Detention Center Chaplain

Job Description:

Detention Center Chaplain

Description

About us

York County is located in the Piedmont region, between the Broad River and the Catawba River. Its diverse landscape is home to family-friendly towns/cities, a progressive urban region and lakefront communities. We are excited you want to join our team and recognize that our employees are the foundation of our success.

Mission Statement- York County provides quality public services in an open, efficient, and responsive manner.

Vision Statement- York County provides an environment where all citizens and businesses can thrive and succeed.

The Detention Center is located at the Moss Justice Center and is a two-building facility. The Detention Center Main Building is a 621-bed direct supervision facility that opened in March of 1995. The Detention Center Annex is a 256-bed direct supervision facility that was formerly known as the York County Prison. The York County Sheriff’s Office obtained custody of the York County Prison in July of 2021 and merged all operations under the York County Detention Center. The Detention Center is charged with holding individuals who have been arrested by various law enforcement agencies in York County and held until they post bond, are ordered released by a court, or are transferred to a state institution after court sentencing. In addition, the Detention Center is charged with holding individuals who are sentenced to less than 90 days and/or all sentences through Family Court. The Detention Center also houses inmates for the U.S. Marshal Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement under an agreement that provides compensation to the county.
Mission Statement for The Detention Division: The York County Detention Center is committed to operating a facility that is secure, accountable, fair, and effective.
To accomplish our mission, the York County Detention Center will maintain a positive atmosphere for both incarcerated individuals and staff through the provision of: A safe and secure environment for inmates and staff, a facility that is cost-effective, professionally trained staff, positive and safe physical surroundings, a variety of well-balanced programs that are conducive to appropriate inmate behavior, and a system to provide for the nutritional and physical well-being of the inmate population.

It is the intention of the York County Detention Center that inmates shall leave the facility no worse physically, emotionally, or psychologically than when they entered. The York County Detention Center is committed to the operation of a facility that will meet state standards and to the preservation of basic human rights for the inmate population under the Constitution of the United States of America.

About our opportunity

The Chaplain serves as a vital spiritual and emotional support resource for inmates in the York County Detention Center. This position provides interfaith pastoral care, facilities religious services, and coordinates access to religious materials and volunteer clergy.

If you wish to find out more about a career at the York County Detention Center, please email Detention Center Careers . or email Sgt. Hewitt at Michael.Hewitt@yorkcountygov.com

Projected Hiring Range/Pay Grade 110: $19.43 - $23.31. Salary is dependent on experience and education.

Our Total Compensation Package:

• Compensation - competitive market-rate pay, and negotiable based on qualifications.
• Comprehensive State Medical Insurance, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Long-term disability
• Parental Leave
• Bereavement Leave
• Deferred Compensation 401K Plans
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Public Loan Forgiveness Program (Student Loan Forgiveness Program)
• 11 Paid Holidays + 3 Optional Holidays
• Longevity Pay
• SC State Retirement Plan Pension
• Paid Vacation and Sick Time
• Sick Bank
• Critical Care and Cancer Insurance
• Wellness Screenings
• Employee Assistance Programs
• Professional Development / Trainings / Conferences
• Paid uniforms

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provides spiritual counseling, crisis support, and religious guidance to inmates of diverse faith backgrounds.
• Schedules, conducts, or coordinates religious services, ceremonies, and educational classes.
• Collaborates with outside clergy and faith-based volunteers to ensure religious coverage for all major traditions.
• Distributing holy books and/or other literature as requested by the inmate and approved by the facility.
• Handle emergency and/or death notifications between inmates and their families. This may require the chaplain to contact the coroner’s office and/or funeral home to determine the validity of the notification.
• Assist with confirming an inmate’s desire to change his/her religious preference.
• Assist with confirming an inmate’s desire to be approved and/or removed from religious dietary plans.
• Researching religious practice requests from inmates to determine the facility’s ability to provide and/or determining an appropriate substitute practice.
• Make regular rounds throughout the facility in the general population housing units as well as the special management housing units to determine any religious needs from the inmate population.

About you

Education and Experience:

• Ordination or certification in good standing with a recognized religious body.
• Minimum of two years of experience in chaplaincy, pastoral care, or correctional ministry preferred.
• Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) or equivalent experience is preferred.

Certifications / Licenses:

• Prefers a valid state driver’s license with an acceptable driving history.
• May require additional professional or technical certifications as deemed necessary by management.

Applicants with equivalent experience and/or education may be considered.

