Re-Entry Counselor
Location: Alexandria, VA
Job Number: 2024-00066
Salary: $55,774.68 - $98,151.30
Closing Date: November 3, 2023
An Overview
The Alexandria Sheriff's Office is currently seeking highly qualified applicants for the rewarding position of Re-Entry Counselor. The incumbent in this role provides valuable information that will help and prepare individuals returning to the community through life skills and groups. The Re-Entry Counselor also serves as program coordinators for both the LEAD Program and Male Re-entry Unit. This role involves administering needs assessments, reviewing re-entry and personal action plans, assisting with employment and housing searches, accessing wrap-around services in communities, conducting wellness check-ins, facilitating classes, confirming employment, and other case management tasks.
What you should bring
An ideal candidate for the position of Re-Entry Counselor should have a strong work ethic, a high degree of patience, and the determination to overcome obstacles. The ability to work with others as a team and to coach, inspire, motivate, and support them. A sense of adaptability and a calm demeanor in stressful situations. Ability to understand, develop and implement complex processes through systems-oriented thinking. Exceptional time management and task execution skills (i.e., ability to plan, schedule, and follow through). Skills in judgment, initiative, and decision-making. A willingness to be kind, compassionate, and accountable to oneself and others. Having a passion for learning and growing professionally and personally.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Facilitates Life Skill Groups daily in both the women's and men's programs, and when other group leaders are unavailable.
- Responsible for an estimated 45 to 50 individuals daily.
- Establish and maintain City and regional resources necessary for successful re-integration.
- Refers and connects clients to community resources to continue care upon release.
- Coordinates re-entry workshops by identifying speakers and topics, handling event day logistics, generating attendance list, creating handouts and materials advertising workshops to the inmate population.
- Attend community meetings relating to reentry and criminal justice providers.
- Develops and implements life skill courses that address the specific needs of the inmate population.
- Supervises, guides and leads facilitators and officials from other local City agencies in setting up program curriculum.
- Supervises, monitors and assists college interns in group facilitation for inmates in the Re-entry program.
- Tracks attendance for individuals participating in the re-entry programs and creates statistical reports monthly.
- Processes all pertinent documents that will assist in the transition of individuals such as request for birth certificates, shelter information, and employment resources for both programs and throughout the facility.
- Provides pre-release counseling, coordination and guidance to inmates regarding jobs, continued education and training and employment.
- Advocates for individuals in consideration of other jail-based programs and work assignments.
- Provides an overview and orientation of program services as new participants enter the program.
- Orders and distributes metro transit fare cards and tokens for inmates released to the community.
- Coordinates and supervises the women's community service projects in the women's life skills program.
- Assist participants with self-agency and decision-making, wellness, recovery, problem-solving and life skills using recovery and other trauma-informed tools.
- Copies class materials and research pre-release and community resource information.
- Gathers community resources to implement bi-annual resource/job fairs for the inmate population.
- Attend weekly group supervision/team and partner meetings as well as weekly/bi-weekly individual supervision meetings.
- Attend staff meetings.
- Participate in opportunities to educate and advocate for increased awareness of the issues surrounding women’s incarceration and incarceration in general.
- Participate in program evaluations.
- Other responsibilities and special projects, as needed.
- Attend Re-entry Council meetings.
The Alexandria Sheriff's Office is responsible for the operation of the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center, courthouse and courtroom security, service of all court legal documents, execution of court orders, transportation of prisoners, execution of arrest warrants, and general public safety and law enforcement. All powers, responsibilities and duties of the Alexandria Sheriff's Office derive from common law, the Virginia Constitution, the Code of Virginia and the Alexandria Charter.
The Alexandria Sheriff's Office is a highly professional organization with 204 sworn and civilian personnel. The Office is nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Commission on Accreditation for Corrections, and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care. The Office has been honored by the National Sheriff's Association with the prestigious "Triple Crown Award" for achieving these national accreditations. The Office is also Virginia State certified by the Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Department of Corrections.
Two Year College Degree; two years of experience with jail-based programming; or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.
Four Year College Degree in a related field, five years of experience with jail-based programming. Experience with the principles and techniques of interviewing, corrections procedures, guidelines, and services.
