Youth Care Worker II

Mainstream Nonprofit Solutions Inc.•Topeka, KS

About The Position

Youth Care Worker II-Pathway Family Services, LLC. provides resources for youth and families through their Independent Living Program, TRAIL (Teens Reaching Adult Independent Living), Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility, Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP), outpatient services and specialized foster care services. As a Youth Care Worker II, you will be responsible for the daily general supervision of and interaction with residents with the goal to create and maintain a positive therapeutic environment. The Youth Care Worker II will draw on the resident’s behavioral expressions to develop healthy options for the residents as well as providing support and encouragement for positive actions. The Youth Care Worker II serves as a mentor to Youth Care Worker I staff and performs leadership roles as assigned.

Requirements

High School diploma or equivalent required. Employee is required to have a bachelor’s degree or must be actively and continuously working toward the degree. In the absence of a bachelor’s degree or other post-secondary education as described above, the position shall require at least three years’ experience in working with children with a mental health diagnosis in a residential facility type environment. This experience shall include the following attributes: Has provided appropriate care to the children, and participated in their development and treatment program, Supported constructive resident-family visitation and resident involvement in community activities, and Worked effectively with treatment teams and appropriate stakeholders.
Must be at least 21 years of age based on state requirement of being at least 3 years older than the oldest resident.
Attendance and successful completion of Safe Crisis Management training, provided by Agency, is required. Previous experience with patient restraint preferred.
In addition to the current requirements - the employee is required to attend the Residential Child and Youth Care Professional Certification Training. Employee must complete the online certification process to become Nationally Certified within the first year of employment.
Valid driver’s license and meet agency underwriting standards.
Please Complete a Predictive Index assessment at the following link: https://assessment.predictiveindex.com/692W/71469324-b689-44db-a2d2-518f65a70aa7?type=candidateba

Nice To Haves

Previous experience with patient restraint preferred.

Responsibilities

Participates in the daily activities of residents by personally interacting with them to provide leadership, teaching, role modeling, correction, boundary setting, life skills, communication, and interpersonal relationship skills.
Leads and directs residents in activities designed to promote social interaction, reality orientation and intellectual stimulation the support a trauma informed care treatment modality. Maintains sufficient activity supplies. Develops monthly calendar of planned activities.
Provides residents who are confined in their rooms with in-room activities in keeping with life-long interests (music, reading, etc) and in-room projects they can work on individually.
Monitors resident’s activities to ensure the residents are participating in all required program curriculum.
Completes documentation and forwards reports containing descriptive, analytical, and evaluative content.
Follows all applicable regulations and standards in regard to program requirements and assigned duties. Follows all accreditation standards and governmental regulations in regard to psychiatric residential treatment facilities. Reports observed compliance shortcomings and issues to supervisor.
Transports/escorts residents to and from various activities.
Completes behavior logs for residents.
Supervises residents during mealtimes, snack times, assists with counting and the tracking of sharps utilized in facility.
Makes sure residents observe all appointments, therapies, meetings, study hall, community service and other scheduled activities.
Inspects living unit as needed to report on conditions affecting the health and safety of residents as well as to locate contraband.
Serves as a member of a treatment team to determine which programs, methods, and experiences are appropriate for the treatment of the residents.
Receives detailed instructions from supervisors and professionals on the treatment strategies and techniques to be followed for individual residents.
Observes, records and reports health symptoms, behavior and other significant issues of the residents.
Assists senior PRTF staff in the conduct of agency operations, as assigned. Relies on experience and judgement to plan and meet goals and performs a variety of tasks, as assigned.
Performs a leadership role in the PRTF to include willingness to accept additional responsibilities and the ability to work independently.
Serves as a mentor to Youth Care Worker I positions. Participates in the training of new PRTF staff.
Assumes supervisory responsibilities in the absence of Youth Care Worker III.
Assists with laundry, clerical and cleaning tasks as needed as assigned.
Completes the resident bedroom inspection checklist regulatory and follow up with any required action items.
Due to required staff to client ratio needs, mandatory overtime may be required.
Will be required to drive personal or agency vehicle while transporting children or conducting agency business.