Social Services Counselor 3

Salary : $3,477.00 - $6,264.00 Monthly
Location : Houma, LA
Job Type: Classified
Job Number: 221579
Department: LDH-South Central Louisiana Human Services Authority
Opening Date: 05/28/2026
Closing Date: 6/7/2026 11:59 PM Central


About this Job
Helping people, changing lives through education, prevention, intervention, and treatment in an effort to enhance quality of life.
Join a dedicated team committed to improving lives across South Central Louisiana. SCLHSA is seeking a compassionate and experienced Social Service Counselor 3 to provide advanced, professional behavioral health services within our community programs. This leadership-level role offers the opportunity to make a lasting impact while working in a supportive, mission-driven environment.

If you're ready to take the next step in your career and help shape the future of human services in our region, we want to hear from you.

Apply today and be a part of something meaningful.

To learn more about our agency, please


AN IDEAL CANDIDATE SHOULD POSSESS THE FOLLOWING COMPETENCIES:

• Communicating Effectively: The ability to convey information, ideas, and emotions using structured communication methods that promote understanding and engagement.
• Demonstrating Initiative: The ability to assess situations independently and take proactive steps to address them without being prompted or instructed by others.
• Making Accurate Judgments: The ability to assess options, weigh risks, and make sound decisions using available information and logical reasoning.

Minimum Qualifications


Five years of social services experience; OR

Six years of full-time experience in any field plus two years of social services experience; OR

A bachelor's degree plus two years of social services experience; OR

An advanced degree in a social sciences field plus one year of social services experience.

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:
As a Social Service Counselor 3, the incumbent will:

• Provide families with individualized support to access community-based services, including healthcare, housing, early childhood education, mental health, food assistance, and parenting resources.
• Conduct needs assessments and develop service plans in collaboration with ECSS caseworkers and other interdisciplinary team members.
• Manage requests and allocations of flexible funding to address urgent family needs (e.g., utilities, rent, transportation, childcare supplies).
• Track expenditures and maintain accurate financial records; work with ECSS leadership to monitor budgets and make funding recommendations.
• Represent the ECSS program at community events, health fairs, and stakeholder meetings to increase program visibility and promote available services.
• Facilitate outreach initiates to reach underserved or hard to engage populations, particularly those experiencing poverty, homelessness, or isolation.

Position-Specific Details:
Location: This position is located at SCLHSA's Terrebonne Behavioral Health Center, located in Houma, LA.
Appointment Type: This vacancy is being announced as a Classified Position and will be filled as a Job Appointment that may transfer into a Probationary Appointment at a future date.
Compensation: The actual starting salary depends on the education and experience of the selected applicant.


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 this job title 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 on your application. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.


Contact Information:
For further information about this vacancy, contact:
Shelby Hidalgo
HR Director

View phone number on click.appcast.io
Louisiana is a State As a Model Employer (SAME) that supports the recruitment, hiring, and retention of individuals with disabilities.
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 (). LASERS has provided this video to give you more detailed information about their system
• Teacher's Retirement System of Louisiana (),
• Louisiana School Employees Retirement System (), among others

01


CE: Communicating Effectively - How well do you share information and ideas in ways that others can understand, relate to, and act on?

• I communicate unclearly, use poor tone, and ignore the audience.
• I share main ideas clearly and adapt to the audience when reminded.
• I communicate clearly, listen actively, and explain complex ideas well.
• I craft messages that connect, inspire, and drive action across audiences.

02


CE: Communicating Effectively - Explain your selection by providing specific examples from your experience. Tip: Use the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) to explain how you have demonstrated this competency. Examples from work, military service, volunteering, education, or other life experiences are all valid.
03


DIn: Demonstrating Initiative - How well do you take action and solve problems on your own without waiting for direction?

• I wait for direction, avoid ownership, and don't solve problems.
• I meet expectations and help with solutions when asked.
• I take ownership, solve problems, and follow through.
• I take initiative, innovate, and deliver results beyond expectations.

04


DIn: Demonstrating Initiative - Explain your selection by providing specific examples from your experience. Tip: Use the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) to explain how you have demonstrated this competency. Examples from work, military service, volunteering, education, or other life experiences are all valid.
05


MAJ: Making Accurate Judgments - How do you make decisions when faced with choices, risks, or limited information?

• I make reactive or delayed decisions and sometimes overlook risks, priorities, or potential bias.
• I try to weigh options but struggle when there's uncertainty, competing priorities, or unclear outcomes.
• I make timely, well-reasoned decisions by using available information, context, and trade-offs.
• I make sound decisions in complex situations, lead others through ambiguity, and adapt as new information emerges.

06


MAJ: Making Accurate Judgments - Explain your selection by providing specific examples from your experience. Tip: Use the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) to explain how you have demonstrated this competency. Examples from work, military service, volunteering, education, or other life experiences are all valid.
Required Question