Youth Care Worker - Emergency Shelter (Full Time

Youth Care Specialists

Life Works of Austin, TX is looking for full-time Youth Care Specialists to join our Emergency Shelter team! A Youth Care Worker (YCW) is responsible for providing care and services to youth, typically ranging from ages 13-19 living in a 24-hour licensed residential facility. A YCW helps maintain safety and compliance of the residential facility. A YCW monitors, supervises, transports, and helps meet basic needs of youth in a way that positively supports their development as well as their individual goals.

We are looking to hire for full-time, 12-hour shifts with multiple schedules available.

This full time, non-exempt position earns a competitive rate of $22.00/hr benefits are also included, which consist of 24 PTO days per year (accrued); 11 paid holidays per year; a premium-free employee medical plan with $100 per month HSA contribution (plus other affordable employee or family medical, dental, and vision options!); a retirement savings plan with 50% match on the first 6% of contributions, and much more!

Responsibilities

• Supervises clients and the facility by overseeing their care and safety through the core values and mission of the organization.
• Ensures client safety and engagement services by:
  • Consistently interacting with clients using Life Works' client-focused and strengths-based approaches. This includes supporting day-to-day activities of youth and relating to clients as they move toward their individual goals.
  • Assisting clients with day-to-day needs including assistance with case management, school activities, job search activities, transportation, cleaning activities, meal preparation, and administration of daily medications.
  • Coordinating and helping with transportation for clients to a variety of outings, including staff-led community-based activities, client appointments, job interviews, emergency room visits, etc.
  • Engaging in conversations with youth regarding topics such as race, identity proclamation and exploration, substance use, mental health, healthy boundaries and habits, and self-sufficiency while maintaining professional boundaries and client confidentiality in accordance with state and federal laws.
  • Demonstrating the ability to provide youth with positive coping methods while supporting the healing from trauma through a healing centered approach.
  • Demonstrating the ability to manage emotions and perform in high pressure and/or crisis with calm, care, and unconditional positive regard for youth.
  • Managing emotional, physical, and verbally escalated situations by applying approved behavior modification technique to de-escalate youth back to normalcy, as well as physical restraints utilizing "Handle with Care" techniques when necessary.
  • Follows DFPS Minimum Standards for incident reporting, implementation of safety plans action plans in coordination with team members, including case managers.
  • Distribute, document and observe clients in receiving prescribed medications. This also includes having a basic understanding of psychotropic medications as learned in trainings and the administration/transfer of such medications.
  • Coordinates and completes Intake and discharge of client services. This includes consent for services and risk assessment for supervision guidelines.
  • Completes Initial Orientation. This includes explanation of services, client rights and responsibilities, policies and guidelines.
  • Follows health and safety guidelines per DFPS minimum standards and Life Works safety planning.
• Ensures program compliance by:
  • Completing regular perimeter walks, room checks, facility/room searches, and ongoing visual checks of facility.
  • Documents and maintains daily written records of client whereabouts and incidents and communicates information with team members while maintaining client confidentiality in accordance with state and federal laws.
  • Documenting and maintaining written records of client behavior, client progress, activity engagement, school attendance, medications and incidents through daily notes, logs and incident reports while maintaining client confidentiality in accordance with state and federal laws.
  • Communicating effectively with team members and client…