Sr Residential Care Counselor

Residential Care Counselor

Under the direction of Residential Supervisor, is responsible for the care and safety of assigned children. As a member of the multidisciplinary treatment team, assumes primary residential care counselor role. Responsible for input into the formulation of a therapeutic milieu treatment plan, and the implementation, observation, and documentation of this program. Provides services to children/adolescents.

Brown University Health employees are expected to successfully role model the organization's values of compassion, accountability, respect, and excellence as these values guide our everyday actions with patients, customers and one another. In addition to our values, all employees are expected to demonstrate the core success factors which tell us how we work together and how we get things done. The core success factors include: instill trust and value differences, patient and community focus, and collaborate.

Responsibilities

A. Participates in maintaining a safe and therapeutic environment. Participates in the development and operationalization of the milieu care plan for assigned patients. Supervises assigned children in daily routines and assists with activities of daily living. Identifies, reports, and actively resolves potential problems in the home. Documents appropriate follow up skills by timely verbal reporting to Residential Supervisor and documentation in the record. Intervenes in disruptive milieu or destructive to self/other patient situations providing timely therapeutic intervention. Demonstrates appropriate critical incident follow-up skills by timely verbal reporting to charge RN and documentation in medical record. Completes other documentation (ie: incident reports, seclusion and restraint forms (MR38)) as applicable.

B. Adheres to hospital, departmental, and unit policies and procedures. Attends peer review and staff meetings as assigned. Maintains current certification in crisis management. Maintains current CPR certification. Maintains current OSHA, ERS, Safety Certifications Attends hospital staff development as assigned. Consistently follows all hospital departmental policies and procedures. Consistently follows all program based policies and procedures.

C. Actively participates in the patient care planning process under the direction of the Treatment Team. Participates in the initial admission interview process as assigned. Works to support initial therapeutic alliance with patient and family on admission. Assists with the separation process and performs other duties necessary to provide a smooth transition to the hospital environment. Communicates individual patient milieu treatment plans in an ongoing manner to other unit staff including liaison with other multidisciplinary treatment providers. Actively participates in diagnostic conferences, treatment team, rounds, and shift report, as assigned. Is aware of department QI indicators and responsibilities related to such. Accurately documents significant patient/family observations/milieu treatment on medical records in a timely fashion. Collects data for applied research purposes. Offers information and knowledge acquired through experience to other staff via formal/ informal staff development forums. Is able to adapt care "style" to meet needs of various children/adolescents.

D. Supports and contributes to the development of milieu therapy care plans/behavioral management. Assists and teaches patients in activities of daily living and personal hygiene based upon patient's abilities. Leads community meeting/milieu meeting/social skill group. Leads other program specific groups. Demonstrates ability to set consistent and supportive therapeutic limits within guidelines of Program and department standards. Institutes behavioral programs specific to the needs of the patient in collaboration with the primary nurse and off-line clinicians. Organizing House activities. Coordinates, supervises and participates in children's activities such as physical & social development activities. Arranges for transportation or materials if required. Participates in teaching visits/family and parent training. Consistently models to patient/families appropriate and therapeutic interpersonal staff/patient interactions. Co-leads therapy groups with a clinician. Supports and participates in recreation therapy program Handles crisis situations in a safe, effective manner. Takes the initiative to seek formal/informal supervision, incorporating suggestions for improvement/changes in job performance. Performs other related duties as required, assigned or directed by program managers.

E. Demonstrates autonomous functioning ability in the delivery of sophisticated childcare on the milieu staff. Consistently utilizes safe, effective, crisis management techniques. Assumes a leadership role in psychiatric emergency situations; processes with co-workers following the use of the Emergency Response System. Demonstrates ability to anticipate, address and de-escalate disruptive patient situations prior to patient's loss of control. Consistently takes initiative to suggest innovative changes and additions that improve the quality of milieu services care on the unit.

F. Exhibits leadership and teaching ability in role as Residential Care Counselor. Demonstrates outstanding initiative in organizing therapeutic house activities. Provides guidance, monitoring, supervision, and role modeling to less senior staff during activities. Orients new patients to the program in an organized and thorough fashion. Orients, through participation in preceptor programs, new Residential Care, interns and volunteers in an organized and thorough fashion. Teachers less senior employee's basic principles of milieu therapy as assigned by supervisor. Reports development/progress of assigned Residential Care to Residential Supervisor. Demonstrates consistent ability to assertively communicate directly with appropriate person on issues of concern/conflict. Utilizes objective problem solving approaches to resolve conflicts in staff and/or patient milieu. Assumes role of "Milieu Facilitator", as assigned by Residential Supervisor.

Minimum Qualifications

Basic Knowledge: Baccalaureate Degree in a Human Services field. Other education and experience considered and may be substituted for educational requirements at the discretion of the Hiring Manager. Demonstrated knowledge and skills necessary to provide care to patients throughout the life span with consideration of aging processes, human development stages and cultural patterns in each step of the care process.

Experience: Three years working with emotionally/behaviorally disturbed children and adolescents, demonstrating progressive responsibility and leadership development. Current performance appraisal that exceeds standards. Current Bradley Hospital crisis management certification. Current CPR certification. Current ERS, OSHA, and Safety Certifications. Supervisory Responsibility: None