Behavioral Youth Caregiver - Floater

JOB SUMMARY: Behavioral Youth Caregivers provide direct care, supervision, support, and structure of the children/youth living in the cottages for a 12 bed program located at the Hillsborough county Lake Magdalene Program.  The program is designed to provide a no eject/no reject environment where youth with challenging behaviors are placed until a longer term placement is arranged.  Youth Caregivers assist in guiding youth through their treatment program, while providing for the health, and security of youth in the residential program.  The position will involve transportation of children in an approved agency vehicle. Must be available to work a variety of shifts including mornings, afternoon, evening, and overnights. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

·    Works within the framework of the philosophy, function and Personnel Practices of The Children's Home, Inc.  

·    Works collaboratively with the treatment team to facilitate therapeutic relationships for the children in group and individual settings.  Serves as the caregiver/ advocate for the kids residing in the cottage program.  

·    Provides milieu services to teach youth, goal setting, problem resolution, educational activities, social skills development, employability skills, anger management, crisis management, group, independent living skills, and life space interviews.

·    Works collaboratively with the cottage staff, youth and family in the milieu, assisting in mentoring and working with families that are in transition to adaptive, foster and/ or reunification placements. 

·    Assist the Educational Case Coordinator (ECC) in the implementation of an educational plan for assigned youth, to promote academic enrichment and educational skill development.  Assist youth with home work, school projects, monitor point sheets and overall academic progress of youth to report to the ECC

·    Responsible for working within the established cottage program, inclusive of routines and adhering to a consistent Daily Living Program.  Role model expectations by assisting youth with performing daily routines/ chores and thorough up keep of living quarters (rooms) and the milieu.  

·    Provides Interactive supervision and monitoring of youth at all times to insure the best care, welfare, safety, health, and security. Establish a positive and productive relationship with residents. 

·    Perform and document environmental rounds every 15 minutes or more frequently as needed; inclusive of all youth and both hallways in order to provide accountability and safety for youth.  Report and document all abnormal or suspicious situations via the information report. Maintains documentation within guidelines for information reports, critical incidents reports, and daily shift accountability, medical administration records, and communication/ pass-On, meal count sheets, Medicaid BHOS, COA, NAPPI, Eckerd and DCF.

·    Responsible for meeting the physical needs of youth, fostering healthy hygiene and good living habits within the cottage.  Responsible for ensuring that youth are adequately dressed for the environmental conditions. 

·    Scheduled, and encourage opportunities for staff and youth to engage in family style dining, mentoring around table etiquette and appropriate skill development.  Perform the required documentation via the meal count accountability log.

·    Follow agency policy guidelines for financial transactions of allowances, clothing and supply purchases as assigned.

·    Attends and actively participates in treatment plan reviews with treatment team.  Assist in guiding youth to having success with their cottage goals and related plans in accordance with the Individual Treatment Plan.  Is accountable for supervising and monitoring residents to insure the safety, health, and security of those residents.

·    Follows agency and professional standards regarding mandated reporting laws.  Follows agency policy and procedures for reporting critical incidents and runaways.

·    Demonstrated the ability to manage the behavior of youth therapeutically, and via the individual treatment plan.  Integrates the clients’ history and all corroborating information into the milieu treatment process.  Identifies and integrates the client’s cultural, ethnic, and religious values into the treatment process.

·    Responsible for operating within program guidelines with respect to discipline, Behavior Management, verbal de-escalation techniques and non-violent physical crisis intervention techniques.  Demonstrates knowledge and practice of agency policy and procedures for restraint- NAPPI Nonviolent Crisis Intervention.

·    Responsible for learning the psychiatric review process, including facilitation techniques, documentation requirements etc. May be required to fill in at scheduled TPR and/ or psychiatric conference(s).   Attends and participates in Intakes, Treatment Plan Reviews and Psychiatrics.

·    Adheres to all daily cottage cleanliness programs and ensure that agency health and safety standards are consistently meet, including but not limited to, nightly cleaning/ sanitation of common area floors, cleaning/organizing the pack room and cottage janitorial supplies cabinet.  Maintain a safe, clean, homelike environment to include housekeeping and meal preparation.  Maintain the daily cleanliness of any other utilized areas on campus.

·    Actively participate in the planning and implementation of therapeutic, community based, recreational, social, spiritual and education activity opportunities as provided to assigned (i.e., sports runs, cottage activities).  Work collaboratively with Therapist in assessing youth eligibility for community based activity involvement.

·    Assist in the coordination and implementation of individual activities and cottage group activities (i.e., ensuring that the van log request form is completed and turned in timely fashion) and be responsible for making appropriate transportation arrangements for youth, too and from said activities. 

