CBAT Milieu Specialist

About Walker

Since 1961, Walker Therapeutic & Educational Programs has been a trusted partner for children, youth, and families, navigating some of life’s most difficult challenges. Based in Needham, our mission is to nurture hope, build strengths, and develop lifelong skills in partnership with the children, youth, families, and communities we serve. We provide comprehensive trauma‑informed residential, educational, and clinical services to children and youth with complex social‑emotional, behavioral, and learning needs, while supporting their families every step of the way.

Through three specialized divisions—Residential & Educational Programs, Behavioral Health & Community‑Based Services, and Walker Solutions—we deliver relationship‑based care and capacity‑building that makes a lasting difference. Today, we serve children, youth, and families from more than 150 communities across Massachusetts.

As the CBAT Specialist at Walker, you will work directly with children and youth who are navigating social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. You will be part of a supportive, multidisciplinary team that helps youth feel safe, connected, and ready to grow. As your career continues to grow in the human services field, this is a chance to build valuable experience while making a real impact.

Under the guidance of the assigned unit supervisor, Specialists are responsible for providing leadership within the therapeutic milieu for clients within the CBAT program. This includes assisting program leadership with assigned tasks and directly providing and modeling for direct care staff the close supervision of all youth, basic caretaking functions, supporting youth through a daily schedule of activities, and crisis management as needed.

• Perform in a way that is aligned with the agency mission and core values, including trauma‑informed, relationship‑based, family‑involved, developmentally focused, competence‑centered, and ecologically oriented services.
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary team to support the emotional, behavioral, and educational development of youth.
• Fulfill all expected duties of direct care staff on shift, including providing supervision and basic caretaking.
• Act as the point person for the unit when the supervisor is not present, ensuring all responsibilities are complete (e.g., youth’s basic needs are met, written reports are complete, programming is followed, physical space in the residence is safe).
• Provide leadership, training, and mentoring to other team members on the shift.
• Assist the unit supervisor with onboarding incoming staff.
• Oversee the planning and implementation of social and recreational activities for youth on the unit.
• Assist with crises across campus as needed.
• Run unit meetings when the supervisor is not present.
• Supervise an intern on the unit.
• Participate in Walker medication training in order to administer medications to youth as needed.
• Maintain spaces in accordance with Walker and licensing standards.
• Attend Multi‑Disciplinary Team meetings and treatment meetings as needed to discuss youth’s progress.
• Collaborate with staff and supervisors across shifts and campus programs to ensure smooth operations and consistent treatment of youth.
• Additional duties as assigned.

• Must successfully pass and apply Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) training.
• Must successfully complete First Aid/CPR training.
• Must successfully pass medication training.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to remain calm and make safe decisions in high‑pressure situations.
• Capacity to work effectively in a stressful and fast‑paced environment.
• Ability to learn, retain, and apply principles taught in training and supervision.
• Physical stamina to participate in activities with children.
• Ability to stand, walk, and run for extended periods, perform frequent bending, stooping, stretching, lifting (up to 10 lbs.), sitting, stairs, typing, and looking at a computer screen.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; computer experience is required.
• Ability to meet deadlines and follow through with…