Position Overview

The Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice is looking for a compassionate, detail oriented Licensed Clinical Social Worker to manage a new Family Support Unit which will serve DJJ youth and families. The individual in this role will conduct accurate clinical mental and emotional health assessments of youth and families, which will drive treatment plans and referrals to various supportive services. The individual will be expected to keep detailed and concise records of each client throughout their treatment and interaction and services to families whether at the client’s behest or as part of a treatment program. The individual in this role will make recommendations regarding inclusion of the family into the lives of youth while they are housed with IDJJ and released to community supervision. These recommendations may include facility visits, family activities, and training for staff in family engagement. We encourage all qualified individuals to apply.

Job Responsibilities

• Serves as the Family Engagement Clinical Social Work Manager.
• Develops and implements approved family engagement activities designed to improve incarcerated youths’ behavior, make families feel more connected, and reduce disciplinary incidents and boosts the morale of staff.
• Provides clinical assessment, brief intervention, and referral to families who are identified as needing behavioral health services statewide.
• Develops, prepares, and reviews reports, records, and correspondence for assigned youth in concert with assigned case management staff, outside agencies, courts, local municipalities ensuring compliance IDJJ policies and procedures.
• Develops and conducts training regarding family engagement.
• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires a clinical social worker’s license in the State of Illinois.
• Requires a master’s degree in social work from a recognized school of social work.
• Requires prior experience equivalent to three (3) years of progressively responsible administrative experience in a public or business organization as a licensed Social Worker.

Preferred Qualifications (In Order of Significance)

• Prefers at least three (3) years of experience working with youth under the age of 21 in a social service setting.
• Prefers at least two (2) years of experience working with at risk families and youth as a social worker.
• Prefers at least two (2) years of experience working in a congregate care setting with at risk youth.
• Prefers at least two (2) years of experience monitoring a program to ensure compliance.
• Prefers at least two (2) years of experience developing and preparing correspondence and reports for outside agencies, courts, and/or local municipalities.
• Prefers at least one (1) year of experience working with youth being monitored by other agencies in the judicial system, such as community services, probation, etc.
• Prefers at least one (1) year of experience developing and/or implementing a “Family-to-Family” peer support service.
• Prefers at least one (1) year of experience providing training to staff.

Conditions of Employment

• Requires ability to travel.
• Requires ability to pass the IDOC/IDJJ background check.
• Requires ability to pass a drug screen. The use of unauthorized drugs by an employee, regardless of position held, is prohibited.
• Requires the ability to comply with all local and federal health requirements and/or mandates.

About the Agency

The mission of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) is to build youth skills and strengthen families by promoting community safety and positive youth outcomes. Over 900 staff members from across various departments—security, programming, education, mental health, and more—collaborate with the understanding that youth are physically, emotionally, and cognitively different from adults. The department provides extensive services to young people through a developmental, treatment-focused model of care that builds youth resiliency, engages families, and promotes community safety at the five youth facilities it operates across the state. IDJJ serves and houses approximately 150 youth and is responsible for approximately 500 youth on Aftercare in various Illinois’ communities.

The Department of Juvenile Justice offers an excellent benefits package including:

• Health, Life, Vision, and Dental Insurance
• Pension Plan
• Ten (10) Weeks paid Maternity/Paternity Leave
• Pre-tax benefits programs including but not limited to: Deferred Compensation, Medical, Daycare, etc.
• Employees earn twelve (12) paid Sick Days annually
• New Employees earn ten (10) paid Vacation Days their first year of service and can earn up to twenty-five (25) paid Vacation Days annually
• Employees earn three (3) paid Personal Days annually
• Thirteen-Fourteen (13-14) paid holidays annually (based on start date)