Physical Demands / Work Environment / Disclaimer

Physical Demands:

Physical demands refer to the requirements for physical exertion and coordination of limb and body movement.

• Performs sedentary work that involves walking or standing some of the time and involves exerting up to 10 pounds of force on a regular and recurring basis or sustained keyboard operations.

Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance

York County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires the County to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are encouraged to discuss ADA accommodations with management.

Standard Clauses

May be required to work nights, weekends, holidays and emergencies (man-made or natural) to meet the business needs of the County.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of essential functions and responsibilities that are required of an employee for this job. Other duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.

Full-time employees are allowed to participate in group medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance programs offered by York County Government. If employees elect to secure dependent coverage, the employee should pay the additional costs for such coverage. All statements of insurance coverage are subject to the terms, conditions, restrictions and other eligibility requirements that are set forth in various insurance plan documents.

Our full-time benefits through PEBA (South Carolina Retirement Systems and State Health Plan) include health insurance, prescription benefits, dental, vision, life insurance, MoneyPlus, Health Savings Accounts, retirement (Membership in the South Carolina Retirement System is mandatory for county employees), and deferred compensation. Making decisions about your insurance and retirement benefits can sometimes be complicated and difficult. The Navigating Your Benefits series provides common-language explanations and can help you find your way in the world of your insurance and retirement benefits: Navigating Your Benefits | S.C. PEBA (sc.gov)

Other full-time benefits include longevity allowance, annual leave, sick leave, holiday pay, Sick Leave Bank, wellness benefits, Employee Assistance Program, etc. Please contact Human Resources at Human.Resources@yorkcountygov.com if you would like more information.

Longevity Allowance
Full-time regular county employees, elected officials, appointed officials, and judges with ten or more years of full time continuous governmental service are eligible to receive a monthly longevity allowance in addition to their regular compensation. Continuous service transferred from employment with another county, municipality, state or a political entity created by the State may contribute toward eligibility for the longevity allowance. Longevity allowances are paid according to the following schedule.

Longevity Allowance
Years of Continuous Service Monthly Longevity Amount
10-14 Years $20.00
15-19 Years $25.00
20-24 Years $30.00
25-29 Years $35.00
30-34 Years $40.00
35-39 Years $45.00
40+ Years $50.00

Parental Leave
Employees that have been employed at least 12 months with the county may be eligible for up to 30 days of parental leave immediately following the birth, adoption or placement of a legal dependent child.

Bereavement Leave

Three (3) days of bereavement leave for the death of an immediate family member, which includes a spouse, parent, grandparent or child.

Annual Leave
Probationary and regular full-time county employees that work at least twenty (20) hours per week accrue annual leave with pay. Employees in their new hire six (6) month probationary period shall not be able to use annual leave until they become regular county employees. Employees who are separating from county service shall be paid for all accrued, unused annual leave up to 360 hours provided they give York County as the employer the proper notice as required. Employees in their six (6) month New Hire probationary period who are terminated or separated from employment shall not be paid for accrued annual leave. The maximum amount of annual leave carried into each calendar year is 360 hours.

Earning Rate for Full-Time Employees
Full-time employees with less than ten years of continuous service earn at the rate of eight hours of paid annual leave for each month of service during a twelve month period. Full-time employees with at least ten years, but less than twenty years of continuous service will earn at the rate of ten (10) hours of paid annual leave for each month of service during a twelve-month period. Full-time employees with twenty or more years of service will earn at the rate of twelve (12) hours of paid annual leave for each month of service during a twelve (12) months period.

Sick Leave
Full-time county employees may be entitled to earn sick leave with pay. Employees may accrue up to 1,440 hours of sick leave. Upon termination of employment with the County, employees may not be reimbursed for any unused sick leave. When a paid holiday occurs while an employee is on sick leave with pay, the day may not be charged as sick leave.

Earning Rate of Sick Leave
Full time employees will earn eight hours of sick leave per month of service during a twelve month period.

Paid Holiday’s
The following days may be observed as paid holidays for York County Employees:
January - December: 3 Optional Holidays per Calendar Year
January: New Year’s Day and Martin Luther King Day
May: Memorial Day
June: Juneteenth Day
July: Independence Day
September: Labor Day
November: Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Friday after Thanksgiving
December: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day

Training:
Quality training and educational programs are available at various times for county employees in order to support workforce development that is consistent with organizational objectives. Training topics may include driver training, CPR/first aid, communication, supervisor training, workplace violence, substance abuse, and various computer related classes.

Closing Date/Time: 8/31/2025 5:00 PM Eastern

Salary:

See Position Description