Lead Youth Treatment Specialist 3rd Shift - Jefferson County YCSF

Lead Youth Treatment Specialist 3rd Shift - Jefferson County YCSF

Job Code: 2026-SPECIALI-060

Location:

Watertown

Department:
Jefferson County YCSF

FT/PT Status:
Full Time

Job Summary The Lead Youth Treatment Specialist works in a therapeutic milieu environment serving youth at a State Certified Youth Crisis Stabilization Facility (YCSF) serving male, female and gender non-conforming youth, ages 8-17 supporting youth through a mental health crisis that has resulted in a youth needing a safe space to reside for up to 30 days. The 3rd Shift Lead Youth Treatment Specialist provides two essential roles within the Jefferson County Matz Center Youth Crisis Stabilization Facility.

The first role of being responsible for direct care, nurturing and supervision of the residents during 3rd Shift. This includes, but is not limited to, providing supervision of the youth receiving services and being responsible for ensuring all youth and staff are following third shift protocols. The second role being a shift lead to ensure staff are trained, meeting the needs of the youth, and are following the policies/procedures of the Matz Center.

This includes ensuring youth are in their rooms, staff are completing the required bedroom checks, completing documentation and that youth are awake on time in the morning and prepared for the day (i.e., hygiene, rooms cleaned, etc.).

• Serve as a positive role model and work alongside a Youth Treatment Specialist in the milieu conducting the treatment model to support the vision and mission of the Matz Center Youth Crisis Stabilization Facility.
• Present professionally, support Youth Treatment Specialists in engaging in therapeutic interactions by coaching skill use throughout morning activities, modeling appropriate behavior, teaching, and reinforcing use and generalization of skills through a token economy system.
• Assist supervisor with tasks pertaining to training, supervision, and supporting third shift staff members. Providing directives to staff on shift, reporting back concerns with staff performance, writing up coaching documents for staff behavioral concerns and participating in staff coaching and mediation.
• Conduct directives from supervisor such as supervising and assisting Youth Treatment Specialists and ensure the third shift checklist is completed and assigning tasks including but not limited to building organization, cleaning, food preparation, inventory, and daily programming set up.
• Performing and supervising third shift room checks verifying the status of each youth, ensuring youth are asleep, not distressed and are safe.
• Ensure clinical recommendations for safety such as supervising suicide protocols and safety plans are implemented.
• Use evidence-based best practices for youth with mental health, substance use and life needs. This includes Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), trauma informed care, motivational interviewing, youth centered, and culturally reverent approaches while celebrating youth’s development and identity.
• Calmly and responsibly respond during crisis situations and intervene to de-escalate utilizing Principles of Stabilization and Control (POSC) for non-escalation, de-escalation, and possible physical intervention to maintain safety in the environment for youth and staff when preventing or responding to a crisis.
• Function as the point person to contact leadership and/or the authorities in the event of an emergency.
• Work a flexible schedule to provide shift coverage for youth treatment specialists during pre-planned absences and be available to assist with last minute coverage needs, including coordinating coverage for own absence with lead team.
• Attend and co-facilitate mandatory meetings…