Senior Mentor

Community Partners in Action • Hamden, CT

2d • $32 - $32 • Onsite

About The Position

Community Partners in Action (CPA) is hiring a Senior Mentor for its REGIONS Site Secure Residential Treatment Program for Male Youth in Hamden, Connecticut. The role is scheduled Sunday through Thursday, 4:00 p.m. to midnight, with Friday and Saturday off. The salary is $32.05 per hour ($66,664 annually). Bilingual applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.

The REGIONS Site Secure Program provides residential treatment for up to 16 male youth in a home-like, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, gender-specific, linguistically appropriate, strengths-based, relationship-driven setting. Its treatment approach is individualized and aims to improve youth social, physical, and emotional well-being, strengthen coping skills and relationships, support behavioral change, and prepare youth to return to their communities. Youth served may have complex needs, histories of violence, significant public-safety risks, and high risk of leaving the program without authorization.

The Senior Mentor supervises shift activities and Youth Mentors, makes operational decisions concerning youth safety and security, and directly supervises youth in daily activities. The position implements program policies and procedures, supports therapeutic programming and individual treatment plans, maintains facility security and documentation, and responds to crises using approved de-escalation practices. In the absence of the Assistant Program Manager, the Senior Mentor assumes the program’s operational responsibilities.

The candidate should have a bachelor’s degree or higher and relevant experience, including work with at-risk or court-involved adolescents, residential treatment programs, and supervision. Equivalent experience and training, specifically in a juvenile residential program, may substitute for education. The employee must complete a 120-hour training curriculum during the first year and at least 40 hours of training annually thereafter. The work may involve exposure to assaultive or abusive behavior, risk of injury, and communicable diseases. Safe Crisis Management training includes verbal de-escalation and physical restraint methods.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher, or equivalent experience and training; equivalent experience must include specific experience in a juvenile residential program.
• Experience working with at-risk or court-involved adolescents, residential treatment programs, and demonstrated supervisory experience.
• Knowledge of the juvenile justice system and the operation of juvenile residential programs.
• Understanding of gender-specific, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and linguistically appropriate issues and needs.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, emotional intelligence, decision-making, and crisis-management skills.
• Ability to interact effectively with a multicultural population.
• Belief that people can change and that individuals in need deserve quality services and an opportunity to succeed.
• Valid Connecticut driver’s license and reliable transportation.
• Ability to transport clients to appointments and into the community in mechanical restraints.
• Capacity to become medication certified and Safe Crisis Management (SCM) certified.
• Ability to work additional hours and/or overtime as needed.
• Ability and willingness to work evening and/or night shifts, weekends, and holidays.
• Complete and pass a mandatory 120-hour training curriculum during the first year of employment and complete at least 40 hours of training annually thereafter.
• Maintain regular, reliable attendance and punctuality.

Nice To Haves

• Spanish/English bilingual ability.
• Lived experience; candidates with lived experience are encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

• Supervise shift activities and provide assistance and guidance to Youth Mentors.
• Make operational decisions regarding the safety and security of youth.
• Directly supervise youth in daily activities, including school and groups.
• Maintain a safe, secure, strengths-based, gender-responsive, trauma-informed, linguistically appropriate, and culturally sensitive environment.
• Implement agency and program policies and procedures governing facility operations and ensure compliance.
• Ensure required logs, incident reports, inspections, and forms are completed.
• Supervise, train, coach, develop, and evaluate Youth Mentors.
• Assume program operational responsibilities in the absence of the Assistant Program Manager.
• Oversee the proper use of equipment, security devices, and program property.
• Meet regularly with management and staff to clarify operational policies and procedures and review programming.
• Maintain accountability for youth locations at all times.
• Mediate and resolve youth problems using relational and strengths-based practices consistent with policies and procedures.
• Use approved verbal and/or physical de-escalation techniques as necessary to address risks of harm, property destruction, or escape, while maintaining communication with necessary parties.
• Use program behavior-motivation procedures as needed and initiate the Egregious Behavior Protocol when needed after hours.
• Monitor youth visits and maintain professional boundaries with youth, families, visitors, staff, and providers.
• Facilitate groups and conduct therapeutic programming under the Rehabilitation Therapist’s supervision.
• Reinforce each youth’s individual treatment plan and model pro-social behavior for youth and staff.
• Conduct formal and informal counts and internal and external facility security and safety checks.
• Complete pre- and post-assignment duties and all required ongoing training.
• Conduct investigations as required.
• Apply knowledge of universal precautions and communicable-disease risks.
• Assist the Assistant Program Manager with administrative functions as needed.
• Conduct pat-downs of youth and visitors to maintain security.
• Become proficient in and use mechanical restraints when necessary, including during transport.
• Maintain regular, reliable attendance and punctuality.
• Perform other duties as required.
• Work evening and/or night shifts, weekends, and holidays as required; mandatory overtime is likely.
• Transport clients to appointments and into the community in mechanical restraints.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees working at least 25 hours per week, with eligibility after 60 days of employment.
• Eligibility to participate in a 401(k) plan after 60 days of employment.
• Employer-paid basic life, accidental death and dismemberment, short-term disability, and long-term disability coverage for employees working at least 25 hours per week.
• Voluntary critical illness, identity theft protection, pet insurance, prepaid legal services, personal accident insurance, supplemental short-term disability, and whole life insurance.
• Generous vacation, personal, and sick leave.
• 13 paid holidays each year.
• Access to an Employee Assistance Program.
• Supportive workplace environment focused on employee health, wellness, and meaningful work.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior