Activity Specialist I - Gilliam Youth Services Center

Salary: $2,104.80 Biweekly
Location : Denver Metro, CO
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: IKA 00333 12/28/2023
Department: Colorado Department of Human Services
Opening Date: 01/16/2024
Closing Date: Continuous
FLSA: Determined by Position
Primary Physical Work Address:Gilliam Youth Service Center2844 Downing Street, Denver, CO. 80205
Hiring Pay Rate: $26.31
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt; position is eligible for overtime compensation.
Department Information
This position has a residency waiver and will be accepting applications from residents and non-residents of Colorado.
Please note: This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.
This list will be used to fill, days, swing, and night shifts.
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About the Division of Youth Services: The Division of Youth Services (DYS) provides a continuum of residential and non-residential services that encompass juvenile detention, commitment, and parole. DYS is the agency statutorily mandated to provide for the care and supervision of youth committed by the District Court to the custody of the Colorado Department of Human Services. The Division operates twelve secure facilities that serve youth between the ages of 10 and 21, who are pre-adjudicated, sentenced, or committed. The Division also contracts with numerous private residential and non-residential service providers throughout the State. For pre-adjudicated youth, the Division is also responsible for the management and oversight of Colorado Youth Detention Continuum, a State-funded, locally administered program that provides services to youth at risk of further progressing into the juvenile justice system. In addition to residential programming, the Division administers juvenile parole services throughout the State.
Division of Youth Services Vision: Achieving Youth Success and Safer Colorado Communities.
Division of Youth Services Mission: It is the mission of the Division of Youth Services to protect, restore and improve public safety utilizing a continuum of care that provides effective supervision, promotes accountability to victims and communities, and helps youth lead constructive lives through positive youth development.
Division of Youth Services Strategic Goal: The Division will operate safe, healthy trauma-responsive organizational environments as demonstrated through prosocial, non-violent interactions between staff and youth, youth and youth and staff and staff.
We invite you to explore the DYS website and learn about the services provided to youth, families, and local communities in the State of Colorado at:
Description of Job
This position provides 24-hour/7 days per week supervision of youth in DYS state Operated Secure Facilities. This position is direct-care and essential and maintains safety and security through appropriate supervision of youth. Provides corrective cognitive, emotional or behavioral experiences within a youth center program using a trauma responsive approach. Serves a complex adolescent population with various behavioral health disorders, trauma, and criminal behaviors.
Safety/Security:

• Provide direct care, safety, security and supervision of adjudicated and /or pre-adjudicated youth in a secure setting.
• Supervision for safety is a function of appropriate staff location, mobility and continual observation of youth.
• Enforce established security rules and behavioral expectations with a youth or group of youths, supervise and direct daily living and leisure activities, orient youth to the unit/facility and agency rules and routines, intervene early in potentially, or actively, volatile situations.
• Provide immediate intervention in crisis situations.
• Employ sound judgement and emotional control when evaluating possible crises taking into consideration the physical and mental well-being of all youth and staff.
• Monitor movement of youth on the unit or throughout the agency, escort and transport to activities or appointments internal and/or external to the agency
• Conduct searches of persons, property, or areas according to schedule or as needed.
• Identify, document, and seize contraband as directed or appropriate in accordance with DYS policy.
• Check windows, doors all aspects of locking mechanisms, as well as youth center grounds and perimeter to minimize escape risk and promote safety.
• Inspect common areas and youth center living units to maintain health, safety and sanitation standards.
• Adhere to all Suicide Prevention Monitoring (SPM) Policies and Standards.
• Monitor and document SPM status, medical watches or other special observation status youth, in accordance with timeframes as noted in Room Check Sheets.
• Actively supervise youth to prevent sexual contact and sexual harassment and adhere to all PREA Policies and Federal Standards.

Youth Center Programming:

• Implement and follow the facility behavioral management program.
• Develops, organizes, and leads program activities which promote a level of social, cognitive, emotional and behavioral growth of youth in care;
• This may include the development of high incentive programs and running psychoeducation or skill-building groups as well as coaching and instructing others on successful group strategies. All therapeutic programs are monitored ongoing and initiation of necessary changes are implemented quickly to ensure programs are progressing.
• Participates in interdisciplinary/collaborative team process, discussing individual objectives, successes and areas for growth and Lead Collaborative Review Team processes as needed.
• Assess effectiveness of group activities delivered throughout daily programming and implements improvements.
• Teach, coach, and redirect youth within the behavior management program and role model prosocial behavior at all times.
• Conduct problem solving, appreciation, pre/post activity groups, psycho-educational groups and individualized skill building as needed to support a safe environment conducive to learning and consistent with DYS behavioral expectations.
• Communicate expectations for behavior, events, rules, or other milieu requirements.
• Documentation/Recording;
• Support DYS initiatives and strategies as they relate to juvenile programming and crisis intervention
• Monitor and record youth behaviors, as well as intervene according to prevailing program standards related to privileges and consequences.
• Uphold basic rights of juveniles pursuant to prevailing law and policy.
• Support and ensure that youth are provided access to recreation according to prevailing standards, youth physical condition, and daily program schedule.

