Speech Therapist

Speech/Language Therapist

For over 35 years, Youth Villages has transformed the lives of children and families nationwide through innovative, research-based programs focused on preserving and restoring families.

As a national leader in children's mental and behavioral health, we serve more than 47,000 youth, young people, and their families annually across 29 states and Washington, D.C. Our proven treatment models drive long-term success in child welfare, juvenile justice, and mental health systems. At Youth Villages, we do what works — partnering with others to expand our impact and advocate for meaningful, lasting change.

We're seeking purpose-driven individuals who are passionate about making a difference. With a dedicated team of more than 5,000 staff, Youth Villages is committed to investing in and supporting our employees by offering opportunities to build a fulfilling career through professional growth, personal development, and a mission that matters— helping children and families live successfully.

Program Overview: Youth Villages' residential programs in Tennessee and Georgia provide safe, nurturing environments for youth ages 6 to 17 with complex behavioral and mental health challenges. These programs are offered across three types of facilities—secure facilities, open campuses, and group homes—each designed to meet the individual needs of youth exhibiting a range of referral behaviors, including aggression, self-harm, suicidal ideations, and problem sexual behavior.

Our residential campuses deliver an intensive treatment program that strikes a unique balance between structure and freedom, all while preparing youth for continued success outside of a residential setting. A key focus is to help each youth step down to the least restrictive treatment option possible by developing the skills they need to thrive in less structured environments through trauma-informed care, clinical interventions, life skills building, and recreation therapy (in selection locations). Most youth also attend fully accredited schools located on our campuses, ensuring their educational progress continues alongside therapeutic support.

Position Overview: The Speech/Language Therapist works with children who exhibit communication disorders in the areas of language, articulation, fluency, and voice that adversely affect educational success.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

The Speech/Language Therapist:

• Screens students to identify those with a speech/language disorder
• Develops Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for identified students, which include long-term goals and short-term objectives, to meet the individual needs of each child identified with a disorder
• Designs treatment strategies to help the child best meet the goals and objectives stated in the IEP
• Conducts speech/language therapy services, according to frequency and duration as indicated in the IEP, in a group and/or individual session
• Focuses on the remediation of the area of deficit
• Incorporates information learned in the class setting and provides stimulation to increase communication skills
• Consults with team members and parents
• Maintains accurate and confidential records of all job-related activities
• Generates progress reports every 9 weeks, four times per year
• Explains and interprets speech assessment services and evaluation findings to parents, teachers, principals, and other appropriate personnel
• Attends professional development activities at the local and state levels as assigned
• Performs other duties as assigned

Additional Information:

• Applicants are required to complete Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) and pass an agility and strength evaluation.
• Applicants must possess a current, valid driver's license.

Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in Speech/Language Pathology (strongly preferred)
• Bachelor's Degree in Speech/Language Pathology (required)
• Active SLP license in the applicable state (required)
• Successful experience as a SLP in a school setting (preferred)
• Experience working with children grades K-12 (preferred)
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Excellent written, verbal, and oral skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Basic computer knowledge

Physical Demands:

This position requires a candidate to:

• Frequently remain in stationary position for periods of time
• Regularly participate in all indoor and outdoor activities
• Regularly move throughout office to access file cabinets and office machinery
• Constantly operate a computer and other office machinery such as calculator, copy machines, and printer
• Frequently move, ascend/descend, and traverse
• Communicate, detect, converse with, discern, and exchange information with clients and families regarding their therapy and care
• Frequently need to be able to recognize, judge, and observe youth behavior and safety of surroundings
• Have good distance vision and the ability to read normal size print with or without corrective lenses
• Have normal hearing ability with or without aid
• Manage physically threatening youth and be prepared to be responsible for own safety and the safety of others
• Provide supervision and treatment of youth which requires prolonged periods of walking, standing and physical agility as well as running and climbing flights of stairs
• Occasionally participate in physical intervention and restraint of youth, being able to hold 40+ pounds for a minimum of 15 minutes

Youth Villages Benefits:

• Medical, Dental, Prescription Drug Coverage and Vision
• 401(k)
• Time off:
• 2 week paid vacation (full-time) / 1 week paid vacation (part-time)
• 12 paid sick days per year
• 11 paid holidays
• Paid Parental Leave
• Mileage & Cell Phone Reimbursement (when applicable)
• Tuition reimbursement and licensure supervision
• Growth & development through continuous training
• Clinical and administrative advancement opportunities

*Benefits are excluded for variable status employees.

Youth Villages is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Youth Villages is committed to not only advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace but also in our work with children and young adults. We know that children, families and young people of color can face inequity in child welfare and justice systems, and we train our employees to build the skills they need to work with the communities that we serve, as well as, other employees from different cultures and backgrounds. Youth Villages is opposed to racism in any of its forms and is committed to inclusion, equity, and diversity. We believe that respect for each other is crucial in the work that we do each day.