Correctional Treatment Specialist (Specialty Treatment Program Specialist - Brave)

01Basic Requirements

A. Degree - that included at least 24 semester hours of course work in the behavioral or social sciences. OR B. Combination of education and experience - that included at least 24 semester hours of course work in the behavioral or social sciences, and that provided applicants with knowledge of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a 4-year degree as shown in A above.

Evaluation of Education: Courses, such as sociology, correctional administration, criminal justice, government/political science, psychology, social work, counseling, and other related social or behavioral science courses may be used to satisfy the 24-semester-hour requirement.

Evaluation of Experience: Experience must have been gained in (1) casework in a correctional institution or in another criminal justice setting; (2) counseling in any setting, provided it required diagnostic or treatment planning skills to achieve specific social or occupational goals; or (3) work treating persons in need of social rehabilitation.

AND In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must have: Education: GL-09: Two years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree OR master's or equivalent graduate degree. GS-11: Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent graduate degree.

Graduate Education must have been in corrections or a related field, such as criminal justice, sociology, psychology, counseling, social work, or other course work related to the position. OR Experience: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade level.

To be creditable, this experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular qualifications to successfully perform the duties of the position, and must typically be in or related to the position to be filled. Some examples of this qualifying experience are: GL-09: Experience in developing and providing multi-session presentations or lectures to groups, case presentation or participation in professional mental health and or clinical discussions.

Experience providing or co-facilitating group and individual counseling to inmates with the psychological problems targeted by the specialty program. Experience in reviewing inmate file records to extract information relevant to prepare treatment plans (i.e. could include case management, and or synthesis of file information). Experience in writing reports or providing mental health/substance abuse screenings relevant to inmates' histories of psychological problems and their progress in treatment.

GS-11: Experience providing group and individual counseling to inmates with the psychological problems targeted by the specialty program. Experience in applying new assessment and treatment techniques for helping inmates overcome psychological problems. Experience in administering questionnaires and conducting interviews to obtain information about inmates to identify techniques for helping inmates overcome psychological problems.

Experience in developing and writing individualized clinical documentations (i.e. treatment plans and progress notes). Knowledge of facts, concepts and theories of human behavior and disorders/behavior problems. OR Combination of Education and Experience: Combination of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience. This experience must have equipped you with the qualifications to perform the major duties of this position as described above.

AND Selective Placement Factor: NOTE: The Challenge Program targets high security inmates with antisocial behaviors, substance abuse, and/or mental illness. Applicants applying for this position MUST also possess one of the following Selective Placement Factors. In the event you do not meet one of the Selective Factors, you will be found ineligible. GL-09: 12 semester hours of undergraduate course work specific to antisocial behaviors, substance abuse and/or mental illness.

OR 12 months of professional experience in counseling antisocial behaviors, substance abuse and/or mental illness. GS-11: 15 semester hours of graduate course work specific to antisocial behaviors, substance abuse and/or mental illness. OR 18 months of professional experience in counseling antisocial behaviors, substance abuse and/or mental illness.

NOTE: All applicants MUST electronically upload legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement or clearly address this professional experience in their resume to be found qualified. If applicable, credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. To receive proper credit, you must show the actual time (such as number of hours worked per week) spent in the activities. Your eligibility for consideration will be based on your responses to the questions in the application.

Functions as a Specialty Treatment Program Specialist within a Bureau of Prisons (BOP) federal correctional facility and the primary responsibilities are to deliver services to inmates in an effort to help them overcome psychological problems. Provides group and individual counseling to inmates with the psychological problems targeted by the Challenge Program: high security inmates with antisocial attitudes and behaviors, substance abuse, and/or mental illness.

Reads inmate file records to extract information relevant to treatment. Identifies deficiencies and excesses in inmates' patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior and recommends or devises steps to remediate them. Learns and applies new assessment and treatment techniques for helping inmates overcome psychological problems and plans aftercare programs for inmates released to halfway houses and community.

Advises the Specialty Program Coordinator or Advance Care Level Psychologist on issues of program content, selection and expulsion of inmates, scheduling of groups, and other issues relevant to the overall operation of the program. Along with all other correctional institution employees, incumbent is charged with responsibility for maintaining security of the institution. The staffs correctional responsibilities precede all others required by this position and are performed on a regular and recurring basis.