Youth Counselor III

Empower Youth. Create Hope. Be Part of Something New in 2026.

Location:

On-Site – Turlock, CA

Schedule:

Full-Time | Non-Exempt

Shift Options:
Tuesday to Saturday 2:00 PM-10:30 PM

Department:
Residential Division – STRTP Program. Reports to Program Supervisor. Pay Range: $25.50 - $27.00 per hour.

The pay range for this position is $25.50- $27.00 per hour for employees hired in the Central Valley, CA. The pay range represents the typical range or starting rate of candidates hired within the Central Valley region. Candidates hired in Southern California or Bay Area locations may have higher starting salaries due to cost of living and market data differences. Factors that may be used to determine your actual starting salary include your education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, the market data for your work location, and internal comparison to other employees who hold a similar role.

Aspiranet’s Hope Forward Campus in Turlock is undergoing a transformation that will, once complete in 2026, offer the next generation of therapeutic residential care. The expanded campus meets varying levels of behavioral health and crisis needs for children and youth in the Central Valley. Designed with open community spaces and advanced trauma-informed resources, the campus brings together innovative programming, family engagement, and integrated behavioral health services.

As part of this pioneering environment, you’ll help build a new culture of healing, connection, and growth where every youth’s journey is supported by dedicated, highly trained staff and a community that believes in second chances.

Therapeutic Youth Counselor III (TYC III, Youth Counselor Team Lead) is the senior position in the TYC series responsible for providing support and oversight of junior youth counselor staff, therapeutic interventions, care and supervision of youth residing in a Short-Term Residential Treatment Program (STRTP). The TYC III engages youth with daily routines including school, therapeutic activities, and interventions, and is a member of Aspiranet’s Therapeutic Community of Care.

• Implement and support future-focused, strength-based, trauma-responsive treatment, transition, and discharge plans.
• Apply the daily cottage/group home schedule, adhering to routines and honoring individual rituals, spiritual and cultural customs.
• Act as senior experienced youth counselor and serve in a temporary capacity as administrator when Core Program Supervisor or Manager is absent.
• Stage appropriate therapeutic activities, including transportation.
• Ensure a clean, safe, and welcoming cottage/group home environment through daily checks, monitoring supply levels, and submitting orders as needed.
• Support compliant distribution of self-administered medication and conduct periodic reviews of medication documentation.
• Model, coach, and mentor junior youth counselors while completing written documentation and contact notes to program and funder standards.
• Apply Aspiranet’s identified models of practice—including the Core Practice Model, ARC, Youth Thrive / Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework, Community Resiliency Model (CRM), Life Space Coaching and Crisis Intervention (LSCI), Professional Assault Crisis Training (Pro Act), and Motivational Interviewing (MI).
• Assist youth in voicing their perspective throughout the treatment process.
• Develop engaging and supportive relationships with youth, families, referring parties, collaborative partners, and community providers.
• Monitor the success and barriers of interventions and report incidents and program concerns to the team lead.
• Lead crisis intervention support in compliance with agency and regulatory requirements, coach and engage staff in documentation, and debrief post-crisis planning and remediation.
• Influence development and implementation of strength-based, trauma-informed plans and interventions and advocate for the youths’ best interests.

• A BS or BA degree in Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Counseling, Criminal Justice, or a related field and three (3) full‑time equivalent years of experience in a behavioral health related field.
• The…