ACH is looking to hire several Youth Care Specialist throughout our programs. The Youth Care Specialist (YCS) oversees the physical care of the facility, the daily supervision of clients and provides basic needs, medical and emotional care, and overall safety of clients in care. The YCS provides a supportive learning experience and empathetic adult guidance to clients. The YCS delivers services within a Trauma-Informed Care framework, assisting clients to achieve their goals and family reunification (unless alternative placement is necessary). The YCS works with clients to build on the client’s strengths, assisting them to create solutions, and discovering hope for their future. The YCS is sensitive to the service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.
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Professionalism (including, but not limited to, consistent and reliable job performance, awareness and use of professional ethics to guide practice)
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Applied Positive Youth Development (PYD) approach (including, but not limited to, skills to develop a Positive Youth Development plan and identifying the client’s strengths in order to best apply a Positive Youth Development framework)
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Cultural and human diversity (including, but not limited to, gaining knowledge and skills to meet the needs of clients of a different race, ethnicity, nationality, religion/spirituality, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation)
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Applied human development (including, but not limited to, understanding the developmental needs of those at risk and with special needs)
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Relationship and communication (including, but not limited to, working with clients in a collaborative manner)
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Developmental practice methods (including, but not limited to, utilizing methods focused on genuine relationships, health and safety, intervention planning)
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Trauma-Informed Care (including, but not limited to, understanding trauma and the capacity to implement the most effective and current trauma informed interventions within assigned programs)
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Complete client intakes and assist with development of Preliminary Plan of Service.
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Conduct house meetings and attend and participate in shift change meetings and other staffing as directed by supervisor.
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Provide clients with opportunities to learn/practice skills to better prepare them for positive skills development, family reunification, possible placement and day-to-day interactions.
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Provide clients with all basic needs, including a clean and safe living environment.
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Provide level of supervision to clients based on the level of supervision needed.
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Empower clients and staff to problem solve.
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Transport clients to appointments.
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Complete trainings and certifications as required by licensing, contractual, grant and agency standards.
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Use skills learned in new employee and on-going trainings.
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Maintain a helping role and to intervene appropriately to meet service goals.
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Collaborate with TDFPS, caseworkers, family and other support systems to advocate for clients and family and support client’s individual needs and transition goals.
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Support case plans of clients and their families.
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Participate in planning and implementation of services, activities, and/or skills training for group and individual work.
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Comply with all agency, program, and licensing standards.
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Follow the formally agreed upon routine and maintain consistency and teamwork on shift.
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Assist in meal preparation, laundry, general organization of supplies, kitchen, food storage, household cleanliness, and assurance of health and safety standards.
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Maintain safety, confidentiality, and protection of clients.
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Maintain necessary and required documentation for agency, grant and contract compliance and fiscal matters.
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Immediately notify supervisor of Serious Incidents and complete incident reports and case notes within 24-hours.
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Complete and maintain required training hours within timeframe outlined in agency procedures.
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Administer and document medication as directed by physician and supervisor and follow procedure for refilling medications.
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Complete all documentation as required by program (i.e., incident reports, case notes, daily youth logs, medical documentation, etc.).
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Make required notifications as needed (e., law enforcement, TDFPS hotline, medical professionals, etc.).
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Clock in and out at beginning and end of each shift.
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Meet all deadlines as outlined in TDFPS Minimum Standards, grants, contracts as well as agency policies and procedures.
Exposure to children with behavior problems, including possible physical aggression. Exposure to illness and blood. Residential programs run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Residential programs do not close for holidays or inclement weather. Extended walking and standing daily. Must always be physically able to use authorized crisis intervention techniques.
