Job Description

Job Title

Social Worker

About This Job

Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections – Corrections Services

Raymond Laborde Correctional Center

Cottonport, LA

This position will be filled as a probation appointment or promotion of a permanent classified employee of Louisiana State Government (State Employee)

Salary dependent on qualifications

There is 'Premium Pay' for this position: a rate between $2.00 and $5.00 an hour for each hour worked, based on years of service with DOC, in addition to regular pay.

This position may be filled as:

• DETAIL: The selected employee may be required to serve a trial detail prior to being permanently promoted
• TEMPORARY JOB APPOINTMENT: This position may be filled by temporary job appointment. If filled as a temporary job appointment, should a permanent position become available, the employee may be converted to a probational appointment.
• PROBATIONAL APPOINTMENT: Current permanent status classified State employees may be required to accept a probational appointment, if selected.

Why Work for DOC?

Culture: DOC values and supports employees through numerous recognition programs, creating a sense of community, prioritizing internal promotional opportunities, clear communication, and professional development.

Growth: Professional growth is encouraged at DOC through numerous avenues.

Benefits: DOC offers a generous benefits package including; a defined benefit pension plan, health insurance that is also available post retirement, at least 10 paid holidays, sick and annual leave that rolls over from year to year, paid or time off accrued for hours worked over 40 per week, a deferred compensation plan, a flexible benefits plan, alternate work schedules, work from home, etc. Alternative work schedules including 4/10's or work from home MAY be an available benefit for certain positions upon meeting the policy requirements.

Exams and License Requirements

• No Civil Service test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy.
• Any degree, certificate, special license, or DD-214 must be verified by official documentation prior to hire.
• Any qualifying experience that is based on college credit/college hours should have an accompanying transcript for verification.
• Failure to provide your qualifying work experience may result in your application not being considered.

Salary Depends on Level Experience

• As part of a Career Progression Group, vacancies may be filled from this recruitment as a Social Worker 1, Social Worker 2 or Social Worker 3 depending on the level of experience of the selected applicant(s).
• The maximum salary for the Social Worker 3 is $78,790.
• Please refer to the 'Job Specifications' tab located at the top of the LA Careers 'Current Job Opportunities' page of the Civil Service website for specific information on salary ranges, minimum qualifications and job concepts for each level.

To Apply for This Vacancy

Click on the 'Apply' link above and complete an electronic application, which can be used for this vacancy as well as future job opportunities.

Review your application to make sure it is current.

• Important: In the supplemental questions section, applicants must authorize the HR Office of DPS&C-Corrections Services to contact prior employers to check references under the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), to be considered for employment, by answering 'YES' to the PREA question.
• Resumes WILL NOT be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections on your application. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.
• There is no guarantee that everyone who applies to this posting will be interviewed. The hiring supervisor/manager has 90 days from the closing date of the announcement to make a hiring decision. Specific information about this job will be provided to you in the interview process, should you be selected.
• Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the Information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.

Minimum Qualifications

Possession of a current Louisiana license to practice as a Licensed Master's Social Worker (LMSW), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), or Certified Social Worker (CSW) plus: A master's degree in social work. NOTE: Permanent status will not be granted in this job title without LMSW or LCSW licensure in Louisiana; Certified Social Worker (CSW) credential will not be accepted for granting permanent status.

Job Specification

Function of Work: To provide social work services. Level of Work: Entry. Supervision Received: Close from a higher-level social worker, facility administrator, or other higher-level professional. Supervision Exercised: None. Location of Work: Department of Health and Hospitals; LSU-Health Sciences Centers, Acute Care Hospitals, Medical Schools; Veterans Affairs; Department of Corrections. Job Distinctions: Differs from the various Social Service Counselors job series by the presence of therapeutic intervention, case management, and by the requirement for providing a written psycho-social history including evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment plans for patients and/or offenders. Differs from the Social Worker 2 by the absence of independence and more complex caseloads.

Job Duties and Other Information

Interview clients and client groups, offenders, and appropriate others to obtain extensive social, developmental, psychological, family, and educational background. Selects and recommends therapeutic intervention strategies and treatment approaches based on psychosocial assessment to an interdisciplinary treatment team. Provides social work component in an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary team approach to diagnosis, planning, and treatment. Conducts individual and group counseling conjointly or under close supervision. Prepares psychosocial assessments, social summaries, and notations in the client's chart. Prepares correspondence with community agencies and serves as primary liaison person with all outside agencies such as courts, schools, foster care and legal authorities. Assesses the level of care and intervention, including discharge, reassignment, change of treatment strategies and techniques; communicates these findings to the interdisciplinary treatment team. Attends and participates in community health-related programs, in-services, continuing education, and maintains professional reading. Develops a working knowledge of correctional or community resources in order to recommend or refer offenders for special services. Provides psychosocial case management to individuals, groups, and families when this intervention is determined to be most appropriate.

Additional Information

Louisiana State Government represents a wide variety of career options and offers an outstanding opportunity to make a difference through public service. With an array of career opportunities in every major metropolitan center and in many rural areas, state employment provides an outstanding option to begin or continue your career. As a state employee, you will earn competitive pay, choose from a variety of benefits, and have access to a great professional development program:

Insurance Coverage More information can be found at

Parental Leave – Up to six weeks paid parental leave More information can be found at

Holidays and Leave – State employees receive the following paid holidays each year:

• New Year's Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,
• Mardi Gras,
• Good Friday,
• Memorial Day,
• Independence Day,
• Labor Day,
• Veteran's Day,
• Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Additional holidays may be proclaimed by the Governor State employees earn sick and annual leave which can be accumulated and saved for future use. Your accrual rate increases as your years of service increase.

Retirement – State of Louisiana employees are eligible to participate in various retirement systems (based on the type of appointment and agency for which an employee works). These retirement systems provide retirement allowances and other benefits for state officers and employees and their beneficiaries. State retirement systems may include (but are not limited to):

• Louisiana State Employees Retirement System (
• Teacher's Retirement System of Louisiana (
• Louisiana School Employees Retirement System ( among others

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