Department Information

• Distinctive career advancement opportunities throughout the state system;
• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined;
• Contribution Plan plus 401K and 457 plans. Member Contribution Rates. Correctional Officers I-IV qualify as "Safety Officers" and are eligible for increased PERA benefits;
• Medical and dental health plans;
• Short and long term disability coverage;
• Paid life insurance;
• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave;
• Wellness program, tuition reimbursement, training opportunities and more;
• Visit State of Colorado Employee Benefits. for more information.
• This position is compensated on a bi-weekly pay cycle.

Description of Job

• Serves as consultant for unit staff regarding assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning;
• Monitors inmate treatment and documentation to assure compliance with standards and to assure continuity of care;
• Assures accurate Information System behavioral health needs levels, and provides group, brief, and individual treatment;
• Provides clinical direction to non-clinical staff in behavioral health care and treatment of inmates.
• Assures continuity of care for inmates by making appropriate referral and providing necessary information and documentation for receiving units, facilities, or agencies;
• Provides crisis intervention in conjunction with clinical standards regarding mental health professional privilege level;
• Documents both handwritten and electronically in an accurate and timely manner to provide comprehensive inmate behavioral health records;
• Communicates directly with inmates regarding their behavioral health care such as consequences of maladaptive behavior and desired and undesirable effects of prescribed behavioral health medication;
• Listens to inmate concerns and provides counseling and direction;
• Communicates to advise, counsel, inform and/or guide staff within the clinical unit, the facility, clinical and administrative supervisors and outside agencies to ensure continuity and direction of behavioral health care;
• Communicates and responds to complaints, problems, transfers, classifications, and inmate behavioral management issues;
• Responsible for maintaining standards of the program or work unit through compliance with all applicable professional, departmental, organizational and unit standards;
• Promotes and is accountable for the safety and security of the clinical and correctional environment through conscientious observations, and sensitive item contraband control.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Minimum Qualifications:

• a Certified Addiction Specialist (CAS) OR
• an Addiction Counselor Candidate (AC-C) OR

• a Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC)

Ensure that the 'Work Experience" section of the application is complete and contains all relevant work experience related to the position that you are applying for. This information will be used to help determine compensation for the position. "See resume" statements cannot be accepted in lieu of the "work experience" section of the application. Additional work experience will not be accepted after the job announcement close date for compensation purposes.

Required Competencies:

• Ability to provide direct behavioral health care to inmates;
• Ability to provide comprehensive clinical documentation;
• Ability to work independently;
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across facility programs and with external stakeholders;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• Must maintain certification/licensure as an addiction counselor;
• Ability to work with a diverse population of inmates;
• Strong organizing, planning and prioritizing skills;
• Keen ability to multi-task and demonstrate flexibility;
• Ability to provide addiction counseling as part of a multi-disciplinary team;
• Ability to be creative when implementing therapeutic interventions;
• Ability to read and comprehend the English language;
• Ability to effectively communicate fluently in English both verbally and in writing;
• Ability to create accessible documents and technical content that follows plain language guidelines with accessibility in mind.
• Self-control, a strong sense of ability to work in stressful, potentially violent situations;
• Ability to remain alert, emotionally stable, and mentally resilient under pressure and observant throughout their shift;
• Tolerance to stress, confinement, and high-stakes interaction.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience providing addiction treatment to an incarcerated population;
• Experience providing addiction treatment to a diverse population;
• Experience working with highly resistive clients;
• Experience administering multidimensional substance use assessments;
• Experience providing addiction counseling in an inpatient and outpatient setting.

• Must be 21 years of age;
• Possess a valid driver’s license. Drivers must maintain a valid, non-restricted Colorado driver license, obey traffic laws, and be able to safely operate a motor vehicle. State drivers are expected to maintain a safe driving record consistent with Colorado Division of Human Resources Universal Policy Driving Standards (Download PDF reader). Eligibility to drive a State-owned vehicle, includes holding a valid Colorado driver’s license within 30 days of employment or residency change and meeting specific driving record criteria. Serious traffic violations, including DUIs or reckless driving, can disqualify drivers for up to seven years. All State Vehicles are monitored by telematics for safe operation and employees have no reasonable expectation of privacy while using an agency State Fleet vehicle.
• Possess a high school diploma or GED;
• Have NO felony convictions, to include any actions defined in 5 U.S.C. 301; U.S.C. 509, 510; 42 U.S.C. 15601-15609. The CDOC shall not hire nor promote anyone who may have contact with an offender who has engaged in sexual abuse which includes acts, activity, and sexual behavior, in a prison or other institution as defined in 42 U.S.C. 1997; or has been convicted of engaging or attempting to engage in sexual activity in the community facilitated by force, overt or implied threats of force or coercion, or if the victim did not consent or was unable to consent or refuse, or has been civilly or administratively adjudicated to have engaged in the activity described in the above paragraph. The agency shall consider any incidents of sexual harassment in determining whether to hire anyone who may have contact with offenders or residents.
• Applicants must have valid U.S. work authorization at the time of application; DOC cannot provide H-1B sponsorship at this time.
• Successfully pass all modules of the six-week Colorado Department of Corrections Basic Training, to include English reading comprehension, relevant competency assessments and written/practical exams in Defensive Tactics
• Possess the physical ability to successfully complete Defensive Tactics;
  • Lift arms above head and kick as high as own waist;
  • Stabilize another person to accomplish a controlled take down;
  • Use arms, palms of hands, shins, and feet to deliver blows;
  • Withstand impact (slow speed or with a safety bag) on own body from strikes/blows;
  • Swing a baton in a striking technique;
  • Rotate body 90 degrees with feet planted for striking with foot or using a defensive tactic;
  • Get down on one or both knees and up again with multiple repetitions;
• Will be exposed to Oleoresin Capsicum during Basic Training and will be exposed while on assignment;
• Must be able to see and hear in order to observe, address and respond to potential breaches in safety and security
• Seize, hold, control or subdue violent or assaultive persons and defend oneself or others to prevent injury;
• Demonstrate body agility, strength of all four limbs and the ability to walk and climb stairs consistently;
• Work in situations involving assaultive behavior, physical control of another person and/or restraint situations;
• Deal with individuals with a range of moods and behaviors, utilizing tactfulness and a congenial, personable manner;
• Work with people of the opposite sex, diverse racial ethnic groups, mentally ill and emotionally disturbed inmates;
• Communicate by talking, listening and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information, assignments;
• Work in an environment with fluctuating noise and temperature (hot and cold) which may include working outdoors in inclement weather and/or concrete floor/wall work settings;
• Willing and able to travel;
• Willing and able to work various shifts, days, afternoons, graveyards (nights) which includes a rotating shift schedule;
• TB (tuberculosis) screening is required of all new employees upon hire.

Exception: Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certified employees are prohibited from the use of marijuana. Health care professionals must check their licensing requirements regarding marijuana use.

Supplemental Information