Behavioral Health Specialist, Social Work​/Counselor II - Platte Valley YSC

Job Title

This position exists to provide mental health/crisis management services for a caseload of DYS committed youth. DYS committed youth often have behavioral and/or psychiatric problems resulting from trauma-related issues such as neglect, abuse, or severe family problems. This position provides individual, group and family services to this population. This position uses Evidence Based Curricula in working with this population. It provides approved treatment services to youth who have engaged in delinquent behaviors, in a secure state operated treatment facility.

This position provides treatment planning, individual, family and group counseling, ongoing assessment, case management, record keeping, and service coordination in conjunction with a Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) responsible for the overall treatment, supervision and transition of the youth. These youth often have behavioral and psychiatric issues resulting from trauma related exposure such as neglect, abuse or severe family problems. This position completes an integrated and comprehensive strength-based treatment plan and provides expertise in the area of mental health, co-occurring, special needs and family issues.

This position utilizes the Colorado Juvenile Risk Assessment and other validated assessment tools to address criminogenic risk factors and what is driving underlying behavior by using a strength-based approach and a youth's protective factors and resources. This position utilizes a case conceptualization model which gathers the facts about the youth, determines needs, identifies strengths and develops treatment plans. Training and consultation to staff in regard to treatment and milieu interventions specific to juveniles who have complex mental health needs is also a responsibility along with the development and implementation of transition plans in coordination with the multidisciplinary team of client manager, family, youth facility staff and community programs.

This position takes a lead role on the clinical team in the unit, assists in conducting in service trainings and communicates youth's needs to milieu staff. Behavioral Health Specialists will utilize Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral therapy, Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports and the Sanctuary model, in their work with youth and families.

Job duties include:

Assessment and Treatment Planning

• This position utilizes and presents a case conceptualization model of youth on caseload upon entering the facility and discusses this with supervisor and presents to Department chairs for collaboration and decision making around appropriate services. Within the first 30 days of a youth's arrival, this position thoroughly assesses youth's treatment needs by reviewing the youth's main and medical files and making initial and collateral contacts as appropriate.
  
  Collaborate and coordinate treatment needs of youth with DYS client manager, and assessment services to match treatment with estimated length of stay and client need, within 30 days of admission. Interviews the resident ensuring assessment data is reliable as possible, that the resident is engaged in a supportive and educative manner, that confidentiality is maximized, and that problematic symptoms and behaviors are thoroughly evaluated and handled in a sensitive and safe manner.
  
  Contacts/engages parents/family members, significant others, guardians, and referring agents to interview and obtain relevant collateral and supportive data to enhance the understanding and dynamics of the youth's situation. Collaborates and coordinates with direct staff, education, client manager, youth, and other pertinent treatment team members in the development of a treatment service plan. Provides oversight to the treatment plans and identify goals and measurable objectives, interventions and those responsible for providing them, frequency of interventions, and responsibility of the youth.
  
  Treatment plan objectives include skills that youth is working on in addition to individual and group session objectives. A multi-disciplinary integrated and comprehensive approach is applied to treatment planning,…