Youth Care Professional

Position Summary:

The Youth Care Professional (YCP) provides 24/7 direct care and supervision to youth in a trauma-informed residential treatment setting. YCPs ensure safety, model healthy relationships, and support daily routines while fostering an environment of empathy, consistency, and respect, while adhering to professional boundaries. You will be trained in crisis prevention and intervention, and you will work side-by-side with clinical, education, and medical teams.

Imagine a role where every day brings the opportunity to inspire, guide, and uplift. At Everstand, we believe in the power of presence, the importance of trauma-informed care, and the capacity for every young person to heal and thrive. We're looking for compassionate, resilient Youth Care Professionals (YCPs) to join our dedicated team and create real, lasting change for youth in need of safety, support, and hope through relationship-based care.

Your efforts will help us fulfill our mission of enriching communities, one family at a time.

Why Join Everstand?

Find joy and purpose in your career. Join an inspired team of professionals who are transforming the lives of youth and enriching communities, one family at a time. Everstand is not a federal or state agency. It is an independent, not-for-profit organization that serves over 1,000 children annually across 12 locations. You will join about 500 teammates across DC, MD, PA, and WV who empower youth and their families to flourish within their community.


Essential Functions:

• Approaches concerns, challenges, and opportunities with empathy, attention to detail, active listening, and curiosity.
• Consistently models EVERSTAND's core values: Safety, Empathy, Relationships, and Impact.
• Honor differences, acknowledge uniqueness, and amplify all voices.
• Attend training and group experiences that strengthen Everstand's commitment to staff wellness and belonging.
• Models the use of welcoming and respectful language.
• Consistently uses inclusive language in communication and documentation.

Direct Care & Supervision

• Provide 24/7 line-of-sight/sound and/or enhanced supervision based on clinical guidance.
• Ensure a physically and emotionally safe environment in line with trauma-informed practices.
• Assist youth with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), including hygiene, grooming, and meals. Meal preparation is required according to the menu, as applicable.
• Provide a safe and calm treatment environment by implementing structured milieu routine, individualized care plans, age-appropriate expectations, and promoting positive behavior interventions that align with Everstand's PBIS system.
• Support and reinforce methods/techniques of clinical staff and participate in the treatment of residents in interaction, limit setting, therapeutic activities, and implementation of safety and treatment plans.
• Provide mandatory on-call coverage as required. Must be flexible and available to work various shifts during the week/weekend. This may include providing coverage in other program areas.
• Participate in family engagement events held on-site, in the community, out of state, and/or at the family home, as applicable.

Therapeutic Engagement

• Utilize program-approved and youth-guided techniques to build trusting, youth-guided relationships in alignment with Everstand's Theory of Change - the vehicle for recovery and building durable skills.
• Participate in and help facilitate individual and group programming that models and teaches (e.g., social skills, effective communication, conflict resolution, peer pressure resistance, and creative expression).
• Support academic participation, extracurricular exploration, and the development of life skills.

• Maintain professional boundaries between self and residents to ensure the appropriateness of a therapeutic relationship.

Documentation & Communication

• Accurately complete required shift documentation, including logs, incident reports, medication records (MAR), and communication summaries.
• Ensure timely, confidential, and professional communication with team members and supervisors.
• Obtain and maintain user-level access to Everstand's electronic health record system.

Health & Safety

• Administer and document medication following program guidelines (with certification).
• Safely transport youth to medical, educational, and legal appointments using agency vehicles.
• Respond to behavioral escalations using trained therapeutic crisis intervention (TCI) methods, when necessary.
• Participate in hospital coverage and intake/discharge transportation as needed.

Housekeeping & Environment

• Maintain the cleanliness and safety of the unit and ensure youth participation in upkeep in accordance with program protocols.
• Monitor for and report on maintenance needs or safety hazards through daily/weekly on-site inspections according to agency guidelines.
• Promote youth engagement throughout the day, conducting bedroom checks, searches, and supervision per policy every fifteen minutes while the youth are in their rooms.
• Complete and document a thorough inventory of each resident's belongings at admission, discharge, quarterly, after overnight family visits, and following the purchase of new items

Compliance & Confidentiality:

• Maintain strict confidentiality in handling sensitive youth information.
• Follow HIPAA, State regulations, and organizational policies regarding data handling and communication.
• Fulfill all mandated reporter responsibilities by promptly reporting any suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation in accordance with federal, state, and organizational guidelines.

Non-Essential Functions

• Other than the essential functions of the job listed above, which are provided in detail and directly applicable and required for this position, this written job description is provided as a general guideline of the tasks and duties associated with this position.
• This written job description is not all-inclusive. Employees can and may be asked to perform tasks, duties, and functions beyond those listed in this written job description.
• Employees may be required to perform the tasks, duties, and functions of other positions and jobs as the needs of Everstand arise.
• Refusal to perform job tasks, duties, and functions beyond those listed in this job description may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
• This written job description is not a contract and in no way alters the at-will nature of the employment relationship.

