

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday

Compensation:

Salary is negotiable based on experience.

Special Entrance Rate (SER):

• $2,175.60 bi-weekly
• $27.20 per hour

Premium Pay

• Facility Longevity Pay: $2.00-$5.00 per hour physically worked.

How To Apply:

No Civil Service test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy.

To apply for this vacancy, click on the "Apply" link above and complete an electronic application, which can be used for this vacancy as well as future job opportunities. Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the Information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.

• Information to support your eligibility for this job title must be included in the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education). Resumeswill not be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections on your application. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.

Contact Information:

For further information about this vacancy, contact:

Destiny Jackson

ELMHS HR

ELMHS-HR@LA.GOV

225-634-0259

Louisiana is a State As a Model Employer (SAME) that supports the recruitment, hiring, and retention of individuals with disabilities.

Louisiana State Government represents a wide variety of career options and offers an outstanding opportunity to make a difference through public service. With an array of career opportunities in every major metropolitan center and in many rural areas, state employment provides an outstanding option to begin or continue your career.

As a state employee, you will earn competitive pay, choose from a variety of benefits, and have access to a great professional development program:

Insurance Coverage More information can be found at https://info.groupbenefits.org/

Parental Leave - Up to six weeks paid parental leave

More information can be found at https://www.civilservice.louisiana.gov/Parental-Leave/Default.aspx

Holidays and Leave - State employees receive the following paid holidays each year:

• New Years Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,
• Mardi Gras,
• Good Friday,
• Memorial Day,
• Independence Day,
• Labor Day,
• Veterans Day,
• Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
• Additional holidays may be proclaimed by the Governor

State employees earn sick and annual leave which can be accumulated and saved for future use. Your accrual rate increases as your years of service increase.

Retirement - State of Louisiana employees are eligible to participate in various retirement systems (based on the type of appointment and agency for which an employee works). These retirement systems provide retirement allowances and other benefits for state officers and employees and their beneficiaries. State retirement systems may include (but are not limited to):

• Louisiana State Employees Retirement System (www.lasersonline.org). LASERS has provided this video to give you more detailed information about their system
• Teachers Retirement System of Louisiana (www.trsl.org),
• Louisiana School Employees Retirement System (www.lsers.net), among others

01

Are you a current, permanent employee at Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System?

• Yes
• No

02

Have you ever been on probation or sentenced to jail/prison as a result of a felony conviction or guilty plea to a felony charge?

• Yes
• No

03

If 'Yes', give the law enforcement authority (city police, sheriff, FBI, etc.), the offense, place and disposition of case. If 'No', enter N/A

Required Question

Employer State of Louisiana

Address 1201 N 3rd St

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70802

Phone (866) 783-5462

Website http://agency.governmentjobs.com/louisiana/default.cfm