Resident Support Specialist

YWCA WHITE PLAINS AND CENTRAL WESTCHESTER•City of White Plains, NY

2h•Onsite

About The Position

The Resident Support Specialist supports the day-to-day operations of a dual-site residential facility serving a transitional program for justice-involved women in recovery and women in permanent supportive housing. This role combines front desk responsibilities, resident support, safety monitoring, and crisis de-escalation. The Resident Aide is a key member of the team, fostering a trauma-informed, safe, and supportive environment for all residents and visitors. A valid Security Officer License is required for this position.

Requirements

High School Diploma or equivalent required.
Previous experience in residential, recovery, mental health, or justice-involved populations strongly preferred.
Ability to remain calm in high-stress situations and de-escalate conflicts effectively.
Excellent interpersonal and cultural competency skills.
Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality and professionalism.
Strong crisis intervention, conflict resolution, and communication skills.
Valid Security Officer License (NYS) required.
CPR/First Aid certification required.
Strong documentation and electronic health record skills.
Good organizational, time management, and communication skills, verbal and written.
Good at assessment, SMART goal development, advocacy, and solution focused problem solving.
Knowledge of counseling and social service resources in Westchester County.
Knowledge of strengths-based approaches, trauma-informed care, harm reduction, and housing-first models.
Ability to work effectively as part of a collaborative team.
Culturally responsive communication and interpersonal skills.
Ability to adjust to changing circumstances, whether related to the needs of the residents or program.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual preferred (but not required).

Responsibilities

Greet and assist residents and visitors at the front desk to ensure a welcoming and supportive environment.
Maintain front desk logs (e.g. visitor logs, Awakenings sign-in log).
Document and route all resident grievances to the supervisor within 24 hours of receipt.
Sort, distribute ang log all incoming mail and packages accurately and in a timely manner, ensuring residents receive their deliveries safely and confidentially.
Provide oversight of food donation deliveries and distribution to residents.
Conduct wellness checks for residents as needed.
Ensure the front desk and lobby remain secure and that building entry protocols are followed.
Investigate source of alarms.
Complete incident reports for all notable safety concerns, disturbances, or medical/psychiatric issues.
Conduct 3 safety walkthroughs per shift of all residence floors and shared spaces to monitor for safety, cleanliness, and policy compliance.
Maintain daily walk-through checklist.
Promptly flag and report emerging risks (e.g., facility issues, safety concerns, or resident needs) to operations within 24 hours of observation.
Complete crisis de-escalation and trauma-informed care training within 60 days of hire.
Respond calmly and supportively to resident concerns and mental health episodes, alerting appropriate personnel as needed.
Independently de-escalate 90% of minor resident conflicts and crises, utilizing trauma-informed care and de-escalation techniques, without needing case management or operations intervention.
Attend bi-weekly team meetings to provide updates and raise any resident or operational concerns.
Participate in shift handovers to ensure continuity of care and support.
Maintain open and professional communication with property management, case managers, and clinical staff.