Documentation/Recording and Reporting:

• Documents observations of youth behavior and response to programs.
• Completes documentation of facility and youth searches.
• Documents all unit activities and relevant information on the daily shift log.
• Send out monthly emails of events, programming, tools and themes.
• Tracking of group hours and monthly activities.
• Completion of meeting notes.

Organizational Accountability;

• Through all communication and behaviors employee demonstrates, supports, and contributes to a health, positive and respectful cultural climate throughout the facility.
  
• Communicates with internal/external customers, residents, subordinate staff, and co-workers in a professional manner; communicating with respect and dignity.

Training:

• Attend and actively participate in all assigned training and successfully complete any/all testing or other requirements for such training.
• Maintain physical ability to demonstrate required skills.
• Maintain required certifications as appropriate.
• Will teach, coach and mentor staff in group facilitation.

Other duties as assigned.
Lived Experience:
The Division of Youth Services (DYS) is committed to hiring individuals who are professional and passionate about their desire to help youth. DYS values candidates who have demonstrated perseverance as a special attribute that can help the youth in our care. DYS encourages qualified candidates with "lived experience" to apply. Lived experience comes from the personal knowledge and understanding that many possess by virtue of first-hand experience with mental health, substance abuse, systems involvement and traumatic events. Lived experience brings unique knowledge, insights and perspectives that are invaluable for organizational growth, increased sensitivity to the youth and families we serve, and new ideas and inspiration for improving service delivery.
Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights
*** Please read the entire job announcement and follow all of the instructions prior to completing the application. You must provide documentation to be given credit for it. There will be no exceptions on timelines to provide documentation. All documentation must be uploaded- this is the first evaluation in the selection process***
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Education and Experience:
High school diploma or General Education Diploma, (GED).
Substitutions: None
These positions are not sedentary positions. Employees are typically on their feet during the entire shift. Youth living quarters are located on multiple levels and employees must frequently climb stairs in the performance of job duties. Please take into account your physical ability in relation to the essential job duties when applying for job.
Employees must also be willing and able to physically intervene with assaultive youth.
Preferred Qualifications:
College education in a behavioral health and or juvenile justice related field.
Experience working with adjudicated and/or detained youth within a secure residential facility and/or a behavioral health setting;
Experience facilitating psychoeducational groups; Education/experience working with adolescents who have trauma;
Experience working with youth in positive leadership roles, such as mentoring and coaching.
Experience utilizing verbal de-escalation and motivational techniques.
Highly Desirable Competencies

• Skilled in conflict management.
  
• Strong work ethic, integrity and dependability.
  
• Sound judgment and decision making skills.
  
• Self control, composure and the ability to manage stressful situations.
  
• Ability to verbally communicate clearly and willingness to do so respectfully
  
• Ability to identify and act on changes, inappropriate activity, hazards or potential security breaches and verbally communicate pertinent information.
  
• Ability to study information and recount events in a written, factual, concise, and legible method.

Work Environment:
Employees are required to work shift hours. This includes evening, night, weekend and holidays. Shifts may vary between agencies and may include eight (8) hours, ten (10) hours, or twelve (12) hours in duration. Mandatory overtime may be required. Day shift work is not usually available. As a YSSI, your position is considered essential and you may be required to report to work during inclement weather.
Conditions of Employment:

• Be a minimum of 21 years of age, with no felony convictions or history of domestic violence
• Possess and maintain a valid State of Colorado driver's license
• Pass CBI and FBI background investigations
• Shift work - subject to assigned shifts
• Travel - Transportation of youth in state vehicles, travel to assigned trainings and/or alternate work sites
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application and provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify the applicant from the current position. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.
• Included in the background investigation is a current/previous employer check. Your current and previous employers within the last 10 years must be listed on your application even if the job duties are unrelated to Correctional Youth Security Officer I position. Incomplete employer information (address, phone, supervisor name) or omission of former employers may result in application disqualification.
• Continued employment is contingent upon successful completion of the DYS Pre-service Training Academy, Field Training Program (FTO) and mandatory annual training in all subject areas.

Included in the background investigation is a current/previous employer check. Your current and previous employers within the last 10 years must be listed on your application even if the job duties are unrelated to Correctional Youth Security Officer I position. Incomplete employer information (address, phone, supervisor name) or omission of former employers may result in application disqualification.
APPEAL RIGHTS:
If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.
An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email (dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department's action.
For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to spb.colorado....