DJS RESIDENT ADVISOR LEAD

By law, DJS is a child-serving agency responsible for assessing the individual needs of referred youth and providing intake, detention, probation, commitment and after-care services. DJS collaborates with youth, families, schools, community partners, law enforcement and other public agencies to coordinate services and resources to contribute to safer communities.

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Alfred D. Noyes Children's Center

9925 Blackwell Road

Rockville, Maryland 20850

A DJS Resident Advisor Lead is the lead level of work providing supervision and guidance to youth residing in a facility operated by the Department of Juvenile Services by observing, interacting and assisting them with everyday life skills and advising them of appropriate alternative behaviors. Employees in this classification assign, review and approve the work of and train lower-level DJS Resident Advisors.

The duties of the position include, but are not limited to, the following:

Assigns, reviews, approves the work of lower-level DJS Resident Advisors;

Trains lower-level DJS Resident Advisors;

Provides advice and guidance to lower-level DJS Resident Advisors in observing and reacting to the behavior of residents and suggests methods of de-escalating potentially harmful situations;

Reviews progress, incident and injury reports regarding assigned youth prepared by lower-level DJS Resident  Advisors and forwards reports for review by supervisors;

Observes individual and group behaviors, determines when intervention or guidance is needed by the youth under his/her care and uses appropriate methods to intercept inappropriate actions and reactions and to de-escalate potentially harmful situations;

Promotes an environment conducive to learning helpful alternative behaviors by encouraging communication among youth and staff, guiding and critiquing group discussions, offering advice at appropriate junctures and serving as a mentor and role model for resident youth;

Monitors the behavior of youth and assists them in complying with daily and weekly schedules of attending classes, completing school assignments, sleeping, eating and performing personal hygiene tasks;

Records behavior observations and prepares progress and incident reports on assigned youth for review by supervisors;

Implements, helps to evaluate and recommends modifications to student educational and treatment plans and recommends behavioral sanctions to supervisors;

Inspects residence areas for safety, security and cleanliness and checks secured areas, outside doors and windows;

Attends in-service training on topics, such as crisis prevention, suicide prevention, emergency medical treatments, and behavioral modification models, to maintain knowledge of childcare needs, counseling methods and trends in the juvenile justice field and to maintain certification;

Assesses emergency and crisis situations, and makes appropriate contacts and referrals and provides interim emergency medical and other assistance until specialized assistance is available;

May be assigned to a cottage or dormitory post at night; May accompany youth to community service activities outside the facility;

May order and distribute clothing and supplies; May inspect and distribute mail

Education: Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: One and one half years of experience providing supervision and guidance to youth in a juvenile facility or juvenile services community program for at-risk youth.

Notes: 1. The above educational requirement is set by the Maryland Correctional Training Commission in accordance with the Correctional Services Article, Section 8-209.

2. Successful completion of six hours of supervisory related training approved by DJS Human Resources may be substituted for six months of the required experience.

3. Education in criminal justice or the social or behavioral sciences at an accredited college or university may be substituted at a rate of 15 credit hours for each six months of the required experience for up to one year of experience.

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

Preference will be given to applicants with experience training, reviewing and approving the work of employees in a secure residential juvenile facility/setting.

This recruitment is limited to current employees of the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services only.

1. Candidates must be fully certified by the Maryland Correctional Training Commission prior to appointment as a DJS Resident Advisor II and are required to maintain certification while employed.

2. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

3. If employed at a DJS Youth Center, employees in this classification must have completed a Board approved medication technician training program and possess a valid Maryland Board of Nursing (MBON) certification as a medication technician.

1. In accordance with the Correctional Services Article of the Maryland
Annotated Code, Section 8-209, the Maryland Correctional Training Commission shall establish the minimum qualifications for probationary or permanent appointment of a Department of Juvenile Services employee in a mandated position. These requirements are listed in detail in the Code of Maryland Regulations 12.10.01.04, general regulations of the Maryland Correctional Training Commission, and include:

U.S. Citizenship or Resident Alien status
Must be at least 21 years of age
A thorough background check, including fingerprinting and drug testing
An oral interview, and
Physical and psychological examinations.

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

3. If employed at a DJS Youth Center, the employee must possess a Maryland Board of Nursing Medication Technician certificate in accordance with the Nurse Practice Act, Annotated Code of Maryland, Health Occupation Article, Title 8, COMAR Title 10, Subtitle 39, Chapter 04 - Medication Technicians.

Please make sure that you provide sufficient information on your application to show that you meet the qualifications for this recruitment.  All information concerning your qualifications must be submitted by the closing date. We will not consider information submitted after this date. 

Successful candidates will be ranked as Best Qualified, Better Qualified, or Qualified and placed on the employment (eligible) list for at least one year.

The assessment will be a rating of your application based on your education, training and experience as they relate to the requirements of the position. Therefore, it is essential that you provide complete and accurate information on your application. Please report all related experience and education. For education obtained outside the U.S., you will be required to provide proof of the equivalent American education as determined by a foreign credential evaluation service.

Please note that your answers on the Supplemental Questionnaire must correspond to the information provided on your application to receive credit.

The incumbent in this position is a member of a covered bargaining unit and will be required to pay a bi-weekly service fee to the exclusive representative of the bargaining unit.

STATE OF MARYLAND BENEFITS

Resumes will NOT be accepted in lieu of completing the online or paper application.  

The online application process is STRONGLY preferred. If you do not have internet access to submit your application online, you may mail a paper application to the following address:    

Maryland Department of Juvenile Services

Office of Human Resources

120 W. Fayette Street Baltimore, MD 21201

ATTN: Mekia Gaskins    

If you mail your application, it MUST be received by the closing date and time. You must include on each page the following information:      

*First and Last Name    

*Recruitment Number-located at the top of the bulletin    

*last 4 digits of your SSN  

Incorrect applications will not be accepted.

Please do not email unsolicited documentation.     

The resulting Certified Eligible List for this recruitment may be used for similar positions in this or other State agencies.  

If you are having difficulty with your user account or have general questions about this online application system, please contact the MD Department of Budget and Management, Recruitment and Examination Division at 410-767-4850 or Application.Help@maryland.gov.   Should additional information regarding this recruitment be required, please, contact DJS Office of Human Resources at djs.ohr@maryland.gov. Include the Recruitment Title/Number that is located at the top of the bulletin.  

Veterans - Thank you for your service to our country. DJS values the experience gained by Veterans while serving our country. Veterans are welcome to apply for all current recruitments.  If you are seeking veteran's preference, please submit a copy of your DD-214 with your application.  

Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply.

TTY Users: call via Maryland Relay  

As an equal opportunity employer Maryland is committed to recruiting, retaining and promoting employees who are reflective of the State’s diversity.