New York State Department of Civil Service Announces Open-Competitive Examination Open to the Public

Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator (Manual Communications)

Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator is a new title at the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. It has replaced the title of Correction Counselor (Manual Communications).

Appointees who work in the five boroughs of New York City or in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, or Westchester Counties will receive an additional $3,026 annual downstate adjustment. Appointees who work in Dutchess, Orange, or Putnam Counties will receive an additional $1,513 annual mid-Hudson adjustment.

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before June 2, 2012, you must have a bachelor's degree in correctional studies, counseling, criminal justice, psychology, social work, sociology, or vocational rehabilitation.

For Number 25-481: In addition, you must have two years of experience providing individual and/or group counseling in a recognized correctional, criminal justice, community/human services program aimed at assisting clients with resolution of major social, behavioral, and personal problems. Experience must have included responsibility for conducting counseling sessions designed to provide the participant(s) with counseling for significant social and personal problems such as alcohol and drug abuse, mental, behavioral, and emotional problems.

Substitution: A master's degree in correctional studies, counseling, criminal justice, psychology, social work, sociology, or vocational rehabilitation may be substituted for one year of the required experience.

Non-qualifying experience: Group work oriented toward behavior modification in such areas as self-improvement or tobacco cessation is NOT qualifying experience nor is crisis intervention or case management alone.

In addition, if you are considered for an Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator Trainee 1 (Manual Communications) or Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator (Manual Communications) position, you will be required to demonstrate your proficiency in manual sign language with consumers who are deaf or hearing-impaired. Proficiency must be at a level that will ensure your ability to properly perform the duties of the position.

The eligible list resulting from examination 25-484 will be used to fill two-year traineeships leading to Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator (Manual Communications), G-19. An appointee's performance in the trainee position and in prescribed training and development programs will be observed and evaluated. The prescribed training and development program will include extensive on-the-job training and carefully designed and monitored work experience. An appointee not meeting required standards can be terminated at any time after the initial eight weeks and before completion of the traineeship.

Advanced Placement: If appointed from Trainee eligible list for No. 25-484, you will enter a two-year traineeship leading to the Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator (Manual Communications), G-19. However, if beyond meeting the minimum qualifications, you have at least one year of the professional experience described in the minimum qualifications for exam No. 25-481 or a master's degree in correctional studies, counseling, criminal justice, psychology, social work, sociology, or vocational rehabilitation, you may be appointed to the Trainee 2 level, reducing the traineeship time by one year. You must inform the agency of this experience or possession of master's degree at the time of interview.

Notes

1. Your degree or college credit must have been awarded by a regionally accredited college or university or one recognized by the NYS Education Department as following acceptable educational practices. If your degree or college credit was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. You can write to the Examination Information Desk of the NYS Department of Civil Service for a list of acceptable companies who provide this service. You must pay the required evaluation fee. If you are applying on the Internet, you must mail the independent verification of equivalency to the NYS Department of Civil Service, Alfred E. Smith State Office Building, Albany, New York 12239. Attention: S2CKT.
2. Your application must clearly show how your experience meets the minimum qualifications. On your application, show the beginning month/year and ending month/year of every employment AND the number of hours worked per week.
3. If you expect to meet the educational requirements by June 30, 2012, you can be admitted to the written test but you cannot be considered for appointment until you submit proof of successful completion of the educational requirements to the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
4. You may file for these open-competitive examinations by completing one examination application NYS-APP form or applying on the Internet. Unless you are eligible for a fee waiver, the indicated processing fee must be submitted for each examination listed on your application.
5. Department of Corrections and Community Supervision employees may file for as many examinations for which they are qualified, including open-competitive and transition examinations. The following open-competitive and transition examinations are being held at the same time in addition to those noted on the announcement. NOTE: FEES ARE NOW REQUIRED FOR ALL EXAMINATIONS.

OC Exam Number and Title		Transition Exam Number and Title
25-480 Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator	00-212 Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator (ASAT)
25-478 Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator (ASAT)	00-213 Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator (ASAT)(Spanish Language)
25-479 Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator (ASAT) (Spanish Language)	00-216 Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator Trainee 1
25-482 Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator (Spanish Language)	00-217 Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator Trainee 1 (Spanish Language)
25-483 Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator Trainee 1	25-485 Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator Trainee 1 (Spanish Language)

6. If you do not receive a confirmation number after submitting your online application, your application was NOT processed.
7. Please verify that you have applied for the correct examination before submitting your online application. You will not be allowed to apply for additional examinations in this series after April 30, 2012.
8. Background Investigation: Because of the nature of the position there is an investigative screening that may include a thorough character investigation. All convictions must be reported. Conviction of a felony or misdemeanor or any falsified or omitted information may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment. Each case is determined on its own merits, consistent with the applicable provisions of state and federal laws.
9. Fingerprints and Fees: Fingerprinting is required at the time of appointment. You will be required to pay the processing fee.
10. Appropriate part-time and volunteer experience, which can be verified, will be accepted on a prorated basis.
11. New York State residence is not required.

