Life Skills Specialist

2521 Westchester Ave, Bronx, NY 10461, USA

Posted Wednesday, July 1, 2026 at 4:00 AM

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.

• 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).
• Maintain professional behaviors and ethical standards as established by licensing board, relevant professional association and the Jewish Board policies and procedures.
• The ability to travel and navigate the community in order to provide services where the youth and family will benefit most from the services delivered
• Additional duties as assigned.

• 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.