Lead Community Support Specialist

Description

Position Title: Lead Community Support Specialist

Department: Transitional Living Program (TLP)

Reports to: TLP Supervisor


About the Program:

Transitional Teen Services (TTS): works exclusively with older youth in DCFS care to provide the services and support necessary to successfully launch youth into adulthood. These programs assist youth in a supervised, home-like, structured setting to enhance their skills in developing healthy, supportive relationships and reaching self-sufficiency prior to leaving DCFS care and beyond. In its continuum of services, TTS manages three complementary programs (TLP, ILA, and PIP).


Position Objective and Summary:

The Lead TLP Community Support Specialist works in conjunction with the rest of the TLP treatment team to provide direct individual and group services to adolescent teens and teen parents and their children who reside in a transitional living setting. The Lead Community Support Specialist is responsible for supervising the on-site Community Support Specialists, including scheduling shifts based on Houseparent and program needs, assisting with hiring of CSS staff, weekly supervision, training, guidance and support of CSS staff, and assisting in CSS staff performance evaluation and disciplinary action as needed.


Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

Service Delivery/Role Modeling

• Responsible for weekly site schedule of Community Support Specialists in relation to Houseparent and program needs
• Takes on a supervisory, training and mentoring role with Community Support Specialists, providing ongoing guidance and training to enhance their ability to work effectively with TLP clients.
• Conducts daily observation of client's behaviors, skills and emotional status
• Helps to assist clients in following their daily schedule and addressing issues of time management
• Assists clients through active teaching and demonstration with improving daily living, parenting, coping and interpersonal skills
• Monitors client's compliance with program rules and expectations and reports all infractions to the appropriate TLP treatment team members.
• Implements client service plans in areas that are applicable, monitors client progress, and communicates observations and assessment to TLP treatment team members.

Documentation and Reporting

• Makes frequent reports to appropriate TLP treatment team members on progress of client's behaviors, reports on all behavioral infractions and performs other record keeping functions as required by UCAN.
• Maintains accurate, complete and timely client records as required by UCAN policy and procedures through case notes
• Enters case notes into the Profile and/or SACWIS System and ensures that billing quotas are maintained
• Reports client progress in TLP treatment team meetings.
• Reports all possible critical incidents and unusual incidents to supervisor, management, or DCFS as required by UCAN or by mandated reporting law.
• Completes weekly schedule for part time, full time and overnight Community Support Specialists
• Addresses ongoing issues or problems with job performance of Community Support Specialists with staff and reports problems to TLP Supervisor.

Building Relationships and Networks

• Develops effective helping relationships with clients, their children and their families.
• Develops effective and positive relationships with TLP Houseparents and supports them whenever possible.
• Works with TLP treatment team to coordinate client services.
• Functions appropriately and effectively as part of a treatment team.
• Understands and respects the importance of team decisions, and carries out these decisions consistently.
• Is able to maintain generational boundaries with clients and treat all clients equitably and fairly.

Job Knowledge Demonstration

• Knowledge of DCFS, UCAN, and Medicaid requirements for client interaction, service delivery and documentation.
• Studies, learns and uses UCAN, DCFS and TLP procedures for providing services to clients.
• Is familiar with all TLP rules and regulations, including the Level System.
• Assesses and monitors the safety of clients in current living arrangement and makes any needed recommendations to TLP treatment team.

Professionalism and Work Conduct

• Accepts feedback and ideas from team and supervisor and is constructive when giving feedback and ideas to others.
• Discusses alternative problem solving and is open to new ideas and ways of doing things.
• Behaves with integrity, demonstrates high ethical standards, and displays a positive image of UCAN.
• Acts in a professional manner at all times and maintains appropriate boundaries with clients.
• Demonstrates accountability for results and keeps commitments to others.
• Reports to work, meetings, training, and job related activities prepared and as scheduled.
• Demonstrates openness and respect for cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of clients and coworkers.
• Operates from a strengths based perspective in terms of work with clients.
• Attends regular supervision, staff meetings, required training, and other professional workshops to enhance job skills.
• Sets annual developmental goals with supervisor to meet learning needs and interests, while also enhancing job performance and skills.
• Performs other related tasks as required or assigned.

Education /Job Experience/Certification:

• BSW/BS/BA or Associates Degree preferred with at least 2 years experience working with children and adolescents, OR.
• GED or H.S. Diploma required with 5+ years' experience working with children and adolescents.
• Previous supervisory/scheduling experience required.
• Previous experience working with adolescents in a residential, group home or similar setting is highly desired.
• CPR/First Aid Certified or becomes so within 90 days of employment.

Special Knowledge and Qualifications:

• Ability to be flexible with scheduling needs and shifts.
• Strong crisis intervention/de-escalation skills.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work both independently and a part of a high functioning team.
• Experience or ability to use computers for data entry.
• Car and valid Illinois driver's license required.
• Willing and able to work at different sites, as TLP program location(s) change.

Work Environment: This is on-site position requiring direct contact in-home with clients and client's children on an ongoing daily basis. This position may require the Lead Community Support Specialist to travel between TLP sites during the workday. Periodic weekend hours may be required.