Assessment Specialist Trainer (Social Work​/Counselor IV) - Division of Youth Services, Denver

Division Of Youth Services

The Division of Youth Services (DYS) provides a continuum of residential and non-residential services that encompass juvenile detention, commitment, and parole. DYS is the agency statutorily mandated to provide for the care and supervision of youth committed by the District Court to the custody of the Colorado Department of Human Services. The Division operates fifteen secure facilities that serve youth between the ages of 10 and 21 who are pre-adjudicated, sentenced, or committed.

The Division also contracts with numerous private residential and non-residential service providers throughout the State. For pre-adjudicated youth, the Division is also responsible for the management and oversight of Colorado Youth Detention Continuum, a State-funded, locally administered program that provides services to youth at risk of further progressing into the juvenile justice system. In addition to residential programming, the Division administers juvenile parole services throughout the State.

You are required to work at your assigned work location during your scheduled work times. Work arrangements are subject to change at any time. The purpose of Assessment is to provide a safe, secure, and healthy environment for all juveniles who have been committed to the Department of Human Services, Division of Youth Services (DYS) while undergoing a comprehensive assessment. Services include, but are not limited to, the administration and interpretation of Criminogenic, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse screening and assessment instruments to arrive at recommendations for treatment and efficient, effective service delivery.

Principle functions involve identification of criminal risk areas, ascertainment of mental health functioning, determination of substance use treatment needs, assessing for needs and strengths, and submission of recommendations for placement type and service plan goals. Evaluation services are provided through a multidisciplinary team decision-making process, which incorporates family input and community support. All assessment services are empirically supported and designed to uphold standards of best practice set forth by the U.S.

This position ensures the quality, consistency, and integrity of clinical assessments within behavioral health services. This role supports a multidisciplinary team responsible for conducting comprehensive clinical assessments, ensuring evaluations are accurate, timely, and aligned with evidence-based and regulatory standards.

This position will provide supervision to assessment staff, offering coaching, feedback, and support to strengthen clinical judgment, documentation, and decision-making. By enhancing staff competency and consistency, the role directly supports client care by ensuring that assessment findings accurately inform service recommendations and treatment planning.

Additionally, this position will provide direct client/youth assessment services as needed to maintain continuity, respond to high-demand periods, and model best practices. Through a combination of supervision, training, and quality oversight, this role promotes reliable assessment outcomes and strengthens overall service delivery.

Summary of Duties:

• Develop, coordinate, and deliver assessment training, as well as the clinical oversight of assessment practices within the Division of Youth Services.
• Design curriculum, facilitate training, and provide ongoing coaching and supervision to Assessment Specialists, interns, and other staff to ensure competency in clinical practices, documentation standards, program expectations, and policy.
• Provide expertise and quality assurance related to the evaluation of juveniles, ensuring the effectiveness, appropriateness, and consistent application of assessment tools, including the Youth Assessment and Screening Inventory (YASI).
• Ensure Asssessment practices are outlined in a manual annually to ensure consistency and adherence to Assessment requirements and best practices.
• Support training and supervision while promoting professional development through structured learning opportunities.
• Research, develop, and coordinate training initiatives focused on assessment practices such as strengths-based evaluation, report writing, identification of mental health and criminogenic needs, application of psychological theory, and motivational interviewing.
• Ensure consistent communication of policy updates, procedural changes, and clinical expectations to promote standardization across regions and maintain ongoing collaboration with Assessment Specialists, client managers, behavioral health staff, Clinical Directors, psychologists, and Assessment leadership to ensure continuity of care.
• Participate in Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities, program development, and committee work to evaluate and enhance assessment services and statewide practices.
• Monitor staffing rosters to ensure timely scheduling and compliance with required documentation…