Youth Services Specialist II - Grand Mesa YSC - Grand Junction

Department Information

The primary duties of this position are located within 30 miles of the state border; therefore, this position is exempt from the residency requirements.

(Including both part and full time positions).

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

Grand Mesa Youth Service Center

360 28 Road

Grand Junction, CO 81501

The mission of the Division of Youth Services (DYS) is to protect, restore and improve public safety utilizing a continuum of care that provides effective supervision, promotes accountability to victims and communities, and helps youth lead constructive lives through positive youth development. The strategic goal of DYS is to operate healthy trauma-responsive organizational environments as demonstrated through prosocial, safe, and non-violent interactions.

DYS provides a continuum of services that encompass juvenile detention, assessment, 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 15 secure facilities that serve youth between the ages of 10 and 21, who are pre-adjudicated, sentenced, or committed.

For pre-adjudicated youth, the Division is also responsible for the management and oversight of the 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. We have many opportunities within DYS to positively impact youth and families.

We invite you to explore the DYS website and learn about the services provided to youth, families, and local communities in the State of Colorado.

at: https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)./dys

We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities.

• You have a passion for youth and a desire to improve your community
• You love learning new skills and teaching them to others
• You know how to lead others in maintaining a physically, socially, psychologically, and morally safe culture
• You thrive on developing healthy relationships, professionalism, and teamwork

This work unit exists to provide for the direct care, safety, and security of pre-adjudicated or adjudicated youth in the Division of Youth Services custody using a trauma-responsive approach. The unit exists to provide 24- hour, seven-day-a-week care and supervision of youth in a secure residential setting covering work assignments ranging from Admissions and Control, school and day programming, and detention, assessment, and commitment (long-term treatment) living units.

The Division of Youth Services (DYS) is committed to hiring individuals who are professionals, team players, and passionate about their desire to help youth. DYS values candidates who have demonstrated perseverance as a special attribute that can help the youth in our care.

Safety/Security. Work involves providing direct care, safety, security, and supervision of adjudicated and/or pre-adjudicated youth in a secure setting. Monitor, participate, support, and enforce behavioral management plans for individual youth as directed (e.g. Behavioral Contracts, Individual Growth and Change Plans). Duties include supervision of youth or group of youth, supervision of daily activities, youth orientation, intervention in crisis situations, non-escalation, de-escalation, use of physical response/restraint in emergency situations, debriefing of all incidents, and conducting searches.

The Work Leader's duties include staff accountability for quality and quantity of work, shift supervision,…