Dignity Services Navigator/Civilian Full Time

The Support Services Navigator provides customer-service-oriented support, guidance, and service navigation to individuals within a designated special population or service area. This role helps individuals understand facility processes, communicate immediate needs, access appropriate supports, and connect with staff or resources. The position is flexible and may support individuals at multiple points, including intake, housing, programming, release planning, or referral to services. The role promotes dignity, responsiveness, and continuity of care while operating within facility policy and maintaining clear professional boundaries.

• Front-Facing Support and Engagement Serve as a visible, approachable point of contact for individuals within the assigned special population or service area. Provide respectful, customer-service-oriented support that promotes dignity, calm communication, and trust.
• Process Navigation and Information Sharing Help individuals understand basic facility processes, available services, next steps, and expectations. Answer general questions within role boundaries and provide clear, accurate information consistent with facility policy.
• Immediate Needs Identification Use informal engagement and brief check-ins to identify immediate or time-sensitive concerns, including communication needs, family or dependent care issues, medical or mental health concerns, medication access, housing instability, release-related needs, or barriers to services.
• Service Connection and Coordination Connect individuals to appropriate staff, programs, services, or resources based on identified needs. Coordinate with correctional staff, medical, mental health, care coordination, case management, program staff, supervisors, and approved community partners when appropriate.
• Documentation and Follow-Up Communication Document identified needs, referrals, concerns, and follow-up actions in accordance with agency policy. Ensure relevant information is communicated to the appropriate staff to support continuity of care and service delivery.
• Crisis Awareness and De-Escalation Support Recognize signs of distress, escalation, trauma response, or safety concerns. Use basic supportive communication, grounding, and de-escalation techniques when appropriate, and immediately notify clinical, correctional, or supervisory staff when risk concerns are observed.
• Continuity of Support Across Touchpoints Support individuals across key points of contact, including intake, housing, programming, release planning, service referrals, or other assigned areas. Help ensure needs do not get lost during transitions between teams or processes.

This Job Description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this position. Management may, at its discretion, assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, Psychology, Criminal Justice, Human Services, Public Health, Counseling, or related field
• Relevant education/experience may be substituted for experience on a year-for-year basis.
• Minimum of one (1) year of experience in working with vulnerable or justice-involved populations
• Demonstrated ability to communicate calmly in high-stress environments
• Strong listening and interpersonal skills
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and professional boundaries
• Comfort working in a correctional setting

Knowledge Of

• Training in trauma-informed care
• Experience in crisis intervention or de-escalation
• Knowledge of community-based social service networks
• Experience working in intake, emergency, or high-volume service environments

Skilled In

• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral
• Possess a high level of integrity and be able to handle confidential and sensitive information in a discreet manner
• Excellent organizational
• Problem-solving
• Written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent customer service skills
• Self-motivated and detail-oriented

Ability To

• Perform other assignments and duties as required and/or necessary
• Work without direct supervision
• Handle a vast workload
• Communicate effectively and appropriately, speak clearly and credibly, and use good judgment
• Available to work overtime and/or varying duty hours as deemed necessary

PREFERENCES

• Common office software such as Microsoft Office Suite software, with an emphasis on Excel and Word
• Bilingual in Spanish
• Able to read, write, and speak Spanish

GENERAL INFORMATION

Important Notice

Harris County Sheriff’s Office employees are exposed to confidential and law enforcement-sensitive information. A thorough background investigation is required to properly evaluate the suitability of applicants for employment. You must provide accurate information in all aspects of the process. The process will end for applicants who fail to provide truthful information.

Work Environment

• Work in a jail environment
• Frequent exposure to individuals experiencing high stress or crisis
• Collaboration with correctional, medical, mental health, and administrative staff
• Ability to remain composed in fast-paced, high-volume environments

Physical Demands

This role is sedentary; however, the ability to lift and carry up to 10 pounds is necessary to lift files and/or boxes of files, documents, etc.

Position Type and Typical Hours of Work

Must be able to work any shift and any days off

Location:

• Houston

Due to a high volume of applications, positions may close before the advertised closing date if sufficient applications have been received

Equal Opportunity Statement

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, or any other protected class in accordance with applicable federal and state laws.