Job Description

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Arlington County requires all applicants to thoroughly complete each section of the application, including prior job responsibilities, duties, and supplemental questions. While you may attach a resume, it will not replace a completed application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Arlington County Juvenile and Domestic Relations (JDR) is seeking a Bilingual Intake Counselor (English/Spanish) to serve as the first point of contact for children, families, victims, attorneys, law enforcement, schools, and community agencies seeking assistance through the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. The CSU is comprised of Intake, Juvenile Probation, Adult Probation, and Community-based residential and afterschool programs. The JDR/CSU receives and processes complaints for children and families to determine possible need of Court resources or County programs. This position will work with an ethnically diverse population, many of whom use Spanish as their primary language and have limited English speaking abilities.

Specific Job Duties:

• Interviewing petitioners, juveniles, parents, victims, attorneys, law enforcement, and community partners to assess concerns and determine appropriate court action;

• Reviewing delinquency, CHINS, custody, visitation, support, and protective order complaints for legal sufficiency and court intervention;

• Evaluating cases for diversion, community-based services, informal resolution, or formal court processing in accordance with state law and agency policy;

• Conducting detention assessments and preparing authorized detention orders;

• Assessing child abuse and family abuse complaints for protective order eligibility;

• Preparing, processing, and filing legal documents, including petitions, detention orders, protective orders, and related court forms;

• Providing information on court procedures, resources, and next steps while maintaining neutrality and avoiding legal advice;

• Coordinating with courts, law enforcement, schools, social services, attorneys, and community organizations to support children and families;

• Monitoring compliance with diversion agreements and court-ordered conditions;

• Maintaining accurate, confidential case records and documentation; and

• Performing other job-related duties as assigned.

The successful candidate will possess the following:

• Knowledge of juvenile justice, family law, child welfare, or related legal processes;

• Excellent interviewing, assessment, and critical thinking skills;

• Exceptional communications and customer service skills to interact respectfully with individuals from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds;

• Ability to remain calm and make sound decisions under pressure;

• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment;

• Demonstrated commitment to providing equitable, trauma-informed services to a diverse community;

• Ability to interpret statutes, policies, and procedures and apply them appropriately;

• Proficiency with computer systems, electronic case management databases, and Microsoft Office applications; and

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with court personnel, justice partners, and community agencies.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, Psychology, Sociology, or related field;

• Considerable experience in probation, social work, crisis intervention or family counseling including at least one year which required working within a legal/court/probation environment; plus

• Bilingual ability in English/Spanish.

Substitution(s):Additional qualifying, related experience may be substituted for the education requirement on a year-for-year basis

Desirable Qualifications:Preference may be given to candidates with experience in one or more of the following:

• Probation or intake in the juvenile and/or adult criminal justice system;

• Conducting structured interviews to obtain detailed information to determine eligibility for informal or formal court involvement;

• Counseling troubled or traumatized youth and families to gather information, develop service plans, and refer clients to service providers;

• Training and use of evidence-based interventions such as Motivational Interviewing, Adolescent Risk Assessment, and Focus; and/or

• Proficient in use of Balanced Approach Data Gathering Environment (BADGE) and Juvenile Secure Viewing System (JSVS).

Special Requirements

A pre-employment criminal record check will be conducted to include National Crime Information Center (NCIC) check, Virginia Criminal Information Network (VCIN) background check, FBI fingerprints, and a Virginia Department of Social Services Child Protective Services Central Registry Search.

• Driver’s License – Employee must operate a vehicle to perform assigned duties in other county locations. Applicant must possess, or obtain by time of appointment, a valid driver’s license, and must provide or authorize Arlington County to obtain a copy of official driving record. Any offer of employment may be contingent upon favorable review of the applicants driving record.
• Bilingual: An assessment of verbal Spanish proficiency would be required before a candidate can be appointed to a bilingual position (English/Spanish). The incumbent in a bilingual position would receive the language pay premium on all hours worked and on paid leave hours.

Additional Information

Work hours: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. The employee may also work on a rotating schedule to receive and process after-hours calls for police inquiries and detention authorization for juveniles.

The official title of this position is Probation Counselor II.

This position is eligible for County government employee benefits that include health, dental, vacation and sick leave, commuter transportation subsidies, tuition reimbursement, as well as a generous retirement plan.

For more information on Arlington County’s generous benefits and retirement plan, click here

Arlington County is committed to advancing diversity, equity, access, and inclusion across all our services, activities, and programs. Learn more about our commitment.

Please complete each section of the application including the supplemental questions. Your responses to the supplemental questions are required because they provide us with specific information necessary to evaluate your qualifications for this position. These responses are considered part of the selection process. A resume may be attached; however, it will not substitute for a completed application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please do not write "see resume" as a response to the questions. In accordance with § 19.2-392.15, applicants are not required to provide information regarding sealed arrests, charges, or convictions in response to any questions or inquiries during the hiring process.

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