The Positions

These positions exist in the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

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Duties

As an Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator (Manual Communications), you would interview deaf and hearing impaired offenders using American Sign Language, and review all relevant information in order to determine counseling needs and make program recommendations. You would provide ongoing individual and group counseling relative to personal, social, institutional, behavioral and disciplinary issues using American Sign Language. You would also apply casework principles in recommending individuals for educational and vocational programs, work assignments and treatment programs, and coordinating rehabilitation programs. You will evaluate and investigate offenders' program participation while completing legislated reports for Earned Eligibility, Merit Time, and Presumptive Release Reviews.

As an Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator Trainee 1 (Manual Communications), you would participate in a training program designed to acquaint you with the role of an Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator providing counseling to offenders at a correctional facility. If you are appointed as a Trainee 1, you will be promoted to Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator (Manual Communications) without further examination upon satisfactory completion of a two-year traineeship. You will be required to perform these duties for a caseload with a high concentration of deaf or hearing impaired offenders.

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Subject of Examination

There will be a written test which you must pass in order to be considered for appointment. The written test is designed to test for knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in such areas as:

1. Preparing written material - These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.
2. Principles and practices of correction counseling - These questions test for the ability to counsel offenders in a variety of correctional settings. Questions will cover such areas as conducting interviews, managing cases, identifying and resolving problems, establishing goals and objectives, interpreting behavior, conducting individual counseling sessions, selecting counseling techniques, responding to the requirements of a correctional setting, and applying given facility policies.
3. Principles and practices of offender group counseling - These questions test for a knowledge of and the ability to apply principles and practices of offender group counseling in a variety of correctional settings. Questions will cover such areas as participant contracts, facilitating groups, and individual and group counseling goals and objectives.
4. Pre-release casework - These questions test for the knowledge and application of social casework principles and practices in preparing offenders for release to parole and post-release supervision. Questions will cover such areas as conducting pre-release interviews; providing guidance regarding the conditions of release; determining offender needs in areas such as family support, residential placement, and mental health; and addressing issues that may impact the offender's successful reintegration into the community.

Your final score must be 70 or higher in order to pass. Rank on the eligible list will be determined after adding any wartime veterans' and Civil Service Law Section 85-a credits to your final passing score.

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How To Apply

If you do not receive a confirmation number after submitting your online application, your application was NOT processed.

Additional Information

New York State is an Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of the State of New York to provide for and promote equal opportunity employment, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment without discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran or military service member status, marital status, domestic violence victim status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, or arrest and/or criminal conviction record unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.

Appointment to many positions in State government require candidates to undergo an investigative screening. This may include a thorough character investigation, a Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Record History Check, a Child Abuse Registry clearance, or other similar procedures. Candidates may be fingerprinted and may be required to pay any necessary fees for that procedure. Depending on the nature of the job, the criminal convictions discovered, or any falsified or omitted information revealed, the investigative findings may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment.

Eligibility for Employment

You must be legally eligible to work in the United States at the time of appointment and throughout your employment with New York State. If appointed, you must produce documents that establish your identity and eligibility to work in the United States, as required by the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, and the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Religious Accommodation

Most written tests are held on Saturdays. If you cannot take the test on the announced test date, due to a conflict with a religious observance or practice, check the box under “Religious Accommodation.” We will make arrangements for you to take the test on a different date (usually the following day).

Reasonable Accommodations in Testing

It is the policy of the Department of Civil Service, in accordance with the New York State Human Rights Law and the Americans with Disabilities Act, to provide qualified persons with disabilities equal employment opportunity and equal opportunity to participate in and receive the benefits, services, programs, and activities of the Department. It is the policy of the Department to provide such persons reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications as are necessary to provide equal opportunity. Persons with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in an examination must note this on their application. Further information is available from the Test Administration Unit of the Department of Civil Service. In the Albany area, call 518-457-2487 [press 2, then press 2]. Outside of the Albany area, call toll free at 1-877-697-5627 [press 2, then press 2]. For TDD services, call NY Relay at 711 (requires a fee) or 1-800-662-1220.

Admission to Examination

Notice to appear for the test may be conditional as review of applications may not be made until after the test. If you have not received your notice to appear for the written test three days before the date of the test, call 518-474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627 [press 2, then press 1].

Multiple Examinations Scheduled for the Same Day

With the exception of written tests announced by New York City, if you have applied to take a written test announced by a local jurisdiction (county, town, city) scheduled to be held on the same test date as this written test, you must call 518-474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627 [press 2, then press 1], no later than two weeks before the test date, to make arrangements for taking all tests at one test site. All tests will be held at the state examination center.

Cell Phones or Electronic/Communication Devices at the Test Site

Do not bring cell phones, beepers, headphones, or any electronic or other communication devices to the test site. The use of such devices at the test site in the test room, hallways, restrooms, building, grounds, or other areas could result in your disqualification.

S2/TC2 CKT-vla
Issued: 3/16/2012

This announcement is subject to amendment or cancellation without notice. Do not copy it, or post it to any other site, but link to it instead.

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