·    Coordinate the successful integration of recreation therapy with in each child’s treatment plan. Integrates the clients’ history and all recommendations information into the milieu treatment process.

·    Communicate all scheduled cottage plans, departures / returns to campus to the cottage supervisor/supervisor on duty (SOD) prior to leaving the campus and immediately upon return.  Communicate all campus visitation, (mentors, tutors, HKI Workers, parents/ guardians, etc.) to the cottage supervisor and SOD, if prescheduled, and/or immediately upon arrival.

·    Dispense and document all medications given to youth, and medication deficiencies in accord with established agency procedures.  Coordinate with medical personnel to ensure the physical/ health needs of the child.

·    Prepares for and actively participates in bi-weekly group supervision with Cottage Supervisor for ongoing opportunities for orientation, communicating pertinent program/ kid issues, in addition to review and evaluate progress and performance issues.

·    Attends and participates in weekly cottage team meetings, and may be required to assist in recording meeting minutes in accord with established format.

·    Foster and maintain a positive and productive relationship with all youth and the cottage team. Maintains an effective working relationship with team members, school personnel and clinicians. Acts as liaison between program and sponsor/auxiliary/volunteer groups as assigned.  Works collaboratively with school personnel, sponsor groups and volunteers.

·    Adhere to agency policy and procedures around confidentiality and use of office space and equipment; adhere to strategic cottage plan for maintaining security and confidentiality of all office space, equipment and documentation.

·    Provides transportation in agency vehicles in accordance with agency policy and procedure. Abides by all Florida state highway and local traffic laws.  Demonstrate consistency and proficiency in the regular utilization of agency vehicle log as required by policy and procedures.

·    Attend specialized training (40 hours annually) and staff/treatment team meetings as scheduled.

·    Performs other duties as assigned.

***THESE ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS ARE NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS A COMPLETE STATEMENT OF ALL DUTIES PERFORMED.  EMPLOYEES WILL BE REQUIRED TO PERFORM OTHER JOB RELATED MARGINAL DUTIES AS REQUIRED***

Agency Criteria:

·    Adheres to agency and departmental policy and procedures.

·    Demonstrate a willingness to cooperate with co-workers, supervisors, clients and others.  Acknowledges the value of each team member’s contributions.  Contribute to a positive working environment.

·    Complies with time and attendance standards and is conscientious with respect to the impact of tardiness and absence has on others.

·    Attend, prepares and actively participate in all mandatory agency and community based training’s, and share materials with co-workers in the milieu.

·    Demonstrates commitment to the mission of The Children’s Home through action and behavior.  Performs within the treatment philosophy of the Children’s Home Inc.

·    Adheres to professional and ethical standards specific to the individual’s profession and those of the agency.

·    Complies with agency confidentiality requirements as pertains to job duties, position and level of authority.

·    Participates and completes continuing training/ education opportunities to enhance competency within the job and contribution to the agency’s mission.

·    Demonstrates involvement and commitment to diversity initiatives including valuing differences and implementing diversity concepts.

·    Participates in agency’s continuous quality improvement efforts as they relate to the job and utilizes Performance and Quality Improvement concepts in job and work environment.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Education & Experience:

High School diploma or GED with a minimum of one (1) year experience working with children in a residential program and shall be at least 21 years of age.  

Preferred:  Associates Degree in Human Services related field with one (1) year experience in residential setting or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience that would reasonably be expected to provide the job-specific competencies listed in job duties.

·    Must be available to work day, evenings and weekends. Overnight schedule not required. 

Licenses & Certifications:

·    Must possess a valid Florida driver’s license with no record of criminal driving offense of license suspension and be insurable under The Children’s Home insurance criteria.   
·    Must possess means of providing job related transportation and show proof of required insurance.
·    Must be able to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends.  
·    Must successfully complete Federal background, state criminal background check and sexual predator background check.
·    Current first aid/CPR certifications.  Classes available on-site, if needed.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

·    Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing. Ability to establish effective working relationships with residents, co-workers, supervisors and other individuals. Possess effective interpersonal skills.
·    Knowledge of agency's organizational structure, standard operating procedures, and policies. Knowledge of Department of Children and Families rules and regulations regarding the care of children. Knowledge of child abuse or neglect reporting procedures and methods.
·    Ability to drive a commercial van. Agency insurance company must approve as insurable.
·    Computer literate, with ability to operate basic computer software applications.

ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL SKILLS:
·    Ability to perform physical restraints using the NAPPI method.
·    Ability to participate in physical activities with children (weighing 107 pounds on average) that may include running, bending, stooping and moderate lifting.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:
Treatment center environment with outdoor activities.  Possible exposure to verbal and physical threats.  Possible exposure to communicable disease.