Therapeutic Support Staff

St Catherine s Center for Children•Town of Guilderland, NY

12h•$22 - $25

About The Position

The Therapeutic Support Staff is responsible for assisting students who are temporarily unable to function in their classroom program. The Therapeutic Support Staff utilizes crisis de-escalation techniques, and their relationship with the student, in order to bring the student back to baseline, assist with resolving the issue, and help the student to develop a plan for them to return to academic programming and achieve success within the school environment.

Requirements

Ability to work: Monday-Friday, 8am – 3:30pm, and Wednesday (8am – 4pm) w/ flexibility as needed.
Bachelor’s degree in human services or a related field, preferred. In lieu of a college degree, a combination of relevant professional experience and relatable life experience will be considered. High school diploma or equivalency is required.
Experience in the use of Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI), with ability to respond effectively and therapeutically in crisis situations. TCI Certification must be earned upon hire and maintained.
Local travel is required; A current Clean and Valid New York State Driver’s License (actively licensed at least one year) is required.
Ability to work in a therapeutic manner with the students of the R&E May School.
Ability to adapt individual mindset and de-escalation skills based on each encounter with students (grades K-6).
Ability to use developmentally appropriate practices for each student.
Proficiency in computer applications: Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel), Google Business Workspace Suite (Gmail, Google Docs, Meet, Sheets, etc.), and secure Internet practices.
Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills; Capable of building strong working relationships with regulatory bodies.
Self-motivated and engaged, with a strong attention to detail; Excellent writing aptitude.
A kind, warm and caring mindset; Capable of exhibiting empathy for those in need.
Ability to nurture and show compassion and understanding for clients/children in crisis.
Qualities of positivity, flexibility and adaptability; A professional record of integrity, proven reliability and dependability.
Capable of exercising ethical, independent judgment and discretion, handle sensitive data with strict confidentiality.
Ability to pass pre-employment background check requirements, including fingerprinting.
Staff in driving positions must be able to meet agency’s minimum requirements of our insurance policy for authorized drivers; including, but not limited to the minimum age of 21 at time of hire.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with children who exhibit significant emotional, behavioral and interpersonal challenges, trauma history and mental health diagnoses within a Special Education/Day Treatment program, preferred.

Responsibilities

Utilizing a wide variety of agency approved techniques to de-escalate students experiencing crisis.
Conducts life space interviews with students when necessary.
Conducts classroom “re-entry” interviews between student and teacher.
Prepares incident reports and documents interventions when necessary.
Responsible for reporting back on progress from ICSP meetings.
Attends Tier 2, Universal and Classroom Meetings.
Must be able to model appropriate de-escalation and processing skills for other employees.
Utilizing Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) strategies to de-escalate students and develop a plan for them to return to the classroom and achieve success throughout the school day.
Builds positive relationships with all students and staff members.
Assists students in developing effective emotional coping and problem-solving skills, as well as prosocial skills.
The Therapeutic Support Staff coordinates with the Behavior/ Therapeutic Support Team to prepare and submit all Critical Incident Reports for the day, prior to the end of the shift.
Creates and submits Incident Reports (as necessary): Accident reports, Critical Incident Reports, Justice Center reports, etc.
May be requested to attend TCI “Train the Trainer” as professional development and to join the agency’s TCI training team.
May be requested to attend various meetings (i.e. Med Review, Suspension Re-Entry meetings, Treatment Plan Meetings, etc.).
Works collaboratively with Master Teachers, Teacher Assistants and other staff in order to provide a comprehensive, inclusive and supportive program for all students.
Must be able to model and coach appropriate de-escalation and processing skills for other employees.
Knowledgeable and assists with implementation of all students’ Individual Crisis Support Plans (ICSP), Individual Education Plan (IEP) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP).
Responsible for logging student data when utilizing Therapeutic Support Spaces.
Works in a classroom as indicated by the Supervisor of Behavior Supports, Principal, or other school administrators.
Meets with Supervisors to review progress toward professional goals, and design and implement specific treatment strategies for individual students, whole classes, and/or the student population as a whole.
Additional position-related duties and responsibilities as assigned by the supervisor or director.

Benefits

Competitive Pay with an Excellent Benefits Package
Health Insurance options: Medical, Dental and Vision
$600 Well-being Reimbursement Benefit
Generous Combined Leave Time (CLT) and Paid Holidays!
$500 Employee Referral Bonus
We are a 501(c) (3) agency, which is a qualifying employer for eligible staff under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
Pension Plan with Generous Agency Contribution
403b Retirement Savings Plan
Life Insurance – Automatic Benefit at no cost to employee
Paid Training, including TCI and CPR/AED/First Aid Certification & Update courses, if role appropriate
Tuition Reimbursement
Travel/ Mileage Reimbursement
Professional Development & Career Growth Opportunities
The Comfort of a Business Casual Environment
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging.