Job Description

Do you have a passion for working with youth? Do you want to help teens involved in the juvenile justice system turn their lives around to create a better future?

As a Juvenile Custody Services Specialist (JCSS) with Multnomah County’s Department of Community Justice, you’ll help foster pro-social behavior with youth residing in our juvenile detention facility and our Behavioral Rehabilitation Services (BRS) residential program.

Working in a culturally diverse juvenile detention facility, you will be responsible for the guidance, security and general care of youth who present a variety of behavioral, cognitive, emotional and intellectual issues. Using an interactive model of supervision, we place particular emphasis on skill development, engaging youth in pro-social development, cognitive restructuring programming, leisure time activities, personal hygiene, and work activities.

You will be responsible for:

• Supervising and documenting youth activities and behavior
• Providing guidance and group programming, including planning recreational programs and facilitating cognitive skill groups
• Maintaining safety, security and order in the living units
• Maintaining routine records; preparing oral and written reports using automated systems

Juvenile Custody Services Specialists work in a secure detention environment and in a Behavioral Rehabilitation Services (BRS) residential program. The detention facility has numerous two-level pods that house youth in detention. All Juvenile Custody Services Specialists must have the ability to use verbal skills to de-escalate volatile situations. You must also be able and willing to respond to crisis situations, including physically intervening with youth who may be violently acting out; this may involve the use of restraints. All Juvenile Custody Services Specialists must have the ability to regularly go up and down stairs.

Some positions are assigned to work in a secure residential Behavioral Rehabilitation Services treatment program for youth of all genders who require a staff secured, out of home placement for assessment/evaluation, stabilization and transition planning.

The facility operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Applicants must be willing to work a variety of shifts, including overnight, swing, weekends and holidays. Juvenile Custody Services Specialists work on a continuous duty shift, meaning that you may not be relieved of duty during your work day.

Minimum Qualifications/Transferable Skills*:

• Associate’s degree or equivalent with major coursework in child psychology, sociology, or a related field; a Bachelor’s degree may substitute for 1 year of the required experience.
• Two (2) years of responsible experience working with at-risk youth (12-18) in one of the following environments:
  • Detention or youth correctional facility
  • Youth residential setting
  • Setting that provides programming for at-risk youth
• Successful completion of a battery of psychological tests / psychological evaluation.
• Physical ability to respond to crisis situations with the youth, including violent exchanges, and must regularly climb up and down stairs.
• Must pass a thorough background investigation and a records check with the State of Oregon’s Department of Human Services and be fingerprinted.
• Must pass a felony conviction check for Criminal Justice Information Services clearance.  Any felony convictions will deny clearance.
• Valid driver’s license

Type of Position: This hourly position is eligible for overtime.

Type: Represented

FLSA: Non-Exempt

Schedule: 24/7 operation: variable schedule including weekends, possible mixed shift

Location: Juvenile Justice Complex-Detention Center @ 1401 NE 68th Ave Portland, OR 97213

Multnomah County offers a comprehensive benefit package to all eligible employees. A few highlights include:

• Health insurance (medical, dental, vision, Cigna or Kaiser Permanente).
• Qualify for a defined benefit pension after five years of vesting; we pick up the employee’s share of the retirement contribution (6% of subject wages).
• Generous paid leave (vacation, sick, parental, bereavement, military etc.)
• Life insurance, short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Optional deferred compensation and flexible spending accounts
• Access to a free annual Tri-met bus pass
• Access to wellness resources

How to Apply

Job Categories: Equal Opportunities. Job Types: Full-Time. Salaries: 60,000 - 80,000.

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