Personnel

The Personnel Unit provides staffing for the department and ensures that county personnel regulations are followed throughout the agency. This unit posts available positions, recruits applicants, processes employment applications, interviews applicants, supervises screening and hiring and provides training. The unit monitors and processes salary changes and interacts with various departmental entities to maintain accurate salary and position control. The annual performance appraisal is administered electronically throughout the department resulting in a detailed method for managers to measure employee work performance throughout the year.

Payroll

The Payroll Unit works to insure employees receive accurate compensation in a timely manner. They also assist staff in accessing employee benefits and services available to all Harris County employees. This includes signing new employees, medical and retirement benefits or changes, monitoring and processing of salary changes and monitoring of all other employee benefits. The unit also interacts with the county budget and payroll offices as well as other county departments to maintain accurate payroll information.

Training, Accreditation and Quality Assurance (TAQA) Team

The Training, Accreditation & Quality Assurance (TAQA) Team is dedicated to promoting excellence in training and program accountability within the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department (HCJPD).

Training

The TAQA Team is responsible for conducting the monthly Juvenile Probation Academy (JPA). All new employees attend JPA classes applicable to their job duties. JPA serves to orientate all new staff to the agency’s policies, procedures and practices. Juvenile Probation Officers and Juvenile Supervision Officers must be certified by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) prior to performing their job duties with the department. JPA is designed to satisfy the training standards required by TJJD in order to certify Juvenile Probation Officers and Juvenile Supervision Officers. TJJD requires all certified staff to have continuing education/training hours to maintain their state certification. The TAQA Team provides year round internal training workshops for all employees, as well as coordinating with other agencies to organize workshops which offer expert trainers in subjects related to juvenile justice. In 2009, the TAQA Team conducted 180 trainings, attended by 1837 participants. The TAQA Team is accountable for maintaining the training files of all certified Juvenile Probation Officers and support staff.      

Accreditation and Quality Assurance

The Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) establishes and enforces standards for juvenile probation programs and juvenile correctional facilities in the State of Texas. The TAQA Team coordinates the development and review of departmental policies and procedures in order to meet TJJD standards. The TAQA Team routinely conducts internal audits of departmental programs and facilities to monitor compliance with TJJD standards. The TAQA Team offers technical assistance and training as necessary to assist programs and facilities in meeting applicable TJJD standards.