Detention Specialist (Probation Counselor I)

Are you ready to make a real difference in the lives of young people? Join our team as a Juvenile Detention Specialist at our dynamic Juvenile Detention Center, where every day brings new challenges and opportunities to positively impact the future! If you have the passion, resilience, and heart to make a tangible difference, we want you on our team. Apply now and embark on a rewarding career where your efforts will truly matter.

About Us: Fairfax County Juvenile Detention Center vision is to maintain a safe, secure and structured environment that offers therapeutic programming and services which promotes positive change, the overall well-being of the youth, to include an emphasize on education, mental health, and personal development and provides for the protection of the community. We are looking for dedicated and compassionate professionals to join our team and make a positive impact on the lives of these young individuals.

Job Overview: We are seeking highly motivated and empathetic individuals to join our team as a Juvenile Detention Center, Detention Specialist. This role involves supervising, mentoring, and supporting juveniles in our facility while ensuring a safe and structured environment. Staff members will work collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team to implement individualized care plans and assist in the development of life skills.

Illustrative Duties:

As a Juvenile Detention Specialist, you will be responsible for ensuring the safety and security of a predominantly male resident population, diligently monitoring living units, the security desk, and court holding areas to maintain order and safe and secure environment during your shift. You will become a trusted mentor, providing counseling on issues such as substance abuse, crisis intervention, mental health, and conflict resolution. You will lead interactive group and individual sessions; you will help residents navigate their anxieties and adjust to life in the facility. you will be trained in crisis intervention to use verbal and physical intervention techniques to safely manage disruptive or aggressive behaviors, ensuring a calm and safe and secure environment. You will supervise and engage with residents during a variety of activities, including health, recreation, and school programs, while overseeing essential routines such as security checks, wake-up and bedtime procedures, personal hygiene, and housekeeping tasks to ensure everything runs according to our daily schedule. Your communication will involve keeping detailed behavioral observations and disciplinary reports, playing a crucial role in each resident's progress. You will also be tasked with communicating any issues or concerns regarding residents with your supervisors and team members.

Additionally, you will welcome new residents with comprehensive orientation sessions, setting the stage for their journey within the program.

Staff testimonials:

https://youtu.be/ef3OuZAjANo

https://youtu.be/JHb1p5NBmng

https://youtu.be/Qjt06EUTczk

The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 38.7% of residents speak a language other than English at home (Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and others) and we encourage candidates bilingual in English and a foreign language to apply to this opportunity.

Schedule: This position is considered "essential personnel" and will be required to report to work during times designated countywide as approved for unscheduled leave regardless of the emergency (i.e., weather, transportation, other disaster). The employee will work a three (3) week rotating schedule (7A-3P & 3P-11P) including weekends and holidays. This position will periodically be assigned to an overnight (NOC) schedule(11P-7A) after completing probationary year.

Sample POI Schedule

Note: This advertisement may be used to fill multiple full-time Probation Counselor I vacancies.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following: (Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in social/behavioral sciences, law enforcement, or education.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:

• Valid driver's license (required at the time of application)
• The following certifications must be obtained within a specified time frame after appointment and recertification annually thereafter:
  • CPR (Required within 30 days)
  • First Aid (Required within 30 days)
  • Handle With Care (Required within 30 days)
  • Medication Management (Required within 6 months)

• This position is considered "essential personnel" and will be required to report to work during times designated countywide as approved for unscheduled leave regardless of the emergency situation (i.e., weather, transportation, other disaster).
• The appointee to the position will be required to complete the following to the satisfaction of the employer:
  • Criminal Background Investigation
  • Child Protective Services Registry Check
  • Driving Record Check
  • Pre-employment Medical Evaluation
  • Tuberculosis Test

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
• One or more years of prior experience working in a secure facility for juveniles.
• Must be able to work on days, evenings, overnights, weekends, holidays, and during inclement weather and/or emergencies.
• Basic proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel.

• Ability to operate a motor vehicle.
• Employee must be able to physically restrain acting out residents and is required to lift up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to operate a motor vehicle.
• This position requires walking, standing for long periods of time, periodic running, visual and auditory acuity and the ability to operate keyboard driven equipment.
• All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.