Therapeutic Youth Support Specialist

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• Responsible for the overall supervision, protection and care of youth supported at all times, including maintenance of program guidelines for the protection of individuals, facilitating learning and training in fire safety and identifying and appropriately escalating signs of an individual’s potential harm to self or others.
• Provides all services in accordance with agency philosophy and department practices and in compliance with Federal, State, Local and regulatory requirements, specifically NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH) and escalates concerns or questions to supervisor.
• Supports children in attaining their own unique, behavioral, emotional, intellectual and developmental gains, interacting and intervening as prescribed by individual treatment plans by teaching and fostering skill development, supporting and maximizing strengths, interests and abilities and displaying patience and tolerance while providing therapeutic support to facilitate returns to their homes.
• Develops an understanding of specific needs of children during their stays, providing support in a variety of settings and in accordance with each youth’s individualized service plan, developing and maintaining appropriate and positive relationships by demonstrating proper social boundaries, actively involving youth in all facets of programming and displaying supportive demeanor and an unconditional positive regard for the youth.
• Ensures health, wellness and safety of the youth we support by maintaining a physically and emotionally safe, secure, organized and clean therapeutic environment, which includes performing regular laundry and cleaning duties, as needed, providing appropriate supervision and managing crisis situations while adhering to applicable policies, procedures and regulations.
• Utilizes appropriate therapeutic crisis intervention deescalation techniques and/or prescribed interventions (proximity, time and space, caring gestures, etc.), responding timely and appropriately to redirect or prompt youth experiencing stress and/or self-injurious behavior.
• Ensures the needs of the youth supported are met by adhering to person-centered individualized plans, supporting therapeutic interventions and activities, encouraging socialization and stabilization and reporting any changes in behavior or other signs and symptoms to clinical and/or leadership team.
• Assists with a variety of tasks for youth we support, ensuring adherence to applicable and/or mandatory activity schedules as appropriate/authorized, including:
  • Providing or supporting personal care, such as laundry and housekeeping.
  • Assisting with other activities of daily living (ADLs), which may include intimate care or personal hygiene.
  • Observing to ensure that medication is taken as prescribed.
  • Assisting with homework or other remote learning educational activities.
  • Teaching/developing skills.
  • Assisting in communication, self-expression and resolving disputes amongst youth.
  • Providing supervision for and/or planning and preparing balanced meals and snacks in accordance with dietary restrictions and guidelines of modified diets.
  • Transporting and escorting youth on recreational activities, medical appointments and/or to other mandatory activities, such as school, etc.
• Utilizes safe and appropriate handing procedures when working with youth and implements infection control protocols.
• Understands behavior as communication and employs person-centered thinking to support positive interactions and prevent further escalation.
• Collects, records and summarizes data regarding youth supported including charting where prescribed by treatment plan and responses to therapeutic interventions, behaviors, signs, symptoms, setting events, triggers and effective interventions in accordance with all applicable requirements.
• Completes all paperwork and written records related to individual treatment in appropriate formats, including but not limited to medical and medication management and monitoring, treatment records, progress, behavior and incident reports, data collection, billing records, charting and daily notes accurately, timely and in compliance with all relevant laws, rules and/or regulations.
• Appropriately documents all interactions with any external entity regarding youth supported, including families and reports errors, incidents or emergencies in compliance with all applicable…