Occ. Code 8381000

 

OFFENDER REHABILITATION AIDE, GRADE 13

 

New York State Department of Civil Service

 

Classification Standard

 

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CLASS

 

          Offender Rehabilitation Aides assist in providing counseling, guidance, case management, and various services to inmates at Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) facilities. Incumbents assist the counseling staff, primarily but not exclusively Offender Rehabilitation Coordinators, in their casework, including: interviewing inmates; assisting with inmate group sessions; maintaining case files; providing personal assistance to inmates for the maintenance of family contacts via telephone and written correspondence; assisting inmates in completing complex written forms; and explaining rules and procedures. These positions are found at DOCCS.

 

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

 

          OFFENDER REHABILITATION AIDE: entry level; assists counseling staff with providing counseling services to inmates.

 

RELATED CLASSES

 

          Offender Rehabilitation Coordinators apply social casework principles to the social, educational, vocational rehabilitation, and preparation of offenders released to community supervision (parole and post-release supervision) and under strict and intensive supervision and treatment (SIST) pursuant to Article 10 of the Mental Hygiene Law.  They: guide and assist offenders in their adjustment to their new environment, identifying appropriate treatment services for offenders with significant problems and special needs; prepare offenders for release into the community by encouraging them to enhance their educational and vocational skills and modify their behavior; develop final community supervision and discharge plans; and ensure that targeted services are identified pre-release and community-based supports are available upon release.  Offender Rehabilitation Coordinators also prepare comprehensive release reports that are utilized by the Board of Parole and by Parole Officers.

 

          Education Counselors are responsible for providing counseling service to aid inmates in making effective adjustments to facility education programs in facilities that have large education programs.

 

          Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors plan and coordinate the vocational rehabilitation of persons with disabling physical and/or mental handicaps with the primary goal being to help vocationally handicapped individuals retain optimum employment.

 

ILLUSTRATIVE DUTIES

 

Provides individual counseling, case management, and various services to assigned inmates.

 

·       Assists the Offender Rehabilitation Coordinators and/or Supervising Offender Rehabilitation Coordinators in obtaining and reviewing all pertinent records, reports, and information concerning family, education, employment, health and other personal matters.

 

·       Interviews inmates in response to inmate requests and provides appropriate assistance concerning any adjustment issues.

 

·       Provides informal follow-up to an inmate after a crisis intervention by an Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator.

 

·       Performs outreach activities by informally providing information and support to the inmate’s assigned Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator.

 

·       Contacts various sources for needed records and related information relative to classification as required.

 

·       Secures information from inmates by means of an informal, semi-structured interview to obtain inmate data for analysis by the Supervising Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator.  Obtains information to complete various Departmental Guidance forms.

 

·       Coordinates the administration of routine standardized tests and appraisal instruments.

 

·       Secures specific information concerning inmates, relative to the inmate’s behavior adjustment and classification.

 

·       Secures follow-up information of a routine nature for the Supervising Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator that may impact on an inmate’s classification and placement.

 

·       Maintains appropriate inmate and information records for the Supervising Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator.

 

·       Prepares standard reports of contacts with inmates, in order to identify potential counseling referrals to be conducted by the inmate’s assigned Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator.

 

·       Provides personal assistance to inmates in areas such as maintaining family contacts via telephone and written correspondence and in personal matters, such as assisting in completing complex written forms and explaining rules and procedures.

 

·       Assists inmates in making appropriate contacts with referral agencies by providing assistance in preparing applications for their services.  Referral agencies include the US Social Security Administration, the US Department of Veterans Affairs, job placement agencies, legal aid agencies, etc.

 

·       Assists inmates in making general contacts with personnel at the facility.  (Examples include facility chaplains, property clerks, correspondence clerks, finance officers, etc.)

 

·       Transmits information to inmates regarding daily facility procedures, and responds to inquiries from inmates regarding institutional procedures or rules.

 

Participates in the parole and reentry process.

 

·       Assists Offender Rehabilitation Coordinators and other appropriate staff in completing Reentry Risk and Needs Assessment in connection with Parole Board interviews or case reviews.

 

·       Assists Offender Rehabilitation Coordinators and other appropriate staff in conducting the pre-release interview and explains and provides guidance regarding the conditions of release.

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

 

Promotion: one year of permanent competitive service in a position allocated to Grade 6 or higher and either: an associate's degree or completion of 60 credit hours of undergraduate study, or 30 credits of undergraduate study and one year of full-time professional or paraprofessional experience working with clients in drug and/or alcohol counseling programs, mental hygiene programs, parole or probation programs, juvenile offender programs, or in programs dealing with ex-offenders or incarcerated offenders; and satisfactory completion of a one-year traineeship.

 

Rev:  8/18

 

NOTE: Classification Standards illustrate the nature, extent and scope of duties and responsibilities of the classes they describe. Standards cannot and do not include all of the work that might be appropriately performed by a class. The minimum qualifications above are those which were required for appointment at the time the Classification Standard was written. Please contact the Division of Staffing Services for current information on minimum qualification requirements for appointment or examination.