Behavioral Health Specialist, Social Work​/Counselor III - Grand Mesa Services Center

The primary duties of this position are located within 30 miles of the state border; therefore, this position is exempt from the residency requirements. Applications will be considered from residents and non-residents of Colorado.

Please note:

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies at the locations below.

Most State of Colorado employees are eligible for a great benefit package! Please see the Supplemental Information section below for details!

Division of Youth Services – Grand Mesa
Youth Services Center

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.

The DYS website: https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..

You are required to work at your assigned work location during your scheduled work times.

Please note:

Work arrangements are subject to change at any time.

This position functions as a mental health counselor. It provides mental health and case management services to committed and detained youth in the Division of Youth Services. Services include clinical assessment, monitoring medication, individual, group, family and milieu therapies, suicide risk assessment, report writing, and coordination with a multi‑disciplinary team.

• Maintain a caseload and conduct individual, group, and family therapy sessions using evidence‑based treatment theories for adolescents.
• Maintain a clear understanding of adolescent development, appropriate interventions for this population, and developmental needs.
• Use theories relevant to the needs of the youth and their individual history, considering age, ethnic, cultural, religious, and sexual issues to influence behavior change.
• Document and assess the effectiveness of specific interventions toward program progression and youth stabilization.
• Provide therapeutic services for substance abuse, mental health issues, trauma histories, cognitive limitations, and specific services for sexually abusive or violent youth, adopting a strength‑based and holistic approach.
• Collaborate with the medical team and psychiatrist regarding psychotropic medication assessment or continuation.
• Collaborate with educational/vocational systems to ensure appropriate academic services.
• Seek additional resources as necessary based on youth’s developmental and neurocognitive ability.
• Provide therapy consistent with the youth’s abilities and any necessary modifications due to trauma, substance abuse, brain injury, or mental health disorders.
• Support agency services via cognitive behavioral‑based interventions, social learning theory, and motivational interviewing.
• Actively engage family/caregivers in stabilizing and transitioning youth.
• Assess progress, barriers, and document all case management and therapeutic services in the Fusion Electronic Health Record system.
• Follow Sanctuary/ROCK Program principles.
• Facilitate Community Review Teams as needed for Individual Growth and Change Plans.

• Address mental health and other needs identified, considering estimated length of stay.
• Review assessment data, gather additional historical information, develop therapeutic rapport, maximize confidentiality, and evaluate symptoms sensitively.
• Engage parents, family…