Youth Services Officer (YSO) / Intake Officer

Anderson County is a great place to live, work, and explore. From the historic community of Clinton to the innovation legacy of Oak Ridge-famously known as "The Secret City" from its Manhattan Project roots-our county blends small-town warmth with big scientific impact. We're home to scenic treasures like Norris Lake, the Clinch River, Melton Hill Lake, and miles of rolling hills and wooded trails perfect for hiking, biking, paddling, and fishing. Nearby Norris Dam State Park and the off-road adventure terrain at Windrock Park add even more ways to get outside. You'll also find a growing mix of local eats, family-friendly spots, festivals, and craft brews across our communities, making Anderson County a welcoming place to put down roots and enjoy East Tennessee life.

Anderson County Government is committed to being a top employer in the region and a great place to build a career. We're proud to offer a competitive compensation and benefits package that includes generous paid sick and vacation leave, 14 paid holidays, medical, dental, and vision coverage, flexible spending accounts, employer-paid basic life insurance, supplemental insurance options, and a variety of wellness programs and resources to support our employees' overall well-being.

The Youth Services Intake Officer is responsible for assessing and processing juveniles entering the justice or social services system. Duties include conducting interviews with youth and families, gathering background information, evaluating risk and service needs, and making recommendations for placement or diversion programs. The officer collaborates with law enforcement, probation, and social service agencies to ensure appropriate and timely intervention for at-risk youth.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The following duties are normal for this position. The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification. Other duties may be required or assigned.

• Primarily, the Intake Officer schedules intake appointments and prepares the necessary documents for the intake meetings with the child and parent/guardian; advises parents and children of their rights and responsibilities before the Court; prepares all related paperwork for the Court; appoints attorneys then prepares the respective appointment orders; makes referrals to the appropriate agencies to meet the families' needs.
• Maintain the attachment list and recall or issue most all of the attachments. Intake Officer ensures that the AC Sheriff's Department (and all six municipal law enforcement agencies in the County) has copies of current attachments by faxing copies of the attachment list and any pertinent petitions to the local law enforcement agencies. The Lead YSO and Probation Officers also have the authority to serve an attachment if the court knows the location of a missing child.
• Responsible for coordinating with the DA to schedule all detention hearings, preparing all related paperwork, appointing attorneys, notification of judge, court staff, transportation officer, parent/guardian, DCS, and attorneys, and is also required to attend detention hearings.
• Responsible for primary crisis intervention. If parents have problems with their children, or if runaway charges exist, the Intake Officer conducts a meeting to discuss options. An assessment of the child and his/her family situation is then made and a referral to appropriate agency is made to assist in meeting the family's needs.
• The Juvenile Court has an on-call cell phone that is carried by the Intake Officer. The cell phone is for local law enforcement agencies to be able to contact the Court at all hours of every day (including weekends and holidays) with any juvenile incident/offense. The Intake Officer is instructed to make sure the officer has spoken with a member of the District Attorney General's office and then make a decision based on the juvenile's charge(s), as to whether or not the juvenile must be detained in a secure facility, or whether to be released to a parent or guardian or whether DCS should be contacted by law enforcement. A Probation Officer will be required to carry the telephone when the Intake Officer is on vacation, on a rotation basis.
• Ensure all forms and documents are prepared correctly and in the file for the Probationer Officers to review when attending the weekly meeting (docket review) to make adjudication and dispositional recommendations to the District Attorney and the Court. These recommendations are made by reviewing the juvenile's case file prior to Court. The file should include all prior court orders, updated school reports, reports from counselors, probation reports (showing how well the child is complying with their requirements), and any certificates of completion.
• As a part of the Court staff, participate in meetings with local agencies and Best Practice Court meetings to identify community needs.
• The YSO/Intake Officer is required to have fifteen (15) training hours per year in accordance with the Juvenile Court grant compliance, which may involve brief periods of out-of-town travel.

• MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

  
  

  A minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent is required, though an Associate's or Bachelor's degree in criminal justice, social work, psychology, or a related field is preferred. Additional consideration may be given to candidates with experience in juvenile services, case management, or behavioral assessment. In some cases, equivalent work experience may substitute for formal education requirements.

  
  
  

  PERFORMANCE APTITUDES

  
  

  Data Utilization: Requires the ability to calculate and/or tabulate data; includes performing subsequent actions in relation to these computational operations.

  
  

  Human Interaction: Requires the ability to provide guidance, assistance, and/or interpretation to others regarding the application of procedures and standards to specific situations.

  
  

• Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization: Requires the ability to operate, maneuver, and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.

  
  

  Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of reference, descriptive, and/or advisory data and information.

  
  

  Mathematical Aptitude: Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; the ability to calculate decimals and percentages; the ability to utilize principles of fractions; and the ability to interpret graphs.

  
  

  Functional Reasoning: Requires the ability to apply principles of rational systems; to interpret instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule form; and to exercise independent judgment to adopt or modify methods and standards to meet variations in assigned objectives.

  
  

  Situational Reasoning: Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness, and creativity in situations involving the evaluation of information against measurable or verifiable criteria.

  
  

  ADA COMPLIANCE / PHYSICAL DEMANDS ANALYSIS

  
  

  Physical Ability: Tasks require the ability to exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work but which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (5-25 pounds). Tasks may involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or workstation.

  
  

  Sensory Requirements: Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate visual cues or signals. Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally.

  
  

  Environmental Factors: Essential functions are regularly performed without exposure to adverse environmental conditions.

COUNTY OFFERED BENEFITS

• County Paid Benefits
  • FREE Life Insurance
  • FREE Onsite Health Clinic (with the enrollment in a Health Plan)
  • FREE Telehealth: Medical and Behavioral
  • FREE Employee Assistance Program
• County Share Payment of Benefits
  • Medical / Behavioral / Prescription
  • Vision / Dental (buy-up and family plan)
  • State Defined Retirement
• Voluntary Benefit Options
  • Accident
  • Critical Care / Cancer
  • Short & Long Term Disability
  • Pet Insurance
  • 401k (Roth plan available)and 457b Retirement
• Personal Time Off
  • Sick
  • Personal
  • Vacation

Anderson County Government is an equal opportunity employer. Is it the policy of Anderson County to provide EEO to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, statues with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.