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The START Therapeutic Coach provides support to persons with co-occurring developmental disabilities and mental or behavioral health needs and their family/primary caregivers/residence services who are temporarily accessing crisis or planned therapeutic services with START.
Coaches work within the home environment or other community settings to create and implement daily and crisis therapeutic interventions and communicate these interventions with primary caregivers to focus on crisis mitigation and the implementation of strategies to assist in the de-escalation of behaviors using a positive psychology and person-centered approach. Coaches will work with coordinators and current support systems to provide assistance on training and guiding family members and group home staff in effective teaching methods for people with disabilities.
This position contributes to the overall crisis stabilization and prevention of the person and their family by providing hands-on assistance and education to families. The START Therapeutic Coach participates as part of comprehensive START services that collaborate with the person's primary provider and clinical home, community crisis services, family and others.
Requirements:
• BA or BS in Human Services
• California Driver's License is required
• Well-developed oral and written communication skills
• Proven ability to work cooperatively in a small team environment
• Ability to assess priorities and manage competing deadlines both autonomously and as a member of a team in a fast-changing environment
• Participate in the creation, organization, and operation of the therapeutic recreational activities
• Maintain recreational supplies; schedule use as necessary
Pay Range: $31.25 - $31.25 Hourly
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or status as a Vietnam or disabled veteran. YAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
To ensure fairness, safeguard transparency, and promote an equitable workforce environment, YAI Network prohibits the practice of nepotism in the workforce and hiring process.

Founded in 1957 as the Young Adult Institute, YAI remains at the forefront of an extraordinary movement aimed at empowering people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. YAI’s 4,000 employees provide supportive housing, education, medical, dental, and mental health care, job training, community integration, and social enrichment for more than 20,000 people with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and all other intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout New York, northern New Jersey, and California.
At YAI, we are driven by our mission of living, loving, working, and learning. This applies not only to the people we support but to our staff as well. Commitment and passion for the work continue to unite employees and drive the organization forward. Empowering the people we support to reach their goals remains at the heart of our organization.
Members of the YAI Network include:
- YAI
- Premier HealthCare
- Manhattan Star Academy
- National Institute for People with Disabilities of New Jersey (NIPD/NJ)
- International Academy of Hope (iHOPE)