Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To provide professional social work and classification services to all offenders at Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre.

Duties / Responsibilities :

Participates in professional development for continued competency acknowledging the requirements of the OCSWSSW and ministry standards.


Assessment

Collecting and gathering collateral information, preparing social histories and comprehensive assessment of criminogenic needs, potential responsivity issues, risks/strengths ( e.g., LSI-OR) by interviewing inmates, obtaining pertinent information from Probation and Parole, community agencies, institutional staff and offender files.
Completing bio-psycho-social, suicide, mental health, risk/needs and professional/clinical assessment reports for the purposes of crisis intervention, counselling, classification, rehabilitative programs, reintegration planning and parole proceedings.
Identifying individual needs of offenders from a client-centred approach (e.g., mental health, FASD, gender specific, Aboriginal, ethno-cultural, etc.), using advocacy where warranted, to ensure needs are appropriately addressed.

Counselling

Utilizing methods and techniques that are consistent with professional social work practices to conduct ongoing, in-depth individual and/or group counselling and case work sessions.
Intervention may include; management of personal/institutional adjustment concerns and/or other issues identified through requests, referrals or based on own assessment of offender's background, behaviour or attitudes.
Crisis intervention addressing mental health issues and/or significant substance abuse issues, complex conditions/disorders, situational stressors, etc.

Case Management

Formulating rehabilitative/treatment plan objectives, intervention strategies and operationalizing such objectives and intervention strategies by engaging and maintaining offender and staff participation, negotiating verbal or written contracts that convey respective responsibilities for participants while employing specific practice methodologies.
Participating, collaborating and consulting with various internal and external stakeholders (e.g., clinical/health care staff, spiritual and religious care, probation and parole, contract services, community agencies, etc.,) for the purpose of sharing pertinent information to develop rehabilitative/treatment and reintegration plans.
Exploring community resources to determine, with offenders, which resources may be of benefit upon re-entry to the community and facilitating referrals as appropriate.
Participating in various institutional and/or community programs/committees such as temporary absence/release program, reintegration planning, Human Services and Justice Coordinating Committee, etc.

Programming

Provide individual and/or group rehabilitative programming in accordance with ministry standards.
Participating in planning, developing and delivering rehabilitative/treatment programs to address the social, emotional, criminogenic and/or psychological needs of offenders.
Assessing level of motivation, stages of change for appropriate offender program participation.
Maintaining program attendance, admission agreement and expectations for program participation.
Managing group dynamics and individual behaviour within the group to create a productive and positive learning environment.
Providing program evaluations and maintaining statistical information.

Administration/Record Keeping

Entering alerts (e.g., domestic violence, sex offenders, suicidal) in electronic tracking system (i.e., OTIS ).
Completing high profile/high risk/sex offender administrative summaries and notification of duty to register as assigned.
Completing and maintaining appropriate social work case notes in accordance with the OCSWSSW and ministry standards.
Completing, entering and maintaining statistics as required.

Other assigned duties may include but are not limited to:

Providing coaching, mentoring and training to staff, students and volunteers.
Participating in staff/team meetings.
Developing and delivering social work related presentations or workshops within the ministry or to external stakeholders/community agencies.
Participating in social work research activities and evaluating treatment programs/services.

Staffing and Licensing :

Designation of Registered Social Worker in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.

Knowledge :

In depth knowledge of theories, principles and practices of social work normally acquired through a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) or Master of Social Work (MSW) to develop rehabilitative program/treatment plans from a social work perspective utilizing bio-psycho-social rehabilitative/treatment theories, principles and techniques; e.g., bio-psycho-social assessments, individual/group therapy, crisis intervention, and development and implementation of programs and rehabilitative plans for offenders to apply appropriate treatment to offenders.
Designation of Registered Social Worker (RSW) in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.
Knowledge of relevant legislation; e.g., Ministry of Correctional Services Act, Social Work and Social Service Work Act, Personal Health Information Protection Act, Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, Mental Health Act, etc.
Knowledge of Ministry Policies and Procedures and local Standing Orders.
Knowledge of risk assessment tools and rehabilitative/treatment placement options to recommend appropriate internal or external classification placement.
Knowledge of community support services to assist offenders in formulating reintegration plans.
Knowledge of computers and related software; e.g., OTIS, LSI-OR and word processing software packages to input/retrieve offender data, prepare reports and maintain case documentation and statistics.

Skills :

Assessment and problem solving skills to gather and compile data from multiple sources; e.g., offender, file history, ministry staff, family, other external treatment professionals, in order to identify offender needs and appropriate institutional classification, and develop or modify social work rehabilitative, treatment and case management plans in consultation with offender and case management team, and to make recommendations on appropriate classification of offenders.
Analytical and reasoning skills to assess offenders in crisis and apply appropriate therapeutic intervention.
Analytical skills to evaluate program and treatment/service effectiveness.
Oral communication skills to carry out assessments and counselling sessions with offenders and other concerned parties, (e.g., family), to discuss issues or problematic cases with supervisor or other professionals, and to liaise with correctional staff and/or community support services.
Advanced written communication skills to prepare case notes, assessments, progress and statistical reports.
Interpersonal skills to engage, motivate, counsel and advocate on behalf of offenders within the institution or community.
Tact, discretion and sensitivity when discussing problems/options with offenders and/or others.
Ability to resolve conflict through the use of effective communication and active listening skills.
Ability to maintain confidentiality in accordance with legislation and OCSWSSW Standards of Practice.
Planning and organizational skills to manage competing priorities, meet job specific expectations and responsibilities as part of the team.
Keyboarding skills to prepare reports, etc.
Cultural sensitivity and self-awareness to effectively collaborate and work with offenders and others (e.g., colleagues, community partners/agencies, volunteers, etc.).

Freedom of Action :

Working in accordance with established program policies and procedures to write reports, to provide social work services to offenders, and provide information about social work services to professional/correctional staff.
Working within guidelines of relevant legislation and recognized and approved professional ethics and practices, while adhering to principles of confidentiality.
Discussing development and modification of social rehabilitative treatment and case management plans with offender and consultation, as necessary with supervisor.
Providing weekly work update to supervisor, who is consulted on unusual cases and situations not covered by established methods and procedures.
Exercising independence in direct dealings with offenders in social work counselling sessions, crisis intervention, liaising with correctional staff, and developing and modifying rehabilitative/treatment, case management and reintegration plans.