Job Description

Job Title: Lead Milieu Counselor (Bilingual Spanish)

FLSA: Non Exempt

Location: Portland, Oregon

Department: ORR Long Term Group Home

Reports To: Milieu Supervisor
Salary $24.09/hr. - $26.54/hr. (Bilingual - Spanish)

Shifts:

• Overnight front end: Sunday- Wednesday 9:30pm-8am.
• Sunday-Wednesday from 1pm-11:30pm.

Morrison Child and Family Services: We are a Joint Commission and Sanctuary accredited non-profit organization that provides a comprehensive array of services to children, adolescents, and their families. As an agency, Morrison, its team members, and clients commit to the following values of trauma-informed care:

• Nonviolence - being safe and doing the right thing
• Emotional Intelligence - managing our feelings so we don’t hurt ourselves or others 
• Social Learning - respecting and sharing ideas of our teams
• Democracy - shared decision making whenever possible
• Open Communication - saying what we mean and not being mean when we say it
• Social Responsibility - everyone makes a contribution to the organizational culture
• Growth and Change - creating hope for our clients and ourselves

ORR Funding Notice This position is funded through a Federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) grant. Personnel approvals are currently paused through March 31, 2026. Applications may be accepted during this time; however, hiring and start dates cannot be confirmed, and the earliest potential start date would be April 1, 2026, subject to ORR approval. The Lead Milieu Counselor (MC) provides leadership and training to Milieu Counselor staff at the program, and supervises the youth in care. This position aids the Milieu Supervisor and other management staff.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Establishes and maintains effective organizational management systems and provides leadership:
  • Provides support to the Milieu Supervisor; serves as an example to MC’s regarding program/ORR policies and interactions with youth.
  • Serves as main point of contact if Milieu Supervisor is not on shift.
  • Plan and coordinate floor coverage and duties.
  • Works with Milieu Supervisors to address and resolve issues related to the milieu
  • Carries out the duties of a Milieu Counselor (see MC job description)
  • Tracks individual behavior plan progress, as needed
  • Attend all meetings as designated by supervisor.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.
• Completes incident reports in a timely manner.
• Child Abuse Reporting, Follow-up, and Intervention
• Monitors clients when in the community to ensure safety.
• Adheres to program, agency, and contract quality assurance standards.
• Completes Medication Administration training and administers medication to youth
• Share pertinent information with program leadership team.
• Demonstrate a commitment to learning and implementing the Sanctuary Model and other organizational policies and practices. 
• Participate in staff development, in-services, and training related to workplace effectiveness; model professional behaviors and implement improvements to business practices with awareness of their impact in a trauma-informed behavioral healthcare organization
• Other duties as assigned to ensure successful operation of department.

Competencies:(Competencies are the abilities and qualities a person needs to be successful in this job)

• Ability to lead a group of staff and clients.
• Ability to maintain composure and professional boundaries in chaotic situations; ability to effectively diffuse or de-escalate potentially volatile situations with clients and/or visitors.
• Ability to keep accurate records and maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to follow oral and written directives.
• Availability to work on any of the seven days of the week; availability to work any shift of the day, including, but not limited to, Swing, or Early Morning, or both;
• Ability to communicate effectively, verbally, and in writing,
• Base knowledge of program policy and procedure, including the importance of safety and security in a residential setting.
  • Response to Youth Emergencies (including knowledge of response policies and procedures, self-awareness during crisis situation, CPR/First Aid, medical emergencies, Mental Health Crisis)
  • Crisis De-Escalating and Physical Restraint Techniques (Evidence-based Practices)

Required Positions Qualifications

• Bi-lingual in Spanish and English, written, read and verbal strongly preferred. Must clear a language proficiency test for Spanish.
• At least 21 years of age
• High School Diploma
• Minimum of recent 1 year employment experience in the child welfare field working with children and/or adolescents in a social service setting.
• Basic computer skills using Microsoft Word, Excel, databases and Outlook

Preferred Position Qualifications(Additional skills, experience, or education that are not required but would make a candidate especially well-suited for the job).

• One year experience in leadership role
• Residential experience
• Knowledge of adolescent developmental issues, trauma, abuse and neglect, substance abuse and dependence, delinquency, peer influence, and related group and individual interventions.

Other Requirements:

• Pass a criminal history background check though Morrison and a suitability determination investigation through the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. For further information review :https://www.opm.gov/suitability/suitability-and-credentialing-faqs/
• Proof of Vaccination (MMR, Varicella, DTap & Influenza annually)
• Meet agency driving requirements: a valid driver’s license for OR or WA, personal auto liability insurance required and a driving record permitting coverage under corporate auto liability policy.
• Bloodborne Pathogen Training
• Travel between program locations
• CPR/First Aid certification within 30 days of hire and kept current
• All other applicable trainings as required with necessary updates and reoccurrences

Working Conditions: Environment:Work is done in clinical offices, community settings, including Morrison Residential, administration buildings, public locations, and social service sites. Breaks and meals are subject to interruption. Universal Precautions and remaining alert to the environment are critical to address the potential for violent behavior, exposure to disease, biohazards, noise, and contaminants.Mental demands:Work assigned is diverse and may involve addressing new and unique circumstances. The work might be unpredictable and disrupts planned tasks, requiring flexible time management.Physical demands:Ability to remain calm and emotionally available serving youth, adults and or families who have experienced trauma. Proficient with office equipment and physical movement. Ability to perform physical interventions if needed in accordance with program and training. Physical dexterity for reaching, stooping, and repetitive wrist and hand motions.All Morrison programs and services are accredited by The Joint Commission, a nationally recognized standard-setting and accreditation body for health care. Morrison is also certified as a trauma-informed organization by the Sanctuary Institute. Certification recognizes our dedication to providing a trauma-informed culture and environment for children, families and staff through implementing Sanctuary values, commitments, and tools. We are an Affirmative Action Plan Employer. Our policy is to provide equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic. In compliance with our Affirmative Action Plan, Morrison uses E-Verify to determine employment eligibility after an offer is accepted. Applications will be reviewed as received. Morrison reserves the right to make a hiring decision at any point during the posting period. Morrison employees are offered a variety of benefits including Medical, Vision, Dental, Flexible Spending Accounts, Employer-Paid Life, Accidental Death and Dismemberment and Long-Term Disability, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).