SCOPE OF WORK: Works together with the larger team to provide safety, support, and treatment to youth in a secure environment. Coordinates and engages youth in daily activities and treatment programming. Promotes positive youth development by teaching, modeling and reinforcing positive behaviors. Engages as part of a team to support trauma informed care and promotes an individualized, treatment-focused collaborative philosophy. The Youth Counselor participates in a process of continuous learning and demonstrates openness to evolving philosophies of practice, including restraint and seclusion prevention. Upholds the vision and mission of the agency through utilizing the Practice Model theories, beliefs and principles in daily practice.

• Shift: 2nd (Tue-Sat)

• Hours: 40/wk

• Pay: $24 /hr

• Duration: 13 weeks

  ACCOUNTABILITIES:

  · Maintains a safe and therapeutic environment by monitoring, supervising and engaging youth in daily routines and programming to reduce the risk of harm to youth and staff. Performs searches of youth and their living area for prohibited items and ensures protection of youth possessions or evidential material.

  · Intervenes in crisis situations, utilizing verbal de-escalation techniques, guidance, structure, and only as a last resort, an appropriate level of safe physical management.

  · Engages with youth in the formalized daily activity schedule including recreational, treatment-focused and educational activities to encourage growth and interpersonal skill development of youth. Follows the established policies and procedures of the positive behavioral management system.

  · Provides feedback to a youth’s treatment team, including suggestions for treatment goals, attending treatment plan meetings, and active participation in weekly case reviews. Assists youth with practicing coping skills to achieve successful completion of treatment goals.

  · Using the tenets of evidence-based, trauma-informed behavior management and treatment programming, the Youth Counselor fosters a safe and therapeutic milieu, supports group counseling sessions, and one to one individualized care.

  · Communicates in a professional manner, both verbally and in writing, with program staff, various outside agencies/individuals, such as court officials, medical and clinical personnel, JPPO’s, families, law enforcement personnel, lawyers and youth.

  · Develops and maintains case records, reports, Personal Safety Plans (PSPs) and other required documents which become part of the youth permanent record. Responsible for assuring thorough documentation of critical incidents within the program’s data system.

  · Responsible for supervising collateral meetings and family visits. Youth Counselors additionally screen visitors to the program and utilize program communications to document scheduled appointments for visitor meetings. =

  · Provides transportation and supervision of youth during off-site appointments and recreational activities.

  · Responsible for continued learning and professional development to remain up-to-date with current practices, policies, and the Division of Children, Youth and Families initiatives.

  MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

  Experience: One year experience working in organized group activities such as camp counseling, Boy or Girl Scouting, school or church programs, coaching sports, working with mentally and physically challenged youth and adults in a school, daycare, hospital or correctional/rehabilitative setting or any similarly related experience. Each additional year of approved work experience may be substituted for one year of required formal education.

  Education: High School Diploma or equivalent

  General Comments

  Benefits

At Amergis, we firmly believe that our employees are the heartbeat of our organization and we are happy to offer the following benefits:

• Competitive pay & weekly paychecks

• Health, dental, vision, and life insurance

• 401(k) savings plan

• Awards and recognition programs

  *Benefit eligibility is dependent on employment status.

  About Amergis

Amergis, formerly known as Maxim Healthcare Staffing, has served our clients and communities by connecting people to the work that matters since 1988. We provide meaningful opportunities to our extensive network of healthcare and school-based professionals, ready to work in any hospital, government facility, or school. Through partnership and innovation, Amergis creates unmatched staffing experiences to deliver the best workforce solutions.

Amergis is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.