Job Description

Position Function

The Youth Care Specialist (YCS) oversees the daily supervision of clients and provides a therapeutic environment to meet client needs, including physical, mental, academic, medical, relational, spiritual, and emotional care. The Youth Care Specialist assists clients with daily living tasks, learning daily living and self-care skills, providing behavioral support and guidance to achieve service plans goals. The Youth Care Specialist is also responsible for maintaining a safe and therapeutic environment that provides for the overall safety of clients in care and maintains the physical care of the facility in accordance with minimum standards. The YCS provides supportive learning experiences, behavioral support, and empathic adult guidance to clients. The YCS delivers services within a Trauma-Informed Care framework, assisting clients to achieve their goals and family reunification (unless alternative placement is necessary). The YCS works with clients to build on the client’s strengths, assisting them to create solutions, and discovering hope for their future. The YCS may be instructed to work in other units, as needed, at the direction of their supervisor or on call. The YCS is sensitive to the service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.

Requirements:

Education High school diploma or GED. Bachelor’s degree in a human service field from an accredited college or university preferred.

Experience: Six months of direct care and positive guidance experience of youth, young adults, or families in a residential or professional setting, preferred. Effective listening and communication skills. Understanding of children, youth, and families in crisis.

Other: Valid Texas driver’s license within 90 days of establishing Texas residency. Must have an acceptable driving record and be willing to transport clients. Must be able to successfully complete behavioral management de-escalation course.

Working Conditions

Exposure to children with behavior problems, including possible physical aggression. Exposure to illness and blood. R esidential programs run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Residential programs do not close for holidays or inclement weather. Extended walking and standing daily. Must always be physically able to use authorized crisis intervention techniques.

Exposure to Confidential Information

Maintain confidentiality and follow policies related to personnel records and client records.

Key Expectations/Responsibilities

Core Competencies

• Professionalism (including, but not limited to, consistent and reliable job performance, awareness, and use of professional ethics to guide practice)
• Applied Positive Youth Development (PYD) approach (including, but not limited to, skills to develop a Positive Youth Development plan and identifying the client’s strengths to best apply a Positive Youth Development framework)
• Cultural and human diversity (including, but not limited to, gaining knowledge and skills to meet the needs of clients of a different race, ethnicity, nationality, religion/spirituality, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation)
• Applied human development (including, but not limited to, understanding the developmental needs of those at risk and with special needs)
• Relationship and communication (including, but not limited to, working with clients in a collaborative manner)
• Developmental practice methods (including, but not limited to, utilizing methods focused on genuine relationships, health and safety, intervention planning)
• Trauma-Informed Care (including, but not limited to, understanding trauma and the capacity to implement the most effective and current trauma informed interventions within assigned programs)
• Ability to move and work in other units as needed at the direction of their supervisor or on call.
  
  

Program

• Complete client intakes and assist with completion of intake documents as assigned.
• Provide clients with all basic needs, including a clean and safe living environment.
• Provide level of supervision to clients based on the level of supervision needed, including timely bed checks, as required.
• Provide behavioral support and crisis intervention as needed.
• Follow and implement the daily and recreation schedules.
• Plan and implement client activities that support life skills or provide experiential opportunities
• Maintain a helping role and intervene appropriately to meet service goals.
• Transport clients to appointments, activities, and visits.
• Provide clients with opportunities to learn/practice skills to better prepare them for positive skills development, family reunification, possible placement, and day-to-day interactions.
• Conduct house meetings and attend and participate in shift change meetings and other staffing as directed by supervisor.
• Complete training and certifications as required by licensing, contractual, grant and agency standards.
• Use skills learned in new employees and on-going training.
• Collaborate with TDFPS, caseworkers, family, and other support systems to advocate for clients and family and support client’s individual needs and transition goals.
• Support case plans of clients and their families.
• Participate in planning and implementation of services, activities, and/or skills training for group and individual work.
• Comply with all agencies, program, and licensing standards.
• Follow the program schedule and maintain consistency and teamwork on shift.
• Assist in meal preparation, laundry, general organization of supplies, kitchen, food storage, household cleanliness, and assurance of health and safety standards.
• Maintain safety, confidentiality, and protection of clients.
• Arrive on time and remain actively engaged with clients for the duration of all scheduled shifts.

Documentation and Reporting

• Maintain necessary and required documentation for agency, grant and contract compliance and fiscal matters.
• Immediately notify supervisor of Serious Incidents and complete incident reports and case notes within 24-hours.
• Complete and maintain required training hours within the timeframe outlined in agency procedures.
• Administer and document medication as directed by physician and supervisor and follow procedure for refilling medications.
• Complete all documentation as required by the program (i.e., incident reports, case notes, daily youth logs, medical documentation, etc.).
• Make required notifications as needed ( i.e, law enforcement, TDFPS hotline, medical professionals, etc.).
• Clock in and out at the beginning and end of each shift.
• Meet all deadlines as outlined in TDFPS Minimum Standards, grants, contracts as well as agency policies and procedures.

Community Relations

• Establish a respectful relationship with persons served to help them gain skills and confidence.
• Work collaboratively with other personnel and/or service providers and professionals.
• Build strong and collaborative relationships with volunteer organizations and their members.
• Always represent ACH in a professional manner.

#ACH1

The above noted job description is not intended to describe, in detail, the multitude of tasks that may be assigned but rather to give the employee a general sense of the responsibilities and expectations of his/her position. As the nature of business demands change so, too, may the essential functions of this position

Requirements

Education High school diploma or GED. Bachelor’s degree in a human service field from an accredited college or university preferred.

Experience: Six months of direct care and positive guidance experience of youth, young adults, or families in a residential or professional setting, preferred. Effective listening and communication skills. Understanding of children, youth, and families in crisis.

Other: Valid Texas driver’s license within 90 days of establishing Texas residency. Must have an acceptable driving record and be willing to transport clients. Must be able to successfully complete behavioral management de-escalation course.