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Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
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POSITION DESCRIPTION FOR JOB POSTING |
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Position Number: 00066885 |
Description Activated On: 3/16/2026 8:44:27 AM |
Position Purpose: Describe the primary purpose of this position and how it contributes to the organization’s objectives. Example: Provides clerical and office support within the Division to ensure its operations are conducted efficiently and effectively. Advanced professional work in counseling and providing casework services to inmates in a State Correctional Institution, Facility, or Community Corrections Center. An employee in this class performs a variety of duties of a more complex nature utilizing casework, group and individual counseling methods and techniques to help inmates in adjusting to institutionalized living, to assist them in solving social, economic, and emotional problems to the extent of influencing changes in attitude and behavior, and to develop a sense of dignity and responsibility. An employee in an Institution, Regional Facility, or Community Corrections Centers is assigned cases identified with unusually difficult behavior and adjustment problems which require considerable independence in the selection of courses of action and for which established guidelines, techniques, standards are not available or non-existent. An employee in a community based corrections center assists the director in the administration of an individualized treatment program, including involvement in individual and group counseling and assisting inmates to adjust to pressures, problems, and rules of conduct of society during transition from a structured supervised institution environment to a less structured community setting. Supervision is received from a professional or administrative superior and work is reviewed for effectiveness through observation, conferences, and evaluation of results. |
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Description of Duties: Describe in detail the duties and responsibilities assigned to this position. Descriptions should include the major end result of the task. Example: Types correspondence, reports, and other various documents from handwritten drafts for review and signature of the supervisor. All new commitments/transfer cases assigned to their caseload must be interviewed within the first 24-48 hours. The purpose of the interview is to provide an orientation to the Institution, ensure that the inmate understands his sentence, review the process he must undergo to obtain Parole and Pre-release, identify problem areas (suicide potential, escape risk, detainers, etc.) and discuss visiting and telephone procedures. Prepare Correctional Plans on new commitments/transfer cases assigned to their caseload within five (5) days. This involves integrating information from personal interview with the results and interpretations of psychological testing, classification information, pre-sentence investigations and PACT data. Counselor performs a variety of duties utilizing casework and individual and group counseling techniques to assist inmates in adjusting to Institutional life and in resolving social, economic, and emotional problems by attempting to influence changes in attitude and behavior. This requires daily individual contact with assigned inmates on the Housing Unit(s). Prepares all paperwork required for Community Corrections Center placement and Educational/Work release as it pertains to Community Corrections. This is completed in accordance with the criteria for pre-release established in Administrative Directive 805. Letters requesting permission for placement in pre-release programs are sent to the sentencing Judges and District Attorney. Request for special exceptions to Administrative Directive 805 are sent to Central Office in the form of Problematic approvals. Transfer rationales are prepared on inmates requiring Administrative or Disciplinary transfers. Perform pre-release/release counseling to assist inmates in developing appropriate home and employment plans for Parole. Maintains contact with the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole Institutional agents to assist inmates in obtaining parole. Prepares DC-13A/ICSA State Parole Summaries on each inmate eligible for State Parole consideration and prepares parole recommendation letters to Judges on each county case eligible for county parole consideration. Perform all other relevant tasks as they pertain to the housing and supervision of inmates assigned to caseload and their daily living skills necessary to adapt to the correctional setting. Essential job functions include: 1. Conduct interviews, casework and prepare Correctional Plans. 2. Provide individual and group counseling to inmates. 3. Prepares various written reports. 4. Provides verbal and written communication with staff, outside agencies and relatives of inmates. 5. Visits inmates in close disciplinary custody status on a weekly basis. 6. Acts as a member of Assessment, Community Re-Entry, and Parole review committees. 7. Acts as a member of the Unit Management Team, providing staff recommendations, evaluations, and assists in the development of Unit programs. 8. Conducts Unit based programs as directed by the Unit Manager and Department policy. 9. Documents in the inmate’s case file regarding changes in behavior, program involvement/participation and security concerns. 10. Ability to work overtime as needed. 11. Complete all mandatory training and elective training as appropriate. 12. Assigned to specific caseload based on training, ability and Institutional need under the direction of the Major of Unit Management. |
Decision Making: Describe the types of decisions made by the incumbent of this position and the types of decisions referred to others. Identify the problems or issues that can be resolved at the level of this position, versus those that must be referred to the supervisor. Example: In response to a customer inquiry, this work involves researching the status of an activity and preparing a formal response for the supervisor’s signature. Supervision is provided on an as-needed basis. Group supervision is provided on an as-needed basis and through scheduled training sessions. Work is assigned on an as-needed basis as it affects the daily operations of the unit and through performance objectives/factors assigned on an annual basis consistent with the DOC overall philosophy and mission. Skills in applying the counseling techniques needed in dealing with inmates with unusually difficult behavior and adjustment problems. Ability to review medical, socio-demographic histories, psychological and psychiatric evaluations, vocational and educational data and make recommendations for individual treatment plans for inmates with unusually difficult behavior and adjustment problems. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates. Decisions are made through verbal or written instruction. Timeliness of work occurs as noted by supervisor and by self-motivation and personal judgment and with minimal direct supervision. Ability to counsel inmates with unusually difficult behavior and adjustment problems. Ability to prepare and maintain reports. Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing. Follows appropriate rules and procedures in the performance of duties, including in emergency situations, as directed by local policy and procedures. The Corrections Counselor II’s work is assigned and reviewed by the Unit Manager, Major of Unit Management and the Deputy Superintendent of Facilities Management on an as-needed basis. Workload is divided equally among Counselors. Supervision includes explaining Department and Facility policy. The amount and frequency of supervision depends on the needs of each Counselor as determined by the assigned Unit Manager. New work is explained verbally as well as written examples provided when possible. Feedback for good performances or when changes are needed is done verbally through direct contact between the Unit Manager and Counselor. |
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Requirements Profile: Identify any specific experience or requirements, such as a licensure, registration, or certification, which may be necessary to perform the functions of the position. Position-specific requirements should be consistent with a Special Requirement or other criteria identified in the classification specification covering this position. Example: Experience using Java; Professional Engineer License Experience: Licenses, registrations, or certifications: 1. N/A 2. N/A 3. N/A 4. 5. 6. |
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Essential Functions: Provide a list of essential functions for this position. Example: Transports boxes weighing up to 60 pounds.
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