Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To provide professional social work services for Offenders at the Monteith Correctional Complex.

Duties / Responsibilities :

Participates as a team member in the assessment, guidance, plan of care and treatment for Offenders by:
¨ preparing social histories and assessments by interviewing the offenders and communicating verbally and in writing with community agencies, probation and parole, group homes, parents, etc;
¨ making recommendations and implementing appropriate program/treatment services within the unit, based on social history and assessment of offender;
• co-ordinating the case management process by conducting Case Management Re integration Plan committee meetings and assigning a Prime Worker to each offender;
• consulting, on an ongoing basis, with case managers, direct care staff, Aboriginal Re integration Co coordinator, professional staff, chaplain, etc., regarding needs of offenders and treatment services provided;
• preparing Case Management Re integration plan of care reports for assigned offenders in consultation with case managers/prime workers;
¨ preparing and presenting progress reports to CMRP Committee for evaluation of progress, test results, behaviour and treatment objectives;
• consulting regularly with the Deputy Superintendent, Programs to seek direction and clinical input;
• arranging discharge planning for offenders in conjunction with community organizations, resource programs and/or families;
¨ planning, developing and delivering treatment programs to address the social, emotional and/or psychological needs of offenders;
• delivering and evaluating individual and group programs to teach problem solving, social skills, self-development, anger management, substance abuse, spousal abuse, parenting skills, etc., to offenders;
¨ contributing to institution public relations by maintaining excellent working relationships with various community agencies, professionals, the public, etc
• Performs other related duties such as:
¨ participating as a member of various committees to review existing programmes, develop new programmes and policies, etc;
• participating with the Deputy Superintendent, Programs in staff training and development to ensure programs meet the needs and standards of the Centre;
¨ assisting and participating in the training and supervision of social work students on placement from educational institution;
¨ Manager has the right to assign additional duties.

Staffing and Licensing :

Designation of Registered Social Worker in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. Job requires advanced oral French language skills.

Knowledge :

Job requires in depth knowledge of theories, principles and practices of social work normally acquired through a Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) or Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) to develop rehabilitative treatment plans from a social work perspective and psycho-social rehabilitation/treatment theories, principles and techniques; e.g., 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. Job requires Designation of Registered Social Worker (R.S.W.) in good standing with Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. Job requires knowledge of relevant legislation; e.g., Ministry of Correctional Services Act, institutional ministry policies, procedures, rules of confidentiality, program support services and risk assessment tools to recommend appropriate classification for institutional program, or alternate institution placement to ensure proper and consistent treatment implementation, to provide information, interpretation and advice to institutional staff and to report observations to manager that may affect programs and offender activities. Job requires knowledge of community support services to assist offenders in formulating discharge plans. Job requires 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 :

Job requires analytical, clinical and problem solving skills to gather and compile data from multiple sources eg. offender, file history, probation/ministry staff, family, in order to identify offenders needs and develop or modify social work rehabilitative treatment and case management plans in consultation with offenders and multi disciplinary team.Job requires analytical skills to evaluate program treatment/services effectiveness based on composite of experience with crisis intervention, conflict resolution, counselling, therapy, observations of offenders and input from other concerned parties. Job requires 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 multi disciplinary team and to liaise with community support services. Job requires written communications skills to prepare assessment, and progress reports. Job requires tact, discretion and sensitivity when discussing problems/options with offenders in
crisis. -Overall, Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to impart professional, technical direction or guidance to others

Freedom of Action :

Job requires working in accordance with program policies and procedures to write reports, to provide care to offenders and provide information about social work services to professional officers. Job requires discussing development and modification of the case management plans with the offenders and Multi disciplinary team. Job requires exercising independence in direct dealings with offenders in social work counselling sessions, crisis interventions, and to develop and modify treatment, case management and discharge plans.