State of Maryland

A Military Youth Counselor Program Supervisor is the program supervisory level of work providing direct services and counseling for juvenile applicants, cadets and postgraduates of a voluntary quasi-military residential program operated by the Military Department.  Employees in this classification plan, direct and coordinate all phrases of recruitment, placement, and mentoring program activities to encourage and assist juveniles in adopting and maintaining positive life skills.  Employees in this classification supervise to lower-level Military Youth Counselors.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from Director of Maryland National Guard Freestate Challenge Program or other designated administrator. The work of this class may require travel to various locations for youth activities, such as job fairs and community services.   Employees will be required to remain calm in stressful situations involving agitated, irate or overwrought juveniles and family members.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work Sections of the class specification.

The Military Youth Counselor Program Supervisor is differentiated from the Military Youth Counselor Supervisor in that the Military Youth Counselor Program Supervisor has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Military Youth Counselors plus programmatic responsibility for planning, directing and coordinating direct services for the Recruitment, Placement and Mentoring Program while the Military Youth Counselor Supervisor has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Military Youth Counselors.

Plans, directs and coordinates all direct services for the Recruitment, Placement, Mentoring Program of the Maryland National Guard Freestate Challenge Academy;

Supervises lower-level Military Youth Counselors;

Plans, directs and coordinates recruitment activities to include development and implementation of candidate recruitment strategies, promotion and marketing of the National Guard Freestate Challenge Program to public and private sector groups and organizations, and the facilitation of the resolution of candidate eligibility issues;

Plans, directs and coordinates placement activities to include development and implementation of employment and educational opportunities for postgraduates, such as job fairs, vocational training areas, job shadowing, and methods and practices to assist juveniles in identifying career goals and available options;

Plans, directs and coordinates mentor activities to include mentor eligibility, mentor training, approval and placement of mentors and evaluation of mentor relationships with juveniles;

Trains and provides direction to subordinate staff on the practices and protocols of the Maryland National Guard Freestate Challenge Academy, of the practices, procedures and policies of recruitment, placement, mentoring functions and of the behavioral modification counseling methods used to encourage and assist juveniles in adopting and maintaining positive life skills;

Monitors staff activities to prioritize workload, identify program progress and provide direction and guidance on juvenile applicant, cadet and postgraduate needs and goals;

Reviews and approves staff correspondence, reports and recommendations for the appropriate course of action and viable alternatives in recruitment, placement and mentoring activities;

Develops and revises mentor training curriculum and mentor handbook based upon requirements set by the National Challenge Program;

Develops and recommends the creation and revision of standard operating procedures and policies for recruitment, placement and mentoring activities;

Prepares and recommends annual budget requests for the Recruitment, Placement and Mentoring Program;

Provides direct services to juvenile applicants, cadets and postgraduates of the Maryland National Guard Freestate Challenge Academy by implementing and coordinating recruitment, placement, or mentoring services;

Provides individual behavioral modification counseling to juvenile cadets and postgraduates of the Maryland National Guard Freestate Challenge Academy to encourage and assist juveniles in adopting and maintaining positive life skills;

Assists juvenile cadets and post graduates in identifying, developing, modifying and using their potential capabilities as well as other community resources for taking care of their social, health, emotional, behavioral and economic needs and problems;

Assesses problems that may occur in cadet residences, field and training environments and classroom settings or in emergency and crisis situations, and makes appropriate contacts and referrals, and provides limited crisis intervention services as necessary;

Attends in-service training on relevant topics, such as crisis prevention, suicide prevention, gang related behaviors, drug abuse, and positive life skills, in order to maintain knowledge of juvenile social patterns of behavior, behavior modification counseling methods, and training requirements of the National Guard Freestate Challenge Program;

Consults with parents, legal guardians, schools, public and private agency personnel to obtain or clarify information, explain National Guard Freestate Challenge Academy procedures and expectations and coordinate services;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the principles, techniques and practices associated with providing direct services and behavioral modification counseling to address juvenile anti-social patterns of behavior;

Knowledge of individual and group juvenile behaviors;

Knowledge of emotional, social, economic and physical needs of juveniles;

Knowledge of the program requirements, procedures, rules, protocols and processes of the National Guard Freestate Challenge Academy;

Skill in interviewing juveniles and family members to obtain and clarify information and explain procedures and expectations;

Skill in identifying and implementing direct services for juveniles that encourage the adoption and maintenance of positive life skills;

Skill in conducting individual juvenile behavioral modification counseling;

Skill in preparing accurate and complete documents, correspondence, reports and narratives;

Ability to plan, direct, coordinate and evaluate recruitment, placement and mentoring program services;

Ability to supervise and train lower-level Military Youth Counselors;

Ability to assess juveniles’ circumstances to evaluate their strengths, weakness, environmental constraints and resources and develop individual goals and objectives;

Ability to identify and manage manipulative behavior demonstrated by juveniles;

Ability to work effectively with juveniles who have social, economic, emotional, or behavioral problems;

Ability to use computer systems to maintain case records, produce reports and access informational resources;

Ability to communicate effectively.

Education:   A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.

Experience: Three years of experience providing direct services and counseling to juveniles in a quasi-military environment.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute sixty credit hours which includes 15 credit hours in the social or behavioral sciences or criminal justice from an accredited college or university and two years of experience providing direct services, counseling, case management or supervision and guidance to youth in a community or residential setting for the required education.

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned office in Social Services classifications or Social Services specialty codes in the Social Science, Psychology and Welfare field of work, on a year-for-year basis for the required education. 

1. Candidates for positions in this classification will be required to apply for a criminal background check as required by the Family Law Article, Section 5-561, Annotated Code of Maryland.

2. Employees in this classification are required to successfully complete training as indicated by the National Challenge Program, such as one-week basis course for all Challenge Program staff and advanced courses on specific job responsibilities.

3. Employees in this classification are subject to substance abuse testing in accordance with the Code of Maryland Regulations 17.04.09, Testing for Illegal Use of Drugs.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.