AFTERCARE COORDINATOR

Job Description

Job Description

Overview

Are you looking for a career you can feel good about? We hire only those that strive to do their best. By joining our family, you'll receive the honor and recognition that comes with working for the industry's global leader in evidenced based rehabilitation.

Who We Are:

GEO provides complementary, turnkey solutions for numerous government partners worldwide across a spectrum of diversified correctional and community reentry services. From the development of state-of-the-art facilities and the provision of management services and evidence-based rehabilitation to the post-release reintegration and supervision of individuals in the community, GEO offers fully diversified, cost-effective services that deliver enhanced quality and improved outcomes.

Why Work for GEO:

• We believe that work is more than a place you go to every day. It is about being inspired and motivated to achieve extraordinary things.
• Employee benefits play an important role in making The GEO Group a great place to work. At GEO, we believe in the three pillars of employee wellbeing: physical, emotional, and financial. With comprehensive benefits and competitive wages, we trust that you will find all the resources you need here to be successful.

Responsibilities

Summary:
The Aftercare Coordinator works both in the Youth Supportive and Rehabilitative Program at Tulare County Juvenile and in community-based settings. This position is responsible for developing and maintaining a network of county wide community-based service providers and referral sources to assist and support returning citizens in their successful reintegration. The Aftercare Coordinator is also responsible for ensuring that returning citizens are actively linked with resources in their communities upon their release. This position provides support and structure to participants in developing program plans by managing a caseload of participants and administering the policies and procedures of the program as directed by the contracting agency and the Program Manager. Learns, uses and models the principles of the “What Works” system through evidence-based practices in all interactions with participants and other staff members.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• The Aftercare Coordinator reviews opportunities for returning citizens transitioning into their communities through community-based services such as transition centers, communityresidential centers, support groups, and community-based organizations.
• Schedules regular post release follow-up calls with returning citizens and monitor’s progress.
• The Aftercare Coordinator communicates effectively and coherently to administration, staff, inmates, and the public, particularly in situations requiring tact, diplomacy, understanding, fairness, firmness, and good judgment.
• Assists returning citizens in completing the appropriate forms regarding the aftercare/successful reentry phase of the program services.
• The Aftercare Coordinator establishes and maintains a network of community-based service providers that address the needs of returning citizens to improve successful reintegration.
• Facilitates psycho- educational/behavior modification groups on a daily basis on multiple units with multiple youth.
• Maintains a participant caseload with appropriate service plans.
• Enforces program norms, rules, and behavioral standards. Coordinates and develops appropriate service plans through the utilization of various identified resources to assist the participant in making the transition from a residential placement or institution to the community in lieu of incarceration.
• Prepares service plans and aftercare plans which may include utilizing services such as Alcohol and other Drugs (AOD), legal, behavioral, medical, educational, vocational, family, and psychosocial for each participant and update and monitor such plans in a timely manner.
• Supervises participant activities and prepares required reports of the behavior and progress of participants. Prepares daily, weekly, and monthly reports in a timely manner as well as month-end reports, and incident and arrest reports as needed.
• Supports participants and their families in completing any court ordered conditions including restitution, community service, or specific counseling needs and assessment.
• Coordinates efforts with the courts, probation department, schools, employers, job training, recovery programs, counseling, family, or other social service agencies and community programs to meet the participants’ individualized needs.
• Maintains regular contacts with referral agency staff assigned to each participant in order to maintain communication and consistency with participant and family treatment to meet contractual or licensing obligations and ensure regulatory compliance with outside referral agencies.
• Assists participants to establish personal budget, locate suitable housing, enroll in educational and vocational programs and participate in family and community activities, as appropriate, to ensure that they are working towards financial independence.
• Makes entries into confidential participant files to provide the structure for case analysis and program planning and to provide documentation of program participation. Ensure files are secure to protect participant confidentiality.
• Participates in staff meetings by sharing observations and recommendations regarding the facility, participants and staff relations to identify and solve problems and function as a unified team.
• Maintains confidentiality obtained through job duties regarding employees, vendors, participants, and outside agencies so that sensitive information is only given on a "need to know" basis. Monitors participant’s compliance with alcohol and drug counseling when required.
• Reports all program violations to the appropriate agency or official via the established reporting parameters.
• Communicates effectively with all levels of staff in a manner that promotes a team spirit and a sense of cooperation.
• Complies with work rules and policies as explained in the company Employee Handbook, and the Facility Policies and Procedures Manual; and responds positively to directives from managers and supervisors in a cooperative spirit to ensure conformance to standards.
• Adheres to attendance policy; work overtime as required, to ensure adequate coverage of the program and to ensure the safety and security of the participants.
• Communicates effectively with all levels of staff in a manner that promotes a team spirit and a sense of cooperation.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Bachelor’s degree in social services, criminal justice or a related field of study preferred.
• Four (4) years of experience working in a criminal justice, treatment or social services setting.
• Thorough understanding of evidence-based practices especially as it relates to successful reentry.
• Ability to read, analyze, comprehend and interpret technical procedures or governmental regulations, legal and non-legal documents, including the processing of such documents as medical instructions, commitment orders, summons and other legal writs.
• Ability to comply with the requirements of applicable regulations, laws, rules, procedures, policies, standards or contracts.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with others and handle difficult interpersonal contacts.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions; apply management techniques to problems of administration and devise workable solutions.
• Ability to efficiently work with computers and the necessary software typically used by the department.
• Must maintain security clearance for the facility.