Residential Treatment Specialist I

The Centers•Cleveland, OH

1d•Onsite

About The Position

At The Centers, meaningful work is grounded in a culture where people feel valued. As a 2026 USA TODAY Top Workplaces winner, the organization is nationally recognized, based entirely on employee feedback, for trust, purpose, and care. This position plays an important role in advancing our mission and supporting the communities we serve. Our H.O.P.E. Campus exists to be a haven of hope and healing for children, youth, and families struggling with mental illness, abuse, and neglect. We strive to be a service-oriented workplace that pioneers and co-creates solutions while fostering belonging in a community where our team members thrive. We're seeking a compassionate and skilled Residential Treatment Specialists to provide a safe, nurturing environment for children and youth ages 11-17. In this vital role, you'll provide one-on-one and group support while implementing a daily schedule of therapeutic and recreational activities that promote healing and growth.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED
None required for License or Certification
None required for Experience
Successful completion of all required post-offer background checks
Current TB skin test or equivalent showing no signs or symptoms of tuberculosis upon first day of work
Successful completion of Therapeutic Crisis Intervention training within 30 days of starting work
Successful completion of BLS certification within 30 days of starting work
Successful completion of Safety training within 30 days of starting work
Successful completion of Routine Care training within 30 days of starting work
Successful completion of Youth Engagement training within 30 days of starting work
Successful completion of Trauma Informed Care training within 30 days of starting work
Demonstrates basic awareness of facility safety protocols, including emergency procedures, evacuation drills, and incident reporting
Recognizes potential risks in the environment (e.g., unsafe objects, conflict between youth) and alerts supervisors promptly
Maintains supervision ratios and practices active monitoring to ensure a safe and structured setting
Follows directions from senior staff when responding to crises or behavioral escalations
Understands the importance of consistency, boundaries, and clear expectations in promoting safety
Provides prompts for youth to accomplish tasks such as hygiene, laundry, and room organization under guidance, as needed
Ensures that youth have access to their basic needs in a respectful, dignified manner
Helps reinforce structure through consistent daily schedules and routines
Documents care activities accurately and reports changes in youth behavior, appearance, or health
Begins developing organizational and time-management skills to balance multiple care responsibilities
Uses active listening and positive communication to build trust and rapport with youth
Participates in recreational, educational, and skill-building activities alongside residents to encourage participation
Offers encouragement, positive reinforcement, and support to promote youth self-esteem and cooperation
Recognizes when youth may be withdrawing or struggling to engage and seeks guidance from more experienced staff
Maintains appropriate professional boundaries while demonstrating warmth, patience, and respect
Understands basic principles of trauma-informed care (safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment)
Responds to youth behaviors with empathy and curiosity, seeking to understand the “why” behind the behavior rather than reacting punitively
Utilizes calming strategies, redirection, and supportive communication during moments of distress
Demonstrates self-awareness of personal reactions when confronted with challenging behavior
Seeks supervision and training to deepen understanding of trauma’s impact on development and behavior
Maintains personal emotional regulation during stressful interactions with youth
Uses basic TCI de-escalation strategies including supportive communication and calm presence
Recognizes early signs of youth stress or escalation and seeks assistance from senior staff
Supports the use of the most appropriate intervention and follows direction during crisis situations

Responsibilities

Provides supervision and management of assigned children in the daily living routines that comprise the therapeutic milieu of the residential treatment program of Hope Campus
Provides care, support, attention and a positive, therapeutic atmosphere to all children in the department to which assigned
Maintain consistent, firm and fair relationships with all children
Serves as an appropriate, positive role-model
Provides physical and emotional security for the children through intervention, correction and re-direction of negative behavior when: Behavior is damaging to self; Behavior is damaging to others; Behavior may result in damage to property
Assists with managing the physical needs of the children including health, hygiene, and physical comfort (food/clothing/shelter)
Maintains an active interest in and an awareness of the whereabouts and activities of each assigned child at all times while on duty
Assists with maintaining an approach/program that is in compliance with the individual treatment plan
Assists with maintaining organization philosophy, policies and practices
Serves as an integral member of the treatment team
Provides formal and informal reports on behavior, attitude and general disposition of assigned children, including: Incident Reports, restraint remediation sheets, time-out reports; Department logs; Behavior Rating Scales; Primary sheets
Attends conferences and meetings
Participates in the planning, supervision and provision of therapeutic and recreational activities
Assists with maintaining current inventory and/or awareness of all supplies, equipment and furnishings
Reports repairs as necessary
Assists with household duties
Attend training to meet licensing requirements
Understand that the organization reserves the right to mandate overtime as needed to ensure the safety, supervision and care of the residents in treatment