Group Counselor II

Job Description:

Group Counselor II

Description

CAREER DESCRIPTION

GROUP COUNSELOR II

In addition to performance-based merit increases, this position is scheduled to receive salary range increases on the following dates:

Effective June 28, 2024 - 4.25% increase

Effective June 27, 2025 - 4.00% increase

Salary may be negotiable within the range listed above, based on position requirements and successful candidate's qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization.

This recruitment is open to the public for a minimum of five (5) business days and will remain open on a continuous basis until the needs of the County are met. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately.

The Eligible List established from this recruitment will be used to fill current and future Group Counselor II vacancies until the next recruitment.

Please attach transcripts when submitting application.

SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCY
The Orange County Social Services Agency (SSA) is comprised of the following four divisions: Adult Services and Assistance Programs (ASAP); Children and Family Services (CFS); Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS); and Administrative Services. Our mission is to deliver quality services that are accessible and responsive to the community, encourage personal responsibility, strengthen individuals, preserve families, and protect vulnerable adults and children. We succeed in our mission through encouragement and respect for our clients, partnerships with the community, and a commitment to innovation and excellence in leadership.

ORANGEWOOD CHILDREN AND FAMILY CENTER
Orangewood Children and Family Center (OCFC) . The OCFC is a 24-hour emergency shelter care facility, operated and owned by the County of Orange, Social Services Agency for children who have been abused, abandoned and/or neglected.

THE OPPORTUNITY
The ideal candidate will perform a lead capacity over cottage staff and may also act as Duty Officer for the facility in the absence of supervisory personnel. For a complete job description, including example of duties, please click here .

Work Schedule
Group Counselor II’s are assigned a fixed schedule that include weekends and holidays and are subject to change every six (6) months, depending on the needs of the department. Standard shifts are 6:30 am - 2:30 pm and 2:30 pm - 10:30 pm.
Supplemental Pay

• Night shift differential pay
• Bilingual pay is available to positions requiring bilingual skills. Candidates must pass the bilingual exam to be eligible for the supplemental pay.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & CORE COMPETENCIES

The agency is seeking a candidate with a completion of 12 semester units or equivalent quarter units in early childhood education or child development at an accredited college or university including at least 3 semester units of coursework in the care of infants and 3 semester units of coursework in abused and/or drug-exposed children OR a current Child Development Associate (CDA) credential with at least 3 post-secondary semester units or equivalent quarter units of coursework in abused and/or drug exposed children.

The ideal candidate will also possess two (2) or more years of experience which would demonstrate working directly with infants, children, and teens, providing care, recreational activities (e.g., playing games/sports), and providing crisis intervention (e.g., approved physical restraint and/or verbal de-escalation techniques). In addition, the ideal candidate will demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and experience in all of the competencies below.

Technical Knowledge | Technical Experience

• Understanding of juvenile institutional administration laws, rules, and regulations and familiarity with the Welfare and Institutions Code
• Comprehension of intervention techniques to be able to evaluate situations and handling difficult situations
• Working with at-risk youth (abandoned, abused, neglected)
• Utilizing effective techniques to assist or help child's needs
• Working with troubled and special needs children in relation to their level of functioning
• Developing and coordinating case treatment plans
• Observing for illnesses, reporting them as they occur, and providing medications as prescribed by physician, if needed
• Utilizing Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook proficiently

Leadership l Supervision

• Leading, mentoring, and training Group Counselor Trainee I/II and Group Counselor I staff
• Training counselors in organizational procedures, unit program, techniques of individual and group counseling and direction of social and recreational activities
• Promoting and supports ethical and professional standards in the work place, and skillfully handles personnel issues
• Demonstrating experience leading and facilitating meetings, trainings and projects
• Cultivating and maintaining effective working relationships with co-workers

Judgment | Decision Making Skill

• Demonstrating expertise utilizing crisis intervention techniques
• Hypersensitive of children's personal safety and security, and any environmental hazards while working with children
• Making sound decisions/judgment or take actions to prevent injury to children
• Responding quickly to emergencies, especially, involving children

Interpersonal | Communication Skills

• Having compassion to provide care and assistance without judgment to troubled children
• Using effective communication when working with staff, other County agencies, and/or stakeholders, both orally and in writing
• Maintaining a positive attitude and effectively handling stress when dealing with difficult children
• Writing accurate data and/or reports

As the incumbents are responsible for transporting children to their various activities, a valid Class C Driver's License is highly desirable.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Click here for complete classification description for Group Counselor II

SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS
Candidates will be required to undergo a background clearance check from California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and Community Care Licensing (CCL) and must successfully clear prior to the start of their employment. All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Areas considered in the background check include conviction history, employment history, professional references and education verification (i.e. degree, license, or official transcripts) if applicable. Foreign degrees require an evaluation of U.S. equivalency by an agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Services (N.A.C.E.S.) In addition, a Child Abuse Central Index (CACI) background clearance check may be required. CACI is a repository of child abuse investigation reports managed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) that contains information related to substantiated cases of physical abuse, sexual abuse, mental/emotional abuse, and/or severe neglect of a child.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Resumes will not be accepted and/or screened in lieu of applications, therefore, you will need to demonstrate your qualifications on your application.

Application Screening: (Refer/Non-Refer) Human Resource Services (HRS) will initially screen applications for the minimum qualifications. Only those applications that meet the required qualifications will be referred to the next step.

Application Appraisal Panel (Weighted 100%): An Application Appraisal Panel (AAP) Subject matter experts will thoroughly screen and evaluate all application materials for job knowledge, competencies, and related experience described above. Only the highest scoring candidates will be referred to the next step.
Based on the Department's needs, the selection procedures listed above may be modified. All applicants will be notified of any changes in the selection procedure.

ELIGIBLE LIST
Once the assessment has been completed; HRS will establish an eligible list of candidates. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to a selection interview to be considered for current and future vacancies.

Veterans Employment Preference Policy, Effective 9/15/2020
The County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Please see below for important information regarding COVID-19 related recommendations.

Effective April 3, 2023, it is strongly recommended that County employees working in health care settings and correctional facilities follow vaccination and booster guidelines provided by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Please click here to see the latest guidance for more details.

Email is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct email address is included in our application and use only one email account.

NOTE: User accounts are established for one person only and should not be shared with another person. Multiple applications with multiple users may jeopardize your status in the recruitment process for any positions for which you apply.

Candidates will be notified regarding their status as the recruitment proceeds via email through the GovernmentJobs.com site. Please check your email folders, including spam/junk folders, and/or accept emails ending with "governmentjobs.com" and "ocgov.com." If your email address should change, please update your profile at www.governmentjobs.com ..

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Click here for additional Frequently Asked Questions.

For additional questions, you may contact Raylina Avila at 714-245-6209, or raylina.avila@ssa.ocgov.com .

EEO INFORMATION

EEO INFORMATION

Orange County, as an equal employment opportunity employer, encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

Non-Management Benefits
In addition to the County's standard suite of benefits, such as a variety of health plan options, annual leave and paid holidays--we also offer an excellent array of benefits such as a Health Care Reimbursement Account, 457 Defined Contribution Plan and Annual Education and Professional Reimbursement. Employees are provided a Retirement Plan through the Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS).

Please go to the following link to find out more about Defined Benefit Pensions and OCERS Plan Types/Benefits.
http://www.ocers.org/active-member-information

Click here for information about benefits offered to County of Orange employees.

Closing Date/Time: Continuous

Salary:

$55,785.60 - $74,526.40 Annually