Job Description:
Job Summary:
The Religious Services Associate Chaplain provides spiritual and pastoral care to all detainees and also facilitates their opportunity to pursue their individual religious beliefs and practices in accordance with current law, Federal regulations, and the DHS Detention Standards. The Religious Services Associate Chaplain primary duty is to provide counseling, spiritual direction, support and crisis intervention to the detainees. The Religious Services Associate Chaplain role is to be a non-judgmental caring influence in the lives of all individuals, a visible model of respect and caring for each person in spiritual need. Presence is the vital aspect of the Religious Services Associate Chaplain's ministry throughout the facility.
Responsibility and Authority:
This position is located at the Port Isabel Service Processing Center. The Religious Services Associate Chaplain operates under the general direction of the Religious Services Chaplain. The Religious Services Chaplain is responsible for implementing a multifaceted religious service program designed to serve a diverse religious, cultural, educational, and social population. The Religious Services Associate Chaplains assists the Religious Services Chaplain in planning, directing, and supervising all aspects of the religious program and oversees the general running of the facility's religious services program.
Job Responsibilities:
The basic mission of the Religious Service Associate Chaplain can be summed up in the following four core functions, each with its attendant areas of responsibility.
a) Pastoral care giving
The Religious Services Associate Chaplain demonstrates pastoral care skills with sensitivity, approachability, and availability to both detainees and staff. Among the duties and responsibilities:
i. Providing individual spiritual and personal counseling.
ii. Responding to identified needs of detainees.
iii. Regular and personal leadership at worship and prayer gatherings of his or her own faith tradition.
iv. Helping to bring resolution to crisis situations involving detainees, staff, or their families.
v. Being visible in all areas of the institution including Special Housing Units.
vi. Responding to identified needs of detainees.
b) Religious Leadership
The Religious Services Associate Chaplain ensures impartial religious leadership to meet the diverse needs of different faith groups. Among the duties and responsibilities are:
i) Representing the facility at civic and religious meetings, professional conferences, and seminars when the Chaplain is unable to do so.
ii) Serving as one of the facility's religious liaison with the outside community through as needed
iii) Making contact with local clubs, church groups or organizations, etc.
iv) Demonstrating leadership at worship and prayer gatherings of his or her own faith tradition.
v) Working collaboratively with the volunteer Religious Service Providers in all aspects of the ministry.
vi) Coordinating the volunteer Religious Service Providers program.
vii) Supervising religious services and meetings
viii) Coordinating visits to detainees by clergy of detainee’s faith based community.
c) Program Administration
The Religious Services Associate Chaplain assists the Religious Services Chaplain by :
i. Coordinating programs provided by contractors and volunteers
ii. Assisting in recruiting and training volunteers.
iii. Collaborating with the Recreational Department for ongoing socialization of detainees.
iv. Completing daily, weekly, monthly and other required reports on a timely basis.
d) Institutional Coordination:
The Religious Services Associate Chaplain communicates the mission and goals of the Office of the Religious Services Chaplain. Among the duties and responsibilities:
i. Assisting with providing training programs and materials for staff in new and/or unfamiliar issues of detainee religious beliefs and practices
Job Requirements:
a) Knowledge Required by Position
i. Fluency in both English and Spanish, which is reflective of the site’s detainee population. Additional languages are helpful.
ii. Ability to do research to increase understanding of recognized religions as well as their basic tenets and worship requirements.
iii. Knowledge of existing DHS Detention Standards, relevant Policy and Procedure Standards of the American Correctional Association, and other guidelines that govern religious programming.
iv. Skill in implementing and monitoring compliance with policy directives/guidelines.
v. Skill in interpersonal communication with staff, detainees; and volunteers within the facility setting as well as outside agencies and organizations.
vi. A working knowledge of computers and printers, including Microsoft and Excel.
vii. Skill in interviewing and counseling (individual/group).
Experience Required:
a) Religious Credentials:
Candidates for this position must satisfy the following requirements for an appointment as facility Religious Services Associate Chaplain.
i. Applicants must have earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited college in social work, counseling, pastoral work or other appropriate discipline.
ii. The candidate should have at least 2 units of CPE from an ACPE accredited program;
iii. Applicants should have at least two years of pastoral/spiritual leadership experience in a congregational or specialized ministry setting and an ecclesiastical endorsement by the individual’s respective faith.
iv. The Faith based group of all candidates will provide a Faith based Endorsement. The applicant's endorsement will attest to the applicant's suitability for detention ministry, support for his/her candidacy, and a clear assurance statement that the applicant has no present or past impediment to congregational ministry, nor to ministry to detainees of all belief systems.
Education Desired:
Bachelors degree from an accredited college in social work, counseling, pastoral work or other appropriate discipline. |