Correctional Treatment Specialist (Drug Abuse Treatment Specialist)

Summary

Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.

Duties

• Functions as a Drug Abuse Treatment Specialist (DATS) within a Bureau of Prisons (BOP) federal correctional facility. Provides direct services, individual therapy and/or group counseling, drug education, residential and/or non-residential treatment services which focuses on the rational behavioral therapy model of drug abuse treatment and criminality. Responsible for the education of prison staff about drug abuse, drug abuse treatment and the local prison program. Administers eligibility and psycho-social assessments as the basis for individual treatment planning. Attends meetings with supervisors, other drug treatment DATSs, the unit team, etc., to share information, knowledge, ideas, and recommendations for the drug abuse treatment participant.

Qualifications

To be considered for the position, you must meet the following: Basic Requirements: A. Degree - that included at least 24 semester hours of course work in the behavioral or social sciences. OR B. Combination of education and experience - that included at least 24 semester hours of course work in the behavioral or social sciences, and that provided applicants with knowledge of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a 4-year degree as shown in A above. Evaluation of Education: Courses, such as sociology, correctional administration, criminal justice, government/political science, psychology, social work, counseling, and other related social or behavioral science courses may be used to satisfy the 24-semester-hour requirement. Evaluation of Experience - Experience must have been gained in (1) casework in a correctional institution or in another criminal justice setting; (2) counseling in any setting, provided it required diagnostic or treatment planning skills to achieve specific social or occupational goals; or (3) work treating persons in need of social rehabilitation. AND In addition to the Basic Requirements above, you must have: Education: GL-09: Two years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree OR master's or equivalent graduate degree. GS-11: Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. Graduate Education must have been in corrections or a related field, such as criminal justice, sociology, psychology, counseling, social work, or other course work related to the position. OR Experience: GL-09 and GS-11: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade level. To be creditable, this experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular qualifications to perform successfully the duties of the position, and must typically be in or related to the position to be filled. Some examples of this qualifying experience are: GL-09: Experience in developing and providing multi-session presentations or lectures to groups. Experience in preparing reports which required analyzing data from multiple sources. Experience in providing group and individual substance abuse treatment services in a correctional population. Experience developing discharge reports and follow-up treatment for inmates who are releasing to the community. GS-11: Experience performing comprehensive evaluations on substance abusers. Experience conducting assessments and testing instruments as needed or recommended by the Drug Abuse Treatment Coordinator. Experience utilizing cognitive behavioral treatment techniques. Experience in developing substance abuse treatment plans for offenders or individuals in a drug treatment program. OR Combination of Education and Experience: GL-09 and GS-11: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. Only graduate level education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade may be combined with experience. This experience must have equipped you with the qualifications to perform the major duties of this position as described above. AND Selective Factors: GL-09 and GS-11: Applicants applying for this position, MUST possess one of the following Selective Factors. In the event you do not possess the Selective Factor, you will be found ineligible for this position. GL-09: 12 semester hours of graduate course work in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, or social work including three (3) semester hours as an intern/practicum student in a clinical treatment setting. OR 12 months, full-time, professional experience in treating (i.e., developing treatment plans, conducting individual and group therapy) individuals with mental health and/or substance use disorders. GS-11: 24 semester hours of graduate course work in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, or social work including six (6) semester hours as an intern/practicum student in a clinical treatment setting. OR 24 months, full-time, professional experience in treating (i.e., developing treatment plans, conducting individual and group therapy) individuals with mental health and/or substance use disorders. NOTE: All applicants must clearly address this professional experience in their resume to be found qualified. If applicable, credit will be given for paid or unpaid experience. To receive proper credit, you must show the actual time (such as number of hours worked per week) spent in the activities. **Your eligibility for consideration will be based on your responses to the questions in the application.**

Requirements

Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: Meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; Be rated well-qualified for the position, scoring at least half of the total possible points for the vacancy KSAs or competencies; and Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP eligibility: A copy of the agency notice (i.e., separation notice or agency RIF letter), Most recent performance appraisal, and Most recent SF-50 showing current/former position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location. See USAJOBS' Career Transition Programs for more information. EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here: U.S Department of Justice - Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Key Requirements: U.S. Citizenship is Required. See Special Conditions of Employment Section. Selective Service Requirement

Education

ONLY if education is a requirement/substitution for specialized experience, applicant MUST upload legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement. Transcripts MUST be uploaded and electronically linked from USAJOBS at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, Click Here. Foreign Education: For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications. If you are selected for this position and qualified based on education (i.e. basic education requirement and/or substitution of education), you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. USAJOBS Help Center - How to Add a Resume to Your Profile All required supporting documentation MUST be received by the Consolidated Staffing Unit by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time on09/09/2026. If applicable see Notice for Preference Eligible Veterans Applicants How do I Apply for this Position if I am a Current Public Health Service Commissioned Officer? If you are a current Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Officer, you may apply using one of the two options below depending on whether you are applying as a PHS officer or seeking to enter the competitive service. Option 1: Apply as a Current Public Health Service Commissioned Officer (Not Entering Competitive Service) Submit a complete/detailed resume or curriculum vitae. Limit your resume to 2 pages. If the only resume(s) received is/are longer than two pages, your application is ineligible for further consideration. Address selective factor(s), if required. Resume or curriculum vitae must contain all information listed in the Qualifications Section. Submit supporting documents (transcripts, certification, registration, license, if applicable). Your completed application packet must be submitted directly to the Consolidated Staffing Unit by 11:59 p.m. EST on 09/09/2026 of the vacancy announcement. Packet must be E-mailed to [email protected]. You must include the last four digits of your social security number and the vacancy announcement number on your application packet. Do not submit an application online. Option 2: Apply as a Public Health Service Commissioned Officer Seeking to Enter the Competitive Service If you wish to apply under competitive examining procedures, please follow the instructions provided at the beginning of this section.