Correctional Treatment Specialist (Drug Abuse Treatment Specialist) - Justice, Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System - Terre Haute, IN

Why work for the Federal Bureau of Prisons?

You can have a meaningful career with an agency that truly values a diverse workforce. In our agency, you’ll find a diverse workforce employed from entry level jobs to senior management positions. We protect public safety by ensuring that federal offenders serve their sentences of imprisonment in facilities that are safe, humane, cost efficient, appropriately secure, and provides reentry programing to ensure their successful return to the community. Our employees at federal correctional facilities are “correctional workers first” and perform correctional work regardless of their specific occupation.

Our long-standing culture of being a close-knit family sets us apart from other agencies – at the BOP you don’t just get to know your co-workers, you make life long friends.

We have many facilities located throughout the nation: 121 institutions, 6 regional offices, a headquarters, 2 staff training academies, and 26 residential reentry management offices.

In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 3307, a maximum entry age of 36 has been established for initial appointment to a position in a Bureau of Prisons institution. If you are above the maximum entry age and have prior federal law enforcement coverage, you MUST submit an SF-50 to verify prior coverage.

Qualified Preference Eligible Veterans may be exempt from meeting the maximum age of 37. Please refer to the Required Documents Section for the appropriate documentation to submit to validate veteran eligibility. TRAVEL REQUIRED
Occasional Travel
Travel may be required for training and/or work related issues. RELOCATION AUTHORIZED
No KEY REQUIREMENTS
U.S. Citizenship is Required.
See Special Conditions of Employment Section.
Selective Service Requirement: Click Here DUTIES: Back to top
The incumbent provides individual and group counseling/therapy to inmates with drug abuse problems within the BOP’s treatment framework. He/she is also responsible for the education of prison staff about drug abuse, drug abuse treatment and the local prison program.

The incumbent administers eligibility and psycho-social assessments as the basis for individual treatment planning. The incumbent is responsible for providing residential and/or non-residential treatment to offenders who volunteer for treatment and are diagnosed with a drug use disorder.

Along with all other correctional institution employees, incumbent is charged with responsibility for maintaining security of the institution. The staff correctional responsibilities precede all others required by this position and are performed on a regular and recurring basis. QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED: Back to top
To be considered for the position, you must meet the following:

Basic 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.

NOTE: ALL applicants MUST submit legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement. Transcripts must include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, Click Here . Transcripts MUST be received by the Consolidated Staffing Unit by the closing date of the vacancy announcement. (If you are selected for this position, you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.)

For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications

AND

In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, you must have:

Education:
Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral 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.

NOTE: If you are using education to qualify, you MUST provide legible transcripts to receive consideration. Transcripts must include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, Click Here . Transcripts MUST be received by the Consolidated Staffing Unit by the closing date of the vacancy announcement. (If you are selected for this position based upon your education, you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.)

For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications

OR

Experience:
You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade level in federal service. To be creditable, this experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular qualifications to perform successfully 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:
Experience performing comprehensive evaluations on substance abusers.
Experience conducting assessments and testing instruments as needed or recommended by the Drug Abuse Treatment Coordinator.
Experience utilizing cognitive behavioral treatment techniques.
Experience in developing substance abuse treatment plans for offenders or individuals in a drug treatment program. OR

Combination Education and Experience:
Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. Only graduate level education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade may be combined with experience. This experience must have equipped you with the qualifications to perform the major duties of this position as described above.

AND

Selective Factors :
Applicants applying for this position, MUST possess one of the following Selective Factors:

18 semester hours of undergraduate course work in addictive disorders including 6 credit hours as an intern in a substance treatment facility. Certification acquired through passing a proctored examination, from a State or nationally accredited certifying body is preferred in addition to the qualification requirement listed above. OR

18 months, full-time, professional experience in treating (counseling) addictive disorders. NOTE: If you are using education to qualify, you MUST provide legible transcripts to receive consideration. Transcripts must include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, Click Here . Transcripts MUST be received by the Consolidated Staffing Unit by the closing date of the vacancy announcement. (If you are selected for this position based upon your education, you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.)

For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications

Credit will be given for paid or 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.**

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) . The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1)this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified category using established category rating criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: Click Here

The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified category using established category rating criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at: Click Here HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:
Your application will be evaluated and rated under DOJ’s Category Rating and Selection Procedures. Based upon your self-reported responses to the assessment questions during the application process, your application will be placed into one of three categories: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified, or Qualified. Applications will be reviewed from the top quality category. Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement. If you are found qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to the responses you provided on the online assessment questionnaire.

NOTE: . Candidates within the top quality category and who are eligible for veterans preference will receive selection priority over non-veteran preference eligibles.

If you are entitled to veterans preference, you should indicate the type of veterans preference you are claiming on your resume. Although veterans preference points are not assigned under the category rating procedures described under “How You Will Be Evaluated”, veterans preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-veterans within each category for which they are qualified.

In addition, qualified veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more are placed at the top of the highest qualified category as defined by category rating procedures.

What Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities are Required for this Position?

The following Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA’s) are required:

GS-11:
Ability to conduct group and individual counseling.
Knowledge of psychological problems associated with drug addiction.
Ability to communicate in writing.
Ability to communicate orally.
To preview questions please click here .
BENEFITS: Back to top

You can review our benefits at:
https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits

OTHER INFORMATION: The Department of Justice provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the hiring/servicing personnel office. The decision of granting a reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis. Selection will be made without discrimination for any non-merit reason such as race, color, religion, national origin, age, physical disability, marital and/or parental status, membership in an employee organization, sex, or sexual orientation. The Bureau of Prisons is an equal opportunity employer.

Special Conditions of Employment Section:
Appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a pre-employment and panel interview, urinalysis, physical, and background investigation. All applicants are subject to, and must satisfactorily pass all screening requirements in relation to National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and credit check.

All applicants not currently working in an institution will be required to complete a qualification inquiry regarding convictions of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence in order to be authorized to carry a firearm.

The Core Value Assessment (CVA) is an in-person assessment that must be facilitated at a Bureau of Prisons Human Resource Servicing office. On the day of the scheduled interview, a CVA will be administered. The applicant assessment must be completed within a 70 minute time period and a passing score must be obtained. Further employment consideration will not be extended if the applicant fails to complete the examination or fails to achieve a passing score. Note: The Core Value Assessment will not be administered to current BOP employees.

Successful completion of the “Introduction to Correctional Techniques,” three-week training course at Glynco, Georgia is required.

This position has been identified as test designated. Incumbents will be subject to urinalysis testing under the BOP Drug Free Workplace Plan.
HOW TO APPLY: Back to top How do I Apply for this Position if I am a Current Public Health Service Commissioned Officer?

Submit a complete/detailed resume or curriculum vitae.
Address selective factor, if required.
Resume or curriculum vitae must contain all information listed in the Qualifications Section.
Submit supporting documents (i.e. transcripts, certification, registration, and/or license, if applicable). Your completed application packet must be submitted to the Consolidated Staffing Unit by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (EST), on the closing date of the vacancy announcement. You must include the last four digits of your social security number and the vacancy announcement number on your application packet. DO NOT SUBMIT AN APPLICATION ON-LINE.

How do I Apply for this Position if I am a Current Public Health Service Commissioned Officer and want to enter the competitive service?

Refer to the information below.

HOW TO APPLY:
You must apply through the online application system at www.USAJOBS.gov. Follow the prompts to register, answer a few questions and submit all required documents.

NOTE: Submission of a resume alone is not a complete application. This position may require the completion of additional forms and/or supplemental materials as described under the Required Documents section. Please carefully review the complete job announcement and the ”