Residential Youth Program Manager (LCPC/LCSW)

Job Description

Job Description

Join our team today! At Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, we are dedicated to empowering Youth, fostering hope, and creating brighter futures. Our mission is to be advocates, educators, coaches, and role models for the Youth we serve. We strongly believe that every young individual deserves a chance to thrive and reach their full potential. 

As one of the Top 100 Places to Work in Chicago according to the Chicago Tribune for the past nine consecutive years, Mercy Home prides itself on prioritizing the growth and well-being of our team. We provide comprehensive training as well as ongoing professional development opportunities throughout your time here.

If you're passionate, driven, and dedicated to making the world a better place, then we want you on our team. The committed workers at Mercy Home provide healing, guidance, and opportunity to young men and women in need. 

How You’ll Make an Impact:

Dedicated to embracing the values and vision of our Agency, this role involves passionately implementing policies and philosophies. As a Program Manager, you will play a vital role in cultivating a therapeutic safe space for at-risk youth, overseeing the residential program's atmosphere, providing support, training, and performance management for your team. Join us in making a positive impact every day!

In this Role, you will:

• Be responsible for the implementation of each Youth's Individual Treatment Plan.
• Be actively involved in all aspects of case management within the Program.
• Provide leadership and supervision to program staff, ensuring a trauma-informed, harm reduction, and client-centered approach to care.
• Provide immediate support and guidance to staff during crisis situations, ensuring the safety and well-being of program youth.
• Oversee and apply therapeutic interventions and activities that contribute to youths' mental health goals.
• Collaborate with youth to develop and implement individualized care plans that address their clinical mental health needs. 
• Take lead in coordination with Supervisor, Transition Coaches, Day Coordinator, and Director on scheduling and facilitating Individual Treatment Plan staffings for each youth during team meeting. 
• Ensure implementation of individualized, goal-driven treatment plans addressing mental health, substance use, and functional life needs
• Collaborate with youth to co-create care plans that promote engagement, autonomy, and accountability
• Lead program efforts to move youth from crisis or instability toward sustained functioning
• Ensure all youth have structured transition plans that include:Education (HS/GED, college,vocational training), Employment readiness and job placement, Life skills (budgeting, health routines, conflict resolution), Reduce reliance on emergency or acute care systems through proactive intervention and skill-building
• Oversee clinical services including therapy, medication coordination, and behavioral interventions
• Monitor progress toward stabilization, emotional regulation, and transition/discharge readiness
• Supervise Staff and Youth.
• Assess Youth's placement and duration of stay in Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
• Be responsible for (or accessible to advise on) the use of de-escalation and behavior management techniques as outlined in CPI protocol.
• Participate in all meetings essential to job.
• Provide regularsupervision to directreports. Offer support and feedback, conduct performance evaluations and use progressive discipline when necessary.
• Co-Facilitate weekly team meetings and program retreats.
• Conduct overnight walkthroughs as assigned.
• Facilitate treatment planning with outside agencies as required by youths’ treatment needs.
• Participate in Admissions staffings
• Ensure cleanliness of program.
• Participate in the hiring, training and evaluations of the Staff for their program.
• Promote overall mission, value and goals of the Agency.
• Be responsible for the day to day budget of the program.
• Support the Continuous Quality Improvement process by leading projects within the program, as well as attending quarterly Youth Programs QI meetings.
• Be on call to Program as scheduled.
• Ability to be flexible with schedule in order to attend agency events and meet the needs of program.
• Employ all aspects of de-escalation and behavior management techniques as outlined in CPI protocol.
• Learn, align with, and execute the treatment philosophies, modalities and practices of the Agency.

What we need from you:

• Master’s degree in psychology, social work, counseling or related field, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) required.
• Experience in residential treatment, young adult services, or behavioral health
• Demonstrated leadership in interdisciplinary team settings
• Strong knowledge of trauma-informed care and crisis intervention (CPI)
• Excellent communication, organizational, and clinical decision-making skills
• Experience managing individuals and teams.
• Ability to work a minimum of two nights per week, until at least 9:00 p.m.On-call Monday- Friday and rotating weekends.
• Ability to work in an interdisciplinary team approach model.
• Experience in residential treatment.
• Ability to implement policies and procedures.
• Possess a valid Illinois driver’s license, ability to drive a van, maintain a clear driving record, and retain driving approval through the Department of Children and Family Services.
• Regular and predictable attendance.
• Ability to work both independently and as an active team member.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.  Must exhibit an appreciation and respect for a diverse work environment, inclusive of youth, families and co-workers from many social, economic, cultural, racial and ethnic backgrounds. 
• Ability to maintain professional demeanor while exercising judgment and discretion in work.
• Ability to follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as operating and maintenance instructions, procedure manuals, and professional journals. Ability to write reports and correspondence.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel, as well as the ability to become proficient in other software packages and programs.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and privacy.
• Ability to attend required Agency trainings(including CPR/ First Aid and Crisis Prevention Institute Training) and maintain necessary training compliance. Flexibility to attend daytime trainings or sessions outside of regularly scheduled hours.
• Promote, support and role model the use of Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) theory and practice for all co-workers in de-escalating situations.
• Ability to provide support, professional development and ongoing feedback to team members.
• Commitment to the mission, values, and goals of the Agency.

  Basics Information / Schedule Details

This job is a full-time position (40 hours per week). The schedule is Monday-Friday and 2 evening shifts per week.

Pay range is between $78,000/year- $81,00/year. 

Location: West Loop (boys) campus 1140 W. Jackson Blvd Chicago, IL 60607

For information on benefits please follow this link- -mercy-home/

  Why You Will Love Working Here:

At Mercy Home, our commitment to providing the best care for the Youth we serve extends to ensuring our team receives top-of-the-line training and professional development. 

We are a Top Workplace as awarded by the Chicago Tribune.

Mercy Home for Boys & Girls is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to Inclusion and Diversity

Visit us at