Youth Care Specialist (YCS) - The Pines

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Youth Care Specialist (YCS)
Reports to: Residential Manager
Department: The Pines
Compensation: $25 per hour

Shrub Oak International School ( is a therapeutic day and residential school for autistic children, adolescents, and young adults with complex co-occurring conditions. Located in northern Westchester County, Shrub Oak offers unparalleled educational opportunities for autistic students in a family-centric, supportive environment. We offer a variety of programs to meet the needs of students across the spectrum, and our curriculum is based on the most advanced and successful evidence-based clinical and academic approaches in ASD education.
The Pines at Shrub Oak is a 24-bed, coeducational, interim residential placement for students on the autism spectrum who may need significant psychiatric support and stabilization before transitioning to a less restrictive environment. Students at the Pines receive psychiatric services in addition to academic and life skills instruction in a safe, supportive environment with a 2:1 student to staff ratio.

Essential Functions:
The Youth Care Specialist (YCS) is an hourly position reporting to the Residential Manager or Evening/ Overnight Supervisor. In collaboration with education, clinical, and residential staff, the YCS provides front line direct care and administrative support for daily operations. The YCS is responsible for guiding and mentoring students, assisting with emergency response procedures, and collaborating with all members of the Shrub Oak staff. Serving as a coach and mentor for students, the YCS works closely with colleagues to create and maintain an inclusive community and foster specific skill development to meet the individualized needs of The Pines student population.  The YCS will also hold shared responsibility for helping to create and maintain a DBT milieu within The Pines, and will support, and help facilitate DBT skills groups for youth. Having access to confidential information regarding Shrub Oak and its students, discretion and independent judgement is required.

• Manage the day-to-day direct care needs, operations and programs of students at The Pines
• Develop and maintain trusting, respectful relationships with students, including understanding their unique interests, needs and goals, as well as the student body generally, to maintain a positive and cooperative environment 
• Support student learning and skill development both in and outside of the classroom
• Complete administrative tasks, including but not limited to, assisting with move-in/move-out of students, shift logs, incident reports, intervention plans and progress tracking 
• Proactively work with students in crisis to de-escalate situations using The Pines protocol
• Attend to and report all emergencies and/or other situations requiring immediate attention in a timely manner to the appropriate staff member(s) in accordance with The Pines policies/procedures
• Facilitate on-campus and off-campus programming and community development based on the needs of each student outlined by the student’s Individualized Trans-disciplinary Education Plan (ITEP) and support plans
• Advise, support and mentor students on various life skills in collaboration with other disciplines within The Pines
• Support the individualized ITEP and other developmental goals for each student, collaborating with the ITEP team including documenting efforts and progress 
• Develop, present, track, and evaluate educational programs for students
• Attend all required meetings and seminars as scheduled, including all staff orientation/training
• Support other department responsibilities as needed and determined 
• Work cohesively with all members of the student’s care team

Please note: This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

Requirements:
Experience & Education

• High-School Diploma and relevant combination of post-secondary education and experience in residential, psychiatric, or academic settings required; bachelor’s degree preferred
• At least 2-years minimum of relevant or related professional experience required
• Previous experience working in special education and behavioral intervention strongly preferred
• DBT experience preferred

Skills & Abilities:

• Exceptional written communication skills, specifically involving documentation, progress notes, incident reports, and other related administrative tasks
• Ability to adapt approach of care based on presenting needs of students
• Exceptional verbal communication skills
• Skilled in managing challenging behaviors and executing de-escalation techniques
• Comfortability managing crisis behavior and working collaboratively with other staff around crisis management
• Ability and willingness to learn new skills
• Ability to display grit and resilience and maintain composure
• Strong ability to build relationships with students and peers
• Strong ability to process and retain information and to think critically and analytically during crisis
• Demonstrated ability to multitask and manage competing priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to succeed in a fast-paced, unpredictable environment
• Ability to handle highly challenging behaviors, including those aggressive in nature
• Computer proficiency and a working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and other software
• Ability to get TCIS trained and complete/maintain all required trainings

Benefits:
Available for full-time employees. An overview of our benefits:

• Insurance coverage: Health, vision, dental, life, and disability insurance
• Flexible spending account (FSA)
• Paid time off (PTO)
• 401k w/ company match
• Tuition/Professional development assistance
• Employee assistance program (EAP)
• Employee discounts

Physical Requirements/Demands:
A workday regularly includes multiple or conflicting demands, deadlines and time pressures; work regularly requires sustained concentration. Standing for sustained periods of time, bending, stretching, walking up and down stairs (building has 6 floors), around a hilly campus as needed, may also require walking between floors or between buildings at a moment’s notice. May need to lift/move boxes up to 25 pounds and move or rearrange furniture.

Work Environment:
We are a boarding school located on a 127-acre campus. The work environment will include both indoor and outdoor spaces, mostly inside the classroom or educational environment. May include work within the residential setting. The building has 6 floors accessible by staircases and elevators.

EEO Statement:
Shrub Oak is an equal employment opportunity employer. Shrub Oak International School is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to apply for a job or to perform the essentials functions of their job. Please advise us if you require a reasonable accommodation.

Please note:
SOIS maintains a smoke-free environment to ensure the health and safety of our students, employees, and community. Smoking or vaping of any kind is strictly prohibited indoors, outdoors, and during off-campus activities, with enforcement measures in place including smoke/vape detectors. Non-compliance will result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

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