Bay Area Youth Services of Florida

Position:    Counselor

Salary: To Be Announced      

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling, or a related discipline.
• Two years of experience in providing counseling to youth and families and/or classroom instruction.
• Academic training in group and individual counseling.
• Possess a valid Florida Drivers License.

Preferences:

• Licensure in the field of Social Work, Psychology, or Counseling
• Familiarity with community agencies and their referral processes.

Job Responsibilities:

General

1. Work non-traditional hours during a 40-hour workweek, including evenings and Saturdays.
2. Maintain a valid Florida Drivers License.
3. Provide transportation for fieldwork and other duties required outside the office.  Reimbursement will be paid at the rate of $.34 per mile, or at a flat rate as determined by the agency. 
4. Report any suspected child abuse to the Abuse Registry immediately.  Case file must be documented and Supervisor must be informed.
5. Return all urgent telephone messages immediately.  Return all non-urgent calls within 24 hours after the message is received.
6. Maintain case files in a secure area of the BAYS office to ensure youth confidentiality.
7. Maintain a neat desk and organized work area at all times.
8. Adhere to a more formal professional dress and conduct standard at all legal functions.
9. Attend mandatory monthly staff meetings.
10. Attend scheduled individual meetings with the Supervisor.
11. Fully understand the BAYS mission statement.
12. Fully understand the DJJ Mission Statement
13. Complete special projects or assignments when required.
14. Ensure that all case documentation is thorough and up-to-date. All contacts, attempted contacts, phone calls, attempted phone calls, and any change in youth or family needs must be documented.  All notes must be legible, and abbreviations must comply with DJJ uniform codes.
15. Adhere to all HIPAA rules and regulations.
16. Comply with the BAYS Employee Handbook, with emphasis on professionalism, reliability, and attention to detail.

Position Specific:

1. Adhere to the BAYS Standard Operating Procedures.
2. Conduct non-clinical individual and family counseling for assigned program youth and families.  Counseling shall be based on established counseling principles. 
3. Conduct counseling primarily at the youth's home, but appointments may be held at the BAYS office or at alternative locations when appropriate.  It is important to observe the home environment and the interaction between family members.
4. Manage program youth who are identified as needing non-clinical counseling services, not requiring specialized services from a licensed counselor.
5. Refer youth and family to local community agencies based on youth or family necessities, or to licensed counseling services when needs and services are beyond the scope of BAYS counseling services.
6. Stay current with community services to maximize referral sources.
7. Communicate with program Supervisor concerning caseload capacity.
8. Contact the youth/parent within program guidelines.  First attempts should be made by telephone or in person.  Contact the respective Case Manager if contact attempts are unsuccessful.  Whenever possible, the respective Case Manager will make the first face-to-face contact.
9. The frequency and duration of counseling appointments should be assessed on a case-by-case basis with input from the respective Case Manager.  Generally, sessions are held on a bi-weekly basis.
10. Coordinate with Case Managers to assist youth with academic, vocational or school conduct needs.  Attend school staffings as needed.
11. Encourage and involve parental or guardian participation.
12. Complete services within the program closure timeframe unless extenuating circumstances exist, and approval has been gained from the program Supervisor.
13. Submit a written counseling summary to the program Supervisor no later than three (3) working days after the final counseling session.  Make all corrections suggested by the program Supervisor.
14. Attend bi-weekly or monthly case staffings to provide input and to assist in developing effective case strategies.  Provide more frequent case information sharing on an “as needed” basis.
15. Comply with agency training hour requirements. Participate in one hundred twenty (120) hours of pre-service training, and 40 hours of annual training. Secure training certificates, or training documents signed and dated with training hours specified.  Proof of training must be provided to the BAYS Administrative Services Unit.

Group:

1. Conduct non-clinical groups on specialized topics approved by the program Supervisor.  Counseling must be based on established group counseling principles.
2. Receive approval from the Supervisor for all curriculum and materials utilized in group sessions.
3. Conduct group sessions weekly basis at a location approved by program Supervisor.
4. Designate groups as “open” or “closed” to assist Case Managers in the referral process.
5. Establish group rules and inform all participants.    
6. Group sessions will normally be one hour in length, or according to program guidelines.
7. Record attendance along with thorough documentation of each session. Provide Progress Summaries to respective Case Managers.

Parenting: (As needed)

1. Implement a Parenting Program to meet the needs of program families when needed.
2. Conduct parenting sessions on a weekly basis, consisting of four (4) to six (6) one-hour evening sessions.
3. Receive approval from the Supervisor for all materials utilized in parenting sessions
4. Invite all program parents to parenting sessions.
5. Parenting services may be arranged through community resources when   deemed appropriate.

Performance Reviews will be conducted 6 months after hire date and annually each consecutive year.  Reviews will be based upon job performance.