Behavioral Youth Counselor Assistant

Company Overview

Youth Villages has been a national leader in the implementation of research-based treatment philosophies in the field of children's mental and behavioral health. Our commitment to helping troubled children and their families find success spans 30+ years and includes a comprehensive array of programs and services.

If you are looking for a positive career move where you are meeting the challenges of life and striving to make a positive difference, then Youth Villages is the place for you. We are looking for people with a strong sense of purpose and focus to continually build confidence in yourself and our organization.

Program Overview

Youth Villages’ Residential Treatment programs serve children with emotional and behavioral problems. Our residential campuses provide the setting for an intensive treatment program that combines the unique balance of structure and freedom. This enables children and their families to identify, understand and cope with their individual needs and develop the skills necessary to succeed in less restrictive settings. We have three different types of facilities—Intensive Residential Centers, Open Campuses, and Group Homes. Located in Tennessee and Georgia, all of these facilities utilize the Re-Education of Emotionally Disturbed Children therapy model (Re-Ed).

Position Overview

The Behavioral Youth Counselor Assistant, also known as Teacher Counselor Assistant

• Conducts group and 1 on 1 counseling sessions
• Improves children’s behavior through coping skills and other therapeutic interventions.
• Our Teacher Counselor Assistant positions are located in our residential facilities and group homes.
• Participates in recreation therapy with children.
• Participates in client transports to various locations
• Teach children necessary life skills and provide for their physical daily care.

Average Annual Salary

$42000 - $47000 / year based on schedule and hours worked

Time-and-a-half pay for worked holidays

Additional Information

Schedule 1 Wednesday (1230pm – 11pm), Thursday (130pm – 11pm), Friday (130pm – 11pm) + Sunday (7am – 11pm) + 1 overnight, maybe 2

Schedule 2 Monday (130pm – 11pm), Tuesday (130pm – 11pm), Wednesday (1230pm – 11pm) + Saturday (7am – 11pm) + 1 overnight, maybe 2

The supervision and treatment of youth requires prolonged periods of walking and standing and physical agility. May be required to run and climb flights of stairs. Must be able to participate in physical interventions with youth when necessary. Must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move more than 100 pounds.

Will be required to complete Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) and CPR training.

Applicants are required to pass an agility and strength evaluation.

Applicants must have valid driver license.

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED required

Experience Working/volunteering With Youth, Corrections, Or Police Work Preferred

Excellent written, verbal, and oral skills

Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously

Basic computer knowledge

Ability to maintain a flexible schedule.

Benefits

Medical, Dental, Prescription Drug Coverage and Vision

401(k)

2 weeks paid vacation

12 paid sick days per year

11 paid holidays

Paid Parental Leave

Mileage & Cell Phone Reimbursement (when applicable)

Tuition reimbursement and licensure supervision

Growth & development through continuous training

Clinical and administrative advancement opportunities

Youth Villages is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Youth Villages is committed to not only advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace but also in our work with children and young adults. We know that children, families and young people of color can face inequity in child welfare and justice systems, and we train our employees to build the skills they need to work with the communities that we serve, as well as, other employees from different cultures and backgrounds. Youth Villages is opposed to racism in any of its forms and is committed to inclusion, equity, and diversity. We believe that respect for each other is crucial in the work that we do each day.

Who is Youth Villages?

Youth Villages is a nonprofit organization striving to help troubled youth and families live successfully. We are a team of 3,000 individuals who’ve come together across 14 states to change the landscape of child welfare and juvenile justice across the country. Our work involves providing an array of counseling and treatment services to youth with severe emotional and behavioral problems.

Eighty-four percent of those who go through treatment are succeeding two years after leaving our program. These youth are living at home, remaining in school, and are not experiencing trouble with the law.

We believe strongly in investing in and supporting our employees. We offer candidates opportunities to develop a career and be part of a positive change in our country’s treatment of at-risk youth and families.

