Specialty Court Counselor (Adult Probation)

The Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department (CSCD) is one of the largest probation departments in the United States, supervising more than 70,000 individuals and employing over 600 staff members across 6 locations. We provide a wide range of services including community supervision, outpatient counseling, cognitive-behavioral programming, and residential treatment, designed to strengthen our clients’ abilities and support their long-term success. With a focus on utilizing evidence-based practices, we aim to improve outcomes and reduce recidivism for all clients under supervision.

Position Overview:
The Specialty Court Counselor I/II provides clinical services for Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department. The Specialty Court Counselor will provide services to criminal justice involved individuals including completion of intake assessments, treatment planning, progress reports, treatment plan reviews, and discharge summaries. The Specialty Court Counselor will also complete concise and timely documentation of all clinically related duties and work with the Specialty Court interdisciplinary treatment team to ensure client needs are addressed. Schedule hours will range between 8:00 AM- 9:00 PM. The Specialty Court Counselor will be required to work until 9:00 PM a minimum of two (2) days a week.

Basic Function:

 

               The Specialty Court Counselor I/II provides clinical services for Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department. The Specialty Court Counselor will provide services to criminal justice involved individuals including completion of intake assessments, treatment planning, progress reports, treatment plan reviews, and discharge summaries. The Specialty Court Counselor will also complete concise and timely documentation of all clinically related duties and work with the Specialty Court interdisciplinary treatment team to ensure client needs are addressed.

 

Organizational Relationships:

 

               Reports to the Counseling Supervisor

 

Essential Functions:

Attend weekly or bi-weekly staffing meetings with CSCD court team (CSOs, Program Manager, CSO Supervisor, Counselor Supervisor, etc.).

Regularly collaborate and communicate with CSOs between scheduled CSCD staffings and/or Court when the need arises.

Attend Court staffings for assigned dockets/courts.

Attend Court reviews with clients present for assigned dockets/courts.

Provide interdisciplinary Court team with appropriate treatment recommendations.

Complete assessments of clients completed with substance abuse treatment but still actively in STAR Drug Court or SOBER Court as requested by Judge and provide court team with treatment recommendation.

Other Essential Functions

Conducts individual and group counseling sessions with clients.

 

Provides services to clients with diverse criminal backgrounds.

 

Communicates key information and regularly collaborates with Community Supervision Officers. 

 

Tracks compliance with drug and alcohol testing and provide evidence-based interventions for substance use treatment

 

Participates in staffing cases with supervisors, peers, Community Supervision Officers, and the courts.

 

Ensures accurate and timely entries in the electronic case management systems.

Monitors and adheres to deadlines to ensure completeness, accuracy and compliance with policy, grant standards, funding and licensure requirements, special conditions of community supervision, and Community Justice Assistance Division (CJAD) general and substance abuse standards.

 

Maintains professional and effective communication, including email correspondence, with judges, attorneys, prosecutors, court personnel, law enforcement officially, CSCD personnel, victims, and community members.

 

Participates in clinical and interdisciplinary staffing.

 

Participate in team, unit and departmental meetings.

 

Travel to Court, other HCCSCD locations or off-site locations for meetings, training, group coverage, etc. is required as needed.

 

Testify in a court setting.

 

Operates office equipment, computers, phones, telecommunication devices and other necessary required tools.

Nonessential Functions:

Works collaboratively with other personnel.

 

 Fosters a positive work environment by communicating and behaving cooperatively, respectfully and amicably with supervisors, co-workers, and the public.

 

Perform other related duties as assigned.

 

Work overtime as required.

 

Other Duties

 

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

 

Work Environment

 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in an office setting, although there is an opportunity to work remotely on designated days after the introductory period and the employee is in good standing.

              

Continuing Education opportunities and license renewal fees stipend are provided.

Physical Demands

 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate with co-workers and clients, as well as visually observe clients during individual and group settings for assessment and treatment purposes. 

 

Qualifications:

 

Education and Licensure:

 

Must possess a Master’s degree in a psychological, counseling or social work field.

 

At minimum possess licensure as an LPC-Associate, LMSW, or LMFT-Associate at the start of employment. Will provide clinical supervision as needed. Should clinical supervision be provided, then the applicant is required to remain in this position for the equivalent amount of time clinical supervision was provided.

 

Preferred:

LPC’s, LCSW’s, and LMFT’s

 

Must become Texas Risk Assessment System (TRAS) certified and maintain certification within the first two attempts. Failure to pass the certification may result in termination of employment.

Meet the minimum requirements for access to Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) information

 

Must have a valid Texas Class C Automobile Operator’s License or Texas Identification Card

 

 

FLSA Status

 

Non-Exempt.

Work Schedule

Five days per week

Schedule hours will range between:

8:00 AM- 9:00 PM

 

The Specialty Court Counselor will be required to work until 9pm a minimum of two days a week.

 

Flexibility in work schedule is required and determined by program needs.

 

Work overtime as required.