Specialty Court Counselor (Adult Probation)

Specialty Court Counselor I/II

About The Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department (CSCD): 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.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Attend weekly or bi-weekly staffings 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.
• 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 officials, 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.
• 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.

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer