Residential Care Counselor

Brown Medicine•North Providence, RI

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Residential Care Counselor is responsible for the care and safety of assigned children and serves as a primary residential care counselor on the multidisciplinary treatment team. The role contributes to the development of therapeutic residential treatment plans and implements, observes, and documents the program under the direction of the Residential Care Supervisor. Employees are expected to model Brown University Health’s values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence and demonstrate the core Success Factors: Instill Trust and Value Differences, Patient and Community Focus, and Collaborate. The counselor helps maintain a safe, therapeutic environment; supervises children through daily routines and activities of daily living; supports treatment planning and therapeutic programming; and documents observations and care in each child’s chart. The position involves responding to disruptive or crisis situations using timely, therapeutic interventions and the least restrictive safe alternative. The counselor works within program policies and independently handles routine responsibilities, referring complex policy questions to a supervisor.

Requirements

Baccalaureate degree in a human service field; other education and experience may be substituted at the Hiring Manager’s discretion.
Knowledge and skills necessary to provide care to patients throughout the life span, considering aging processes, human development stages, and cultural patterns throughout care.
Six months to one year of direct child-care work with emotionally impaired youth.
Current Bradley Hospital Crisis Management certification or enrollment in a Bradley Hospital course.
Current CPR certification.
Current ERS, Safety, and OSHA certification.
Ability to perform independently within program policies and practices and refer complex policy or procedure questions to a supervisor.

Responsibilities

Participate in maintaining a safe and therapeutic environment.
Help develop and operationalize residential care plans for assigned children according to department and program policies and procedures.
Maintain and document each child’s observation level each shift as ordered by the physician or Program Director.
Supervise assigned children in daily routines and assist with activities of daily living and personal hygiene, based on each child’s level of competence.
Identify, report, and actively resolve potential or actual program problems.
Report critical incidents promptly to the Residential Care Supervisor or Nursing Supervisor/Program Nurse and document them in the child’s chart.
Intervene therapeutically and promptly in disruptive milieu situations or situations involving harm to a child or others.
Attend program meetings and staff development meetings as assigned, and participate in DPCs, treatment team meetings, and shift reports.
Maintain current crisis management, CPR, ERS, Safety, and OSHA certifications.
Participate in the residential child-care planning process and initial admission interviews as assigned; support the initial therapeutic alliance with the child and family.
Complete an initial milieu assessment and develop an initial problem list and residential care plan within 24 hours of admission.
Review and revise the residential care plan and problem list daily as needed.
Communicate children’s treatment plans to program staff and other multidisciplinary treatment providers on an ongoing basis.
Understand program quality-assurance indicators and related responsibilities.
Document significant observations of children and families and milieu treatment in the child’s chart accurately and promptly.
Share knowledge and experience with other staff through formal or informal staff-development forums.
Contribute to residential care planning and behavioral management, including implementing behavioral programs with off-line clinicians.
Set consistent, supportive therapeutic limits within hospital, program, and department standards.
Help organize program activities, support the recreation therapy program, and model appropriate therapeutic interactions with children and families.
Handle crisis situations safely and effectively, using the least restrictive safe patient-care alternative.
Seek formal or informal supervision and incorporate suggestions to improve or change job performance.
Follow hospital, department, and program policies and procedures.