SOCIAL SERVICE COUNSELOR 1/2/3

About This Job

The Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice (OJJ) is driven by a powerful mission: protecting the public while transforming the lives of youth through safe, effective, and individualized services that help them grow into productive, law-abiding citizens. We are excited to welcome a compassionate, motivated, and skilled professional to join our team as a Social Service Counselor, playing a vital role in the rehabilitation and well-being of youth in secure care.

In this impactful position, you will provide direct counseling and case management that supports each youth's emotional, behavioral, and social development. Through meaningful one-on-one interventions, dynamic group facilitation, and collaborative treatment planning, you will help guide young people toward healthier choices and brighter futures. The ideal candidate brings empathy, strong clinical insight, and a deep commitment to trauma-informed, youth-centered care—someone who believes in the potential of every young person and is energized by the opportunity to make a lasting difference.

An ideal candidate will possess the following competencies:

• Demonstrating Accountability: The ability to take ownership of actions, behaviors, performance, decisions, and outcomes.
• Focusing on Customers: The ability to understand and meet the needs, preferences, and experiences of internal and external customers.
• Making Accurate Judgments: The ability to assess options, weigh risks, and make sound decisions using available information and logical reasoning.
• Acting with Ethics and Integrity: The ability to make choices that reflect ethical standards, integrity, and honesty, regardless of circumstances or personal benefit.
• Adapting to Change: The ability to demonstrate flexibility in thoughts, behaviors, and actions in response to evolving circumstances or unexpected change.

Minimum Qualifications

Three years of social services experience; OR six years of full-time experience in any field; OR a bachelor's degree. Experience substitution: Every 30 semester hours earned from an accredited college or university will be credited as one year of experience towards the six years of full-time work experience in any field. The maximum substitution allowed is 120 semester hours which substitutes for a maximum of four years of experience in any field. Necessary special requirement: Positions that provide addictive disorder counseling or prevention services will require certification or eligibility for certification issued by the Addictive Disorder Regulatory Authority (ADRA), or its successor.

Job Specification

The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.

Job Duties and Other Information

Job Duties:

• Conduct psychosocial assessments and develop individualized service plans
• Provide individual and group counseling using evidence-based approaches
• Collaborate with facility staff, families, and external providers to coordinate care
• Monitor youth progress and adjust interventions to meet evolving needs
• Maintain accurate documentation of services, treatment goals, and case notes
• Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings and contribute to case planning
• Advocate for youth needs and support their transition to community-based services

Position-Specific Details:

Work Location: This vacancy is located at the Lafayette Regional Office in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Appointment Type: Full-time, Probational

Career Progression: This position may be filled as a Social Service Counselor 1, 2, or 3.

The incumbent of this position must not have been convicted or pled nolo contendere to a crime listed in R.S. 15:587.1 (c). The Office of Juvenile Justice will receive a list of eligible applicants ONLY from the people who respond to this posting.

How To Apply: No Civil Service test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy. To apply for this vacancy, click on the "Apply" link above and complete an electronic application, which can be used for this vacancy as well as future job opportunities. Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the Information section of the Current Job Opportunities page. * Information to support your eligibility for the position must be included in the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education). Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.

For further information about this vacancy, contact: Garilyn London OJJ/ Human Resources View email address on click.appcast.io In the supplemental questions section, applicants must authorize the HR Office of Juvenile Justice to contact prior employers to check references under the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) to be considered for employment. The Office of Juvenile Justice is a State as a Model Employer (SAME) agency that supports improved employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. For more information on employment-related resources available for those with disabilities, refer to the Louisiana Employment Resource Guide. If you are contacted for an interview, please let us know at that time if you will need special accommodations. NOTE: Prior to an appointment, the selected applicant must take and pass a drug screening test, possess a valid Louisiana Driver's License, and clear a background check.

Benefits

Louisiana State Government represents a wide variety of career options and offers an outstanding opportunity to make a difference through public service. With an array of career opportunities in every major metropolitan center and in many rural areas, state employment provides an outstanding option to begin or continue your career. As a state employee, you will earn competitive pay, choose from a variety of benefits, and have access to a great professional development program:

• Insurance Coverage More information can be found at
• Parental Leave – Up to six weeks paid parental leave More information can be found at
• Holidays and Leave – State employees receive the following paid holidays each year:
• New Year's Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,
• Mardi Gras,
• Good Friday,
• Memorial Day,
• Independence Day,
• Labor Day,
• Veteran's Day,
• Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
• Additional holidays may be proclaimed by the Governor State employees earn sick and annual leave which can be accumulated and saved for future use. Your accrual rate increases as your years of service increase.
• Retirement – State of Louisiana employees are eligible to participate in various retirement systems (based on the type of appointment and agency for which an employee works). These retirement systems provide retirement allowances and other benefits for state officers and employees and their beneficiaries. State retirement systems may include (but are not limited to):
• Louisiana State Employees Retirement System (
• Teacher's Retirement System of Louisiana (
• Louisiana School Employees Retirement System ( among others