Would a career where you can make a positive impact on the lives of troubled youth feel rewarding? Are you patient and empathetic? The Department of Human Services, North East Secure Treatment Unit is seeking dedicated counselors who can develop and implement effective individual treatment plans for court-adjudicated youth. Our Bureau of Juvenile Justice Services counselors are willing to intervene in crisis and controversial situations to prevent harmful behaviors while holding others, including yourself, accountable for actions. This position requires a willingness to work with a diverse population of some of the most difficult, vulnerable, and disrespectful court-adjudicated youth in Pennsylvania along with a sincere desire to help them change behaviors that will lead to becoming productive citizens. This is a challenging career, but one where your positive actions can hugely impact the future of children who need it. Apply today and take the first step in making a difference in the lives of others.

As a Youth Development Counselor, you actively engage with court-adjudicated youth who require guidance, instruction, treatment, and specialized services in a secure or restricted setting. You develop, implement and monitor individual treatment program plans to include individual, group, and family counseling sessions. Also, you assess and counsel youth about their thought processes, actions ,and personal problems to provide insight into responsible behaviors and attitudes. When appropriate, you address crisis situations to maintain order by verbally and physically intervening with disruptive, emotionally improper, and suicidal youth. You will be properly trained on how to use appropriate physical restraint techniques to prevent escapes, control aggressiveness, and to maintain a safe and secure environment is required. In addition, you provide guidance in social and emotional growth by role modeling values and ideals that elicit a genuine desire in court-adjudicated youth to change behaviors.

Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding the duties of this position may be found in the position description.

Work Schedule and Additional Information:

• Full-time employment, 40-hour work week
• Work hours are Shift work in a 24/7/365 operation, including holidays and weekends, 8-hour shifts, with no duty-free lunch. Work weeks are 5 days on and 2 days off normally consisting of:
  • Three (3) days of 1st shift: 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM and
  • Two (2) days of 3rd shift: 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM
  • May change based on operational needs.

QUALIFICATIONS
Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:

• Five years of experience as a Youth Development Aide; or
• Four years of experience as a Youth Development Aide Supervisor; or
• One year of experience in the care, custody, supervision, activities, leadership or personal guidance of delinquent, pre-delinquent or socially maladjusted youth in an organized program, and a bachelor's degree in the behavioral sciences, special education, juvenile delinquency, or criminal justice; or
• An equivalent combination of experience and training which included one year of experience in the care, custody, supervision, activities, leadership or personal guidance of delinquent, pre-delinquent or socially maladjusted youth in an organized program.

• PA residency requirement is currently waived for this title.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

• A conditional offer of employment will require a satisfactory completion of a medical examination and a drug screening test.
• This position falls under the provisions of the Child Protective Services Law.
  • Under the Law, a conditional offer of employment will require submission and approval of satisfactory criminal history reports including, but not limited to, PA State Police clearance, PA Child Abuse history clearance, and FBI Fingerprint clearance.

• Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed, and the information contained therein will not be considered for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position. Information to support your eligibility for the position must be provided on the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).
• If you are claiming education in your answers to the supplemental application questions, you must attach a copy of your college transcripts for your claim to be accepted toward meeting the minimum requirements. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
• Your application must be submitted by the posting closing date. Late applications and other required materials will not be accepted.
• Failure to comply with the above application requirements may eliminate you from consideration for this position.

• Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. *7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.employment.pa.gov/Additional%20Info/Pages/default.aspx and click the Veterans' Preference tab or contact us at ra-cs-vetpreference@pa.gov.

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

• Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
• Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
• Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
• You must provide complete and accurate information or:
  • your score may be lower than deserved.
  • you may be disqualified.