Life Skills Specialist

Life Skills Specialist

The Jewish Board's Community Behavioral Health programs provide compassionate, high-quality, evidence-based services to individuals and families in the communities we serve. Using a culturally responsive, person-centered approach, staff help individuals and families build skills and access resources that improve functioning, foster hope, and strengthen resilience. Our programs partner closely with community organizations to address health disparities while honoring community strengths. Our children's community residences are single-site group homes for up to eight children and adolescents, offering a supervised, trauma-informed therapeutic environment that builds the skills needed to live successfully in the community and participate in school or work, as appropriate.

The Life Skills Specialist is a key member of the Westchester Ave CCR team, providing direct support to youth in developing daily living skills such as household management, meal preparation, and appointment coordination. The position also partners with the interdisciplinary team on service planning, crisis intervention, and safety planning to promote stability, independence, and overall well-being.

Key

Essential Functions:

• Provide structured life skills training in daily living, personal hygiene, meal preparation, budgeting, time management, public transportation, and community safety.
• Develop and implement individualized life skills interventions based on each youth's strengths, needs, treatment goals, developmental level, and transition plan.
• Provide individual and group coaching, modeling, and hands-on practice in the residence and community to build independence, problem-solving, self-advocacy, and age-appropriate decision-making.
• Collaborate with the multidisciplinary team, including clinical, residential, educational, and family supports, to integrate life skills development into each youth's service plan and daily routine.
• Document services, progress, and barriers in a timely manner; share relevant observations with the treatment team; engage caregivers, as appropriate; and help youth apply skills during home visits, school, work, and community transitions.
• Run weekly groups independent living skills groups.
• Can be called upon to work 1:1 with a youth who's in crisis.
• Take and complete Medication Administration Training (MAT).
• Complete Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Training (TCI).

Core Competencies:

• Strong teaching and coaching skills, including the ability to develop individualized skills plans and help youth build independence and self-sufficiency.
• Skills in financial management, cooking, household maintenance, and personal hygiene training.
• Conduct frequent fieldwork and travel within the boroughs using public transportation or an agency vehicle, as available.
• Ability to work from a strengths-based, trauma-informed, and youth development framework.
• Compassionate, warm, and empathetic engagement with youth.
• Commitment to supporting and advocating for young people.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to build rapport and provide consistent support.
• Reliability, professionalism, respect for diversity, and belief in the capacity for change.
• Ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries and remain calm in high-pressure situations.
• Strong organizational, advocacy, and problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge of housing resources, public benefits, and entitlement systems.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate within a multidisciplinary team, build partnerships with external providers, navigate complex systems, and work independently.
• Flexibility and adaptability in responding to the evolving needs of the youth served.

Educational/Training

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in social work, human services, psychology, education, rehabilitation, or a related field required. Coursework or training in child and adolescent development, trauma-informed care, mental health, or independent living skills is strongly preferred.

Experience Required/Language Preference:

• Experience working with children, adolescents, or transition-age youth with serious emotional disturbance, behavioral health needs, or complex psychosocial needs in residential, school, community-based, or behavioral health settings is strongly preferred. Experience providing skills training, coaching, crisis support, or rehabilitative interventions is highly desirable.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred. Demonstrated ability to provide culturally responsive, person-centered services and communicate effectively with youth, families, providers, and community partners from diverse backgrounds is strongly valued.

Computer

Skills Required:

Proficiency in Microsoft Office and electronic health record systems is required. The role must be able to:

• Complete timely, accurate, and compliant documentation
• Maintain records in accordance with agency standards
• Communicate effectively with team members through electronic systems
• Track service delivery and related…