Credible Messenger Mentor

**Position Description**:
**About the Residential Services**:

- The Residential Services Division consists of a Juvenile Detention Center and two post-adjudicated facilities. The facilities house youth who are awaiting court and youth who are placed into the department’s custody by the juvenile courts. The facilities provide direct care and supervision for all youth placed with the department along with providing mental health and behavioral treatment programs.

**About the Position**:

- This Credible Messenger is responsible for developing transformative mentoring relationships with youth in residential facilities while supporting professionals responsible for the supervision, counseling, social services, treatment, vocational development, and/or coordination of community services designed to aid youth on a path to successful reintegration.

**Duties and Responsibilities**:
- Performs a variety of support tasks that include assisting youth articulate their goals for success, helps youth to monitor their own progress, modeling effective coping techniques, providing self-help strategies based on the Credible Messengers own experience, and promotes positive family, community, and peer associations.-
- Provides positive youth development, educational or career guidance, social and emotional support, and facilitates accountability through individual interactions and restorative justice and/or cognitive-behavioral group sessions.-
- Advocates for and support youth as they interact with the juvenile justice system, education, and health and supportive services.-
- Supports youth in pursuing their interests and goals, making better and safer decisions, engaging in positive behaviors, developing and/or repairing relationships with family and community.-
- Participates in team staffing meetings and reentry transition planning.**Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer**Requirements**:
**Education and Experience**:
- High School Diploma or G.E.D. equivalent from an accredited educational institution.**Meet at least one (1) of the following criteria**:
- (a) formerly incarcerated individual, having successfully completed a period of parole or supervised release (e.g., was not discharged from supervision due to lack of compliance), and have not been re-arrested.**OR**- (b) successfully completed a period of probation (e.g., was not discharged from supervision due to a lack of compliance) and have not been re-arrested.**OR**- (c) have lived experience with own child or close relative involved in the mental health, juvenile justice, Child Protective Services, or similar agency.**Licensure**:
- Must possess a valid Texas driver's license with appropriate liability auto insurance cover.**Additional Requirements**:
- Must not have a disqualifying criminal history per Title 37 Texas Administrative Code Chapter -344.400.-
- Upon receiving a conditional job offer, every applicant undergoes a criminal background check, drug screening and psychological assessment.-
- Employees who hold this position are required to possess and maintain a valid Texas Driver's license. Employee must maintain liability insurance in at least the minimum amounts required by law.-
- Certified copies of transcripts of educational credentials and/or college credits will be required during hiring process.-
- All applicants are required to present evidence of a tuberculosis (TB) skin test. In the event of a positive test, the applicant will be required to provide additional documentation. If public emergency is declared by county, staff could be assigned to other duties and/or facilities and/or under the supervision of another county department.-
- Must be 21 years old.**-344.400 Disqualifying Criminal History**:

- (a) Applicants for Certification. An individual with the following criminal history is not eligible for certification or for employment in a position requiring certification:
- (1) deferred adjudication or conviction for a felony listed in Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 42A.054 (formerly known as “3(g) offenses” under former Article 42.12) or a substantially equivalent violation against the laws of another state or the United States (as determined by TJJD), regardless of the date of disposition; or- (2) deferred adjudication or conviction for a sexually violent offense as defined in Article 62.001, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, or a substantially equivalent violation against the laws of another state or the United States (as determined by TJJD), regardless of the date of disposition.**-344.410 Other Criminal History**:

- (1) An individual with the following criminal history is not eligible for certification, employment, or otherwise providing service in a position requiring certification without prior review and approval by TJJD as provided in -344.420 of this chapter:
- (A) deferred adjudication or conviction for a felony other than those referenced in -344.400(a) of this chapter or a substantially equivalent viol