Drug Treatment Specialist, GS-101-09/11. Drug Treatment Specialists conduct interviews to determine inmate treatment eligibility; conduct drug education classes to groups of inmates; provide group and individual counseling to inmates with substance use disorders; write treatment plans and psychosocial histories; and write treatment summaries that are used to develop aftercare plans upon inmate release to the community.

Qualifications (Basic Requirements): All applicants must possess a four year degree that included at least 24 semester hours in the behavioral or social sciences or a combination of education and experience that included at least 24 semester hours in the behavioral or social sciences, and that provided applicants with knowledge of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a four year degree. Courses such as sociology, correctional administration, criminal justice, government/political science, psychology, social work, counseling, and other related social or behavioral science courses can be used to satisfy the 24 hour requirement. Applicants at the GS-09 level must possess the basic qualifications, as well as 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Master’s Degree or possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level that was gained in casework in a correctional institution or in another criminal justice setting; counseling in any setting, provided it required diagnostic or treatment planning skills to achieve specific social or occupational goals; or work treating persons in need of social rehabilitation. In addition, all applicants applying for the GS-9 level must meet the Selective Factor for the position by possessing 9 semester hours of undergraduate course work in alcohol and/or drug abuse or 12 months of professional experience in counseling drug and/or alcohol abusers. Applicants at the GS-11 level must possess the basic qualifications as well as 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level. All graduate education must demonstrate that it provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. In addition, all applicants applying for the GS-11 level must meet the Selective Factor for the position by possessing 15 semester hours of graduate course work in alcohol and/or drug abuse or 18 months of professional experience in counseling drug and/or alcohol abusers.