JUVENILE JUSTICE YOUTH & FAMILY SPECIALIST SUPERVISOR

Position Overview:

The Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) is seeking a highly motivated and compassionate candidate to serve as the Youth and Family Specialist Supervisor for the assigned facility. The incumbent in this position will assign and review subordinate work, monitor youth case plans for compliance with agency mandated processes and procedures, and will direct Federal Funding Participation. Additional duties in this position include managing incidents, reviewing arrest and After Care incident reports, providing managements direction throughout the assigned division, assigning caseloads, directing home/placements, visitations, and establishing timelines/schedules. The ideal candidate will possess previous supervisory experience; experience contacting and reviewing progress reporting, approving submission of case load transfers and parole plans including Interstate Compact cases, warrants and hold orders. DJJ encourages all interested and qualified individuals to apply!

Essential Functions:

• Supervises staff.
• Coordinates assigned staff to ensure that youth are assessed for mental health, medical, legal,
  academic/vocational, familiar, and social issues.
• Monitors staff and procedures to ensure that each youth committed to the department has a Master file, Identification Number, Sentence calculation, or Maximum Release Dates.
• Communicates with immediate supervisor, Superintendent, and the Deputy Director's Office, regarding unusual commitment order, youth with severe medical or mental health issues, and security levels, when they are received in reception.
• Monitors input of data into the Juvenile Tracking System (JTS), regarding dates on individual assignments and transfers.
• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties, enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Requires a Master's Degree in counseling or related social sciences field, and three years of professional experience working with youth in juvenile services, OR, Requires a Master's Degree from an accredited college or university, and four years of professional experience in counseling or casework.
• Candidates must be over the age of 21.

Preferred Qualifications: (In Order of Significance)

• Prefers at least five (5) years of professional experience counseling and/or guiding youth who display deviant behavior and/or delinquency.
• Prefers at least five (5) years of experience applying cognitive behavioral principles in a youth serving environment.
• Prefers at least four (4) years of experience working with and applying knowledge of sociology of the family, racial and cultural minorities, and/or urban sociology and social problems.
• Prefers at least five (5) years of professional experience applying casework techniques and writing professional reports.
• Prefers at least three (3) years of professional supervisory experience.
• Prefers at least four (4) years of experience administering psychometric and/or equivalent testing.

Conditions of Employment:

• Requires the ability to pass an IDOC/IDJJ background check.
• Requires ability to pass a drug screen. The use of unauthorized drugs by an employee, regardless of position held, is prohibited.
• Candidates must be over the age of 21.
• Requires possession of a valid and appropriate driver’s license and the ability to travel.

The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.

About the Agency:

The mission of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) is to build youth skills and strengthen families by promoting community safety and positive youth outcomes. Over 900 staff members from across various departments—security, programming, education, mental health, and more—collaborate with the understanding that youth are physically, emotionally, and cognitively different from adults. The department provides extensive services to young people through a developmental, treatment-focused model of care that builds youth resiliency, engages families, and promotes community safety at the five youth facilities it operates across the state. IDJJ serves and houses approximately 150 youth and is responsible for approximately 500 youth on Aftercare in various Illinois’ communities.