Adolescent Services Unit Director

Overview

This senior leadership position directs the Adolescent Services Unit (ASU) within the Family Services Division of DCF. The ASU focuses on the juvenile justice, residential, and adolescent services systems in Vermont ensuring a trauma informed, racially equitable, and gender responsive system of care that is inclusive of youth and family voice. This position will lead the unit ensuring adequate communication and support to the FSD District offices, DMH, DAIL, DOC and other state agencies as relevant, and coordinate ongoing juvenile justice reform and adolescent services planning efforts with partners at the local, state and national level. It will focus on the adolescent youth continuum of needs in Vermont, including juvenile justice and the needs of older adolescents in the foster care system who are transitioning to adulthood and aging out of the foster care system. This Adolescent Services Director will work to develop and expand the capacity to serve youth who are in or exposed to the juvenile justice system with locked, staff secure, community-based, and preventative approaches. 

 

This position will develop evaluation and continuous quality improvement strategies to ensure effective implementation of juvenile justice reform and systems approaches to ensure improved outcomes for adolescents involved with DCF. It will also have a focus on the development of funding strategies including federal grant opportunities through ACF HHS, OJJDP, IV-E and other sources as applicable.

 

This position will work to prepare the Department to finalize the implementation of the Raise the Age Law (Act 201) passed in 2018 to extend the juvenile jurisdiction to youth up to the age of 20 by April 1, 2025.

 

The Adolescent Services Director position is public facing, and will be responsive to legislative, public, and media requests in matters related to juvenile justice and older youth practices in Vermont.

Who May Apply

This position, Adolescent Services Unit Director (Job Requisition #50823), is open to all State employees and external applicants.
If you would like more information about this position, please contact alma.alvarado@vermont.gov.
Resumes will not be accepted via e-mail.  You must apply online to be considered.
Please note that multiple positions in the same work location may be filled from this job posting.

 

AHS BACKGROUND CHECKS:  Candidates must pass any level of background investigation applicable to the position.  In accordance with AHS Policy 4.02, Hiring Standards, Vermont and/or national criminal record checks, as well as DMV and adult and child abuse registry checks, as appropriate to the position under recruitment, will be conducted on candidates, with the exception of those who are current classified state employees seeking transfer, promotion or demotion into an AHS classified position or are persons exercising re-employment (RIF) rights.

Environmental Factors

Duties are performed both in the central office and field office setting, with extensive travel required, for which private means of transportation must be available. Attendance at a variety of divisional, department, agency and multi-group conferences can be anticipated, some involving a leadership or chairperson role. Night and evening meetings may be anticipated involving individuals from several disciplines and advocacy groups. Employee and client situations with significant stress and emotional overtones are predictable.

Minimum Qualifications

Master's degree in social work or in the broad field of human services, or in public administration AND four (4) years or more of professional level human services casework or counseling experience INCLUDING BOTH two (2) years or more in a child or youth services program AND two (2) years or more in a supervisory, consultative or administrative capacity above the social worker level.

OR

Bachelor's degree AND six (6) years or more of professional level human services casework or counseling experience INCLUDING BOTH two (2) years or more in a child or youth services program AND two (2) years or more in a supervisory, consultative or administrative capacity above the social worker level.

Total Compensation

As a State employee you are offered a great career opportunity, but it's more than a paycheck. The State's total compensation package features an outstanding set of employee benefits that are worth about 30% of your total compensation, including:

• 80% State paid medical premium and a dental plan at no cost for employees and their families
• Work/Life balance: 11 paid holidays each year and a generous leave plan
• State Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FMLI)
• Two ways to save for your retirement: A State