Youth Treatment Specialist - Jefferson County Youth Residential Program (3rd Shift)

Youth Treatment Specialist 3rd Shift

Wisconsin Community Services (WCS)

Position Summary: 

This position works in a therapeutic milieu environment serving youth at a State Certified Youth Crisis Stabilization Facility (YCSF) serving male, female and gender non-conforming youth, ages 8-17 supporting youth through a mental health crisis that has resulted in a youth needing a safe space to reside for up to 30 days. The Youth Treatment Specialist 3rd shift works overnight ensuring all youth and staff are safe and following nighttime procedures. This can include tasks such as completing bed checks, monitoring youth on suicide protocol, following sleep hygiene and bedwetting protocols, waking youth, and coaching them to complete activities of daily living, administering medication teaching skills. Other tasks such as completing building tasks such as cleaning, laundry, and inventory, preparing meals, putting together educational materials, and other programming material to prepare for the days schedule.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Perform third shift room checks verifying the status of each youth, ensuring youth are asleep, not distressed and are safe.

• Follow clinical recommendations for safety such as supervising suicide protocols and safety plans.

• Serve as a positive role model and work alongside a Lead Youth Treatment Specialist in the milieu supporting therapeutic interactions by coaching skill use throughout morning activities, modeling appropriate behavior, teaching, and reinforcing use and generalization of skills through a token economy system.

• Use evidence-based best practices for youth with mental health, substance use and life needs. This includes Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), trauma informed care, motivational interviewing, youth centered, and culturally reverent approaches while celebrating youth’s development and identity.

• Calmly and responsibly respond during crisis situations and intervene to de-escalate utilizing Principles of Stabilization and Control (POSC) for non-escalation, de-escalation, and possible physical intervention to maintain safety in the environment for youth and staff when preventing or responding to a crisis.

• Attend mandatory meetings including but not limited to staff meetings, new employee and ongoing trainings, individual supervision, team meetings, and other clinical staffing as required.

• Participate and meet the DHS34 clinical supervision requirements of one hour of supervision for every thirty hours of face-to-face contact.

• Use motivation and engagement strategies to encourage youth involved in systems to participate in treatment programming and involvement in program activities.

• Always provide active sight and sound supervision to youth and families with complex needs.

• Report any observed youth behavior for risk to self and others or behavioral changes within the treatment milieu. Follow policies and procedures to communicate with supervisory and/or clinical staff regarding appropriate support as needed.

• Interact with youth in a professional, positive, and therapeutic manner according to policy, procedure, training, and agency values.

• Assist with inventory, building organization, food preparation, daily programming set up, including educational materials and medication administration.

• Work closely as part of a team to maintain clear communication with other staff to ensure youth receive high quality and seamless care.

• Observe and document youth participation in activities and interactions with others per program standards (youth logs and youth related reports) in an electronic database.

• Complete building or structural functions as required, assisting with meal preparation, general building cleanliness, laundry, and organization.

• Monitor and support youth in completing activities of daily living such as laundry, chores and health and hygiene standards.

• Administer medication to youth following the CBRF medication administration required policies and procedures.

• Assist youth with attending meetings, including daily phone calls, family visits and professional visits.

• Maintain youth and family confidentiality within all written and verbal communications.

• Adhere to State licensing requirements.

• Adhere to WCS Policies and Procedures.

• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Communication – Ability to provide information effectively with a diverse population - the persons served, supervisor, colleagues, and program partners in writing and oral communications.

• Technological Aptitude – Ability to use general technological skills throughout daily job i.e., Email, Internet, company specified systems, (ex. Electronic Medical Record (EMR), Microsoft 365, Windows, Word, Excel).

• Managing Priorities/Deadlines – Ability to maintain schedules, meet deadlines, use time efficiently and effectively and manage multiple projects.

• Critical Thinking Skills – Ability to think critically and be solution-oriented in a demanding environment and adapt to program changes and challenges.

• Adaptability – Ability to manage change, deal with situations as they arise and work independently or as part of a team.

• Teamwork – Ability to work as a team participate productively while also managing independent contributing duties and responsibilities.

• Motivation – Possess a commitment to the assigned job, mission and core values of the organization while also supporting a respectful and harmonious work setting.

• Professionalism – Ability to conduct oneself with a prominent level of integrity, ethics and boundaries and maintain professional and respectful relationships with all WCS staff, youth and families, and all external funding sources and community partners involved with Matz Center.

• Multicultural Sensitivity – Ability to work in the community and interact directly with diverse populations, including clients, partners, and service providers. Must have the ability to demonstrate professionalism, cultural sensitivity, and strong people skills while representing the organization in a variety of settings.

• Crisis Intervention – Ability to respond during crisis situations calmly and responsibly and intervene to de-escalate using trained and approved methods and techniques of verbal and physical intervention to maintain safety in the environment.

• Flexibility – Ability to work a rotation of first and second shifts including weekend coverage.

• Empathy – Ability to demonstrate patience and understanding of difficult life situations.

• Trauma Informed Care – Ability to serve youth who have experienced a great deal of trauma and express their needs through behaviors.

• A high school diploma or equivalent.

• A minimum of one year of experience serving children with mental health needs preferred.

• Trained on the CBRF Registry (Fire Safety, Standard Precautions, First Aid and Choking, Medication Administration) preferred.

• Be at least 21 years old (at least 2 years older than the oldest resident).

• Working knowledge of computer applications preferred.

• Ability to display cultural competence by responding respectfully and effectively to people of all cultures, languages, classes, races, ethnic backgrounds, religions, and other diversity factors in a manner that recognizes, affirms, and values the worth of youth and their families.

• Knowledge and skills to work with youth ages 8-17.

• Working knowledge of positive child/youth development.

• Valid driver’s license, automobile, and insurance sufficient to meet agency requirements.

• Meet all the employee requirements including references, criminal background check, physical and TB test, and driver’s license check.

Working Conditions: 

Most work is performed at the Matz Center and some work within the community with youth. The Matz Center is certified under DHS 50 to provide Youth Crisis Stabilization Facility for eight youth ages 8-17. A flexible work schedule is required to meet the needs of staff and the people being served, third shift is (10:00pm-8:00am) and w eekend and holiday rotation required (premium for working holidays). Local travel as needed to fulfill essential functions of the position.

Physical Demands:

Duties require activity while supporting or interacting with youth in the program. Staff may be required to use (trained) physical interventions if there is immediate physical harm posed to youth or staff. Ability to lift thirty pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

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