Position Summary

Provides care coordination services to families who have been diverted from states custody through the Child Protective Services system. Responsible for creating and/or monitoring the non-custodial permanency plan and ensuring that adequate services and assistance are provided to youth and families to complete the action steps on the plan. Responsible for maintaining child records. Ensuring that placement is stable and meeting the needs of the youth and coordinating needed placement with the main purpose of preventing a custodial placement with the state. Primary liaison between team members including; provider agencies, courts, schools, attorneys, guardian ad litem, CASA, provider services, biological families or caregivers and any other involved parties.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Be able to gather pertinent assessment information using clinical skills, critical thinking and problem solving to assess areas of risk and apply appropriate intervention or services to each situation.
• Prepare for, organize, notify other team members and lead Team Meetings.
• Have ability to manage multiple priorities at once, while staying organized and meeting paperwork compliance deadlines.
• Facilitate the forward progress of the youth’s treatment and ensure the youth is in the least restrictive setting that is safely possible. Responsible for moving youth towards permanency goal in a timely fashion.
• Ability and means to drive frequently; provide proof of liability and property damage insurance on vehicle used and possession of valid driver’s license.
• Act as an advocate for a youth and families who may face legal charges.
• If services are referred, appropriate monitoring of those services through regular check ins to assessed clinical progress and competency.
• Conduct frequent home and site visits. Assess safety needs of homes or placement site. A minimum of twice per month in person is required. Some situations will require more frequent in person visits. Travel will be required for home/site visits throughout the state of Tennessee.
• Meet on call requirements; on call 5am-5pm for youth on caseload. Times between 5pm-5am, weekends and observed holidays will rotate on call with other team members.
• Ensure that all needs of youth and families are met, including; mental health, medical, dental, education, placement/safety and legal. This will be monitored and reviewed through court hearings, completion of appointments, evidence from clinical providers, school records and the non-custodial permanency plans, etc.
• Provide case-management/care coordination services to youth and families on case load. See youth/families on caseload as required per DCS policy.
• Prepare for, organize, notify other team members and participate in court hearings. Ensure all court documents are turned into the judge per the counties court requirements.
• Ensure intensity of services to maintain children with caregivers and prevent a state’s custody episode. Monitor relative and kinship options for children to have back up prevention plans for removals and safety.
• Be a primary liaison between youth, family and other team members.
• Serves Rutherford, Wilson, Davidson and Montgomery Counties; regional travel to other surrounding counties will be required.
• Complete all necessary documentation including non-custodial permanency planning and FAST assessments to determine areas of focus and track progress of those goals. Also, complete any Youth Villages’ supervision trackers and other compliance trackers as requested.
• Monitor and ensure timely completion/resolution of legal needs, including; completion of non-custodial permanency plans, court hearings and any legal charges occurring before or during custody.
• Exercise clinical judgement through administering assessment tools such as the FAST assessment, CSSRS assessment, etc. Be able to make solid clinical judgement around when to escalate a case to leadership for further review and potential removal. Show expertise in risk management through assessment skills and problem solving.
• Make recommendations to and collaborate closely with external and internal customers. Maintain positive customer relationships and experience.
• Attend school meetings as needed and ensure youth is placed in the least restrictive/most appropriate school setting. Ensure that youth’s education rights and needs are being met. Facilitate families tracking and monitoring of grades and school attendance.
• Work in a team setting.
• Work flexible hours including weekends, holidays and after hours, including some on-call rotation.
• Ensure quick and timely responses to all customers within the team.
• Learn and have competency with Department of Children’s Services policies that guide care and services for youth and families.
• Attend weekly case review and other weekly business meetings with supervisor and leadership team.
• Carry caseload of approximately 20 cases.
• Have strong attention to details through documentation and follow through with set plans.

Salary

$50000 - $58000 / year based on education and clinical license

Requirements

A Master's degree in a social services discipline is strongly preferred

A Bachelor's degree in a social services discipline is required

Degrees that can be considered include social work, drug and alcohol education or counseling, psychology, criminal justice, guidance counseling, or marriage and family therapy. Other degrees will have to be evaluated further to determine if they meet the qualifications.

One year of related experience in counseling and/or case management is required

Strong organizational skills and attention to detail

Excellent written, verbal, and oral skills

Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously

Basic computer knowledge

Ability to maintain a flexible schedule

Acceptable driving record - Three or fewer moving violations within the past 36 months

Benefits

Medical, Dental, Prescription Drug Coverage and Vision

401(k)

2 weeks paid vacation

12 paid sick days per year

11 paid holidays

Paid Parental Leave

Mileage & Cell Phone Reimbursement (when applicable)

Tuition reimbursement and licensure supervision

Growth & development through continuous training

Clinical and administrative advancement opportunities

Youth Villages is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Youth Villages is committed to not only advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace but also in our work with children and young adults. We know that children, families and young people of color can face inequity in child welfare and justice systems, and we train our employees to build the skills they need to work with the communities that we serve, as well as, other employees from different cultures and backgrounds. Youth Villages is opposed to racism in any of its forms and is committed to inclusion, equity, and diversity. We believe that respect for each other is crucial in the work that we do each day.

committed to inclusion, equity, and diversity. We believe that respect for each other is crucial in the work that we do each day.

Additional Information

Schedule 1 Wednesday (1230pm - 11pm), Thursday (130pm - 11pm), Friday (130pm - 11pm) + Sunday (7am - 11pm) + 1 overnight, maybe 2

Schedule 2 Monday (130pm - 11pm), Tuesday (130pm - 11pm), Wednesday (1230pm - 11pm) + Saturday (7am - 11pm) + 1 overnight, maybe 2

The supervision and treatment of youth requires prolonged periods of walking and standing and physical agility. May be required to run and climb flights of stairs. Must be able to participate in physical interventions with youth when necessary. Must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move more than 100 pounds.

Will be required to complete Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) and CPR training.

Applicants are required to pass an agility and strength evaluation.

Applicants must have valid driver license.