Competencies:

• All Everstand Core Values: safety, empathy, relationships, and impact.
• Handling Stress
• Meeting Standards
• Accurate Listening
• Organized Workplace
• Mindfulness
• Personal Accountability
• Attitude towards Honesty
• Crisis response and de-escalation ability
• Task & Time Management
• Problem-Solving
• Following Directions
• Customer Service Orientation
• Frequent Interaction with Others
• Attention to Detail
• Empathy and patience with youth experiencing trauma
• Adaptability in Fast-Paced Environments
• OSHA compliance
• Federal and State law compliance
• Confidentiality

Essential Functions:

• Approaches concerns, challenges, and opportunities with empathy, attention to detail, active listening, and curiosity.
• Consistently models EVERSTAND's core values: Safety, Empathy, Relationships, and Impact.
• Honor differences, acknowledge uniqueness, and amplify all voices.
• Attend training and group experiences that strengthen Everstand's commitment to staff wellness and belonging.
• Models the use of welcoming and respectful language.
• Consistently uses inclusive language in communication and documentation.

Required Education and Experience

Level I - Youth Care Professional

• High School Diploma, GED, or AA required with a minimum of 1 year of employment experience in the child welfare field working with children and/or adolescents, or a similar setting.

Level II - Youth Care Professional (Advanced)

• Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, education, or a related human services field

Preferred Education and Experience (1 year of employment experience in the child welfare field
working with children and/or Adolescents, or similar setting - Caminos Only)

• Experience in youth services, behavioral health, or trauma-informed settings strongly preferred
• Comfortable working in emotionally intense or unpredictable environments.
• Firsthand insight into the child welfare and human services landscape, gained through direct engagement as a family member, youth, or caregiver impacted by these systems; used to shape responsive, inclusive, and compliant programming.

Licenses/Certifications:

• Possess a valid driver's license.
• Must pass background checks (CPS, fingerprinting), drug screening, TB screening, and physical work-readiness.

• Must obtain and maintain certification in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) or/and First Aid/CPR, and Medication Administration as required.
• Ability to obtain and maintain RCYCP certification -Maryland Only
• Ability to obtain and maintain a favorable Office of Refugee and Resettlement (ORR) Suitability Determination in accordance with position requirements.

Bilingual Differential:

• Bilingual candidates (Spanish/English or other relevant languages) may be eligible for a language differential based on program needs and demonstrated language proficiency.

Supervisory Responsibility:

n/a

Work Environment:

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, scanners, and filing cabinets.

Due to the nature of the organization, occasional exposure to a residential and school environment where challenging behaviors, such as physical agitation, physical violence, and/or emotional outbursts, may be exhibited.

Exposure to intense emotional environments; the role requires vigilance, adaptability, and resilience

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Able to engage in physical intervention techniques when safety is compromised (upon training)

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to remain stationary; move; manipulate; operate; place, handle, or detect objects, tools, or controls; acquire; adjust; ascend/descend; position self; communicate; exchange information; and detect and distinguish. The employee must occasionally move/transport up to twenty-five (25) pounds. Specific detection and discernment abilities include observing, recognizing, comparing, estimating, assessing, perceiving, inspecting, distinguishing, and determining.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

This is a full-time, non-exempt position, Monday through Sunday (evening), depending on program needs and assigned shifts; typically working between 33 and 40 hours a week.

Employees must have the ability to work holidays, weekends, and inclement weather shifts as needed. Flexibility is required, and actual schedules are determined by the Unit Supervisor based on program coverage.

Leave is available by going through the prescribed leave request process.

This position is denoted as essential for emergencies and inclement weather notices.

Travel

Local travel for appointments or cross-site coverage may be required.


Mileage reimbursement or agency vehicle provided for approved travel.

Additional Eligibility Qualifications

• Ability to work effectively with internal and external partners and stakeholders, demonstrating empathy, maturity, professionalism, and tact.
• Ability to learn and effectively utilize different technology platforms.
• Ability to work in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Proven effective time management, planning, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to solve problems.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to communicate in a clear, concise manner, both written and oral.
• Must be computer literate with competence in spreadsheets, databases, and other software utilized by the organization.
• Ability to interact with the public, staff, and clients in a professional, responsive, and trauma-informed manner.
• Ability to develop a sufficient understanding of agency functioning and goals to develop appropriate priorities.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and work well in a non-structured environment.

• Ability to demonstrate the possession of a valid driver's license before employment and the ability to maintain the license and operate a motor vehicle thereafter.

• Ability to pass CPS/UII background check both before employment and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Ability to pass Tuberculosis Screening both before employment and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Ability to pass a work-readiness physical performed by a certified medical professional both before employment and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Ability to pass a Federal and State Fingerprinting Background Check, both prior to employment and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Ability to pass a drug screen via urinalysis both before employment and randomly thereafter.

This job description is not intended to represent a comprehensive list of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. The employee's signature below affirms the employee's understanding of the requirements, responsibilities, expectations, and essential functions of the position, and thus the general nature of the role.

Employee signature below constitutes the employee's understanding of the requirements, essential functions, and duties of the position.

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