Youth Specialist III (NRTC)

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Montgomery County Common Pleas Court

Juvenile Division

CLASSIFICATION TITLE: Youth Specialist III [Residential]

FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt
EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Full-time
REPORTS TO: Youth Specialist Supervisor
CIVIL SERVICE STATUS: Unclassified
WORK SCHEDULE: 40 hours per week
PAY GRADE: A12
DEPARTMENT: Nicholas Residential Treatment

DISTINGUISHING JOB CHARACTERISTICS

Works in an open-setting residential treatment facility for troubled youths. Provides counseling and treatment to youth, and monitors, coaches and directs juvenile’s behavior and activities. The facility is a 24-hour, 7 day per week operation therefore employee will be assigned to a work shift, with essential job duties and responsibilities specific to the shift’s needs.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfactorily perform each essential duty listed below. Reasonable accommodations will be made for disabled persons, covered by the Americans With Disabilities Act, in accordance with its requirements.

Provides individual and group counseling to youth housed in a residential treatment facility. Provides safe and secure environment, and serves as role model.

Conducts group sessions to help establish peer communication and understanding, and to explore alternatives to delinquent behavior. Encourages youth to assume responsibility for actions, and develop self-esteem. Assists youth in dealing with peer and societal pressures, and familial issues. Guides youth in developing school, home and social skills, and assists in formulating life objectives.

Oversees and participates with youth engaged in daily personal and housekeeping routines, and supervises recreational activities including sports, field trips, tournaments, and camping and other events.

Provides orientation and instruction to youths in socially acceptable behavior. Utilizes counseling techniques including behavior management and reality therapy to provide guidance and direction to youth, and meet their emotional needs. Exposes youth to adaptive and social skills training, and teaches and mentors responsibility and self-control. Ensures youth attends school.

Implements crisis intervention treatment.

Maintains records, charts, and logs, and prepares written intervention reports and treatment summaries.

Participates in planning, developing, and coordinating treatment plans and activities with other Child Care Workers and Supervisors.

Maintains and enforces security procedures, and ensures safety and security of both youth and staff. Resolves differences and disagreements among youths, and intervenes in youth altercations. Helps restrain youths and deals with behavior problems as necessary in accordance with prescribed guidelines. Conducts searches of youth and rooms.

Observes youth behavior and maintains awareness of juvenile’s emotional and physical needs. Watches for signs of depression, suicide, disturbances, and other problems and issues.

Maintains communication with “off-going shift” Child Care Workers to discuss youth problems, incidents and other issues to ensure understanding of youth issues and needs, and maintain security.

Operates vehicle to transport youth to and from hospital, medical appointments, activities, programs and other locations. Escorts youth to school classes.

Admits youth to residential facility. Explains facility rules and regulations, and provides juveniles with a handbook to guide behavior and document understanding.

Searches youth for contraband and provides youth with personal necessities.

Provides CPR and first aid as necessary, and contacts medical personnel to provide professional medical care in serious emergency situations. Accompanies youth to hospital to maintain security and youth well-being.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

SCOPE OF SUPERVISION

None

EQUIPMENT OPERATED

Vehicle, computer, copier, telephone and other standard office equipment; microwave, stove and other kitchen appliances; dishwasher; clothes washer and dryer; sweeper, buffer, and other general household equipment; TV; VCR.

CONTACTS WITH OTHERS

Juveniles; crises care workers; youths’ families; legal guardians; clergy; interns; law enforcement officers; Public Defenders; Prosecutors; Probation & Parole Officers; Judges; Magistrates; Social Workers; counselors & therapists; Doctors; Teachers; Intervention staff; Children Service Workers; volunteers.

CONFIDENTIAL DATA

Juvenile records; juvenile medical records; Court records; educational records; Youth Behavior Logs.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Good general working conditions but with occasional exposure to outside weather conditions when transporting youth or supervising outside activities. Possible exposure to assaults from youth. Possible exposure to blood, urine and other bodily fluids.

USUAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The following physical demands are typically exhibited by position incumbents performing this job’s essential duties and responsibilities. These physical demands are not, and should not be construed to be job qualification standards, but are illustrated to help the employer, employee and/or applicant identify tasks where reasonable accommodations may need to be made when an otherwise qualified person is unable to perform the job’s essential duties because of an ADA disability.

While performing duties of this job, the employee normally must be able to walk through the facility, perform light physical labor, and may occasionally have to physically restrain and control persons of varying weights and strengths, for short and prolonged periods. The employee typically traverses up and down stairs, stands for one or two hours at a time, bending, walking and running. The employee may occasionally drag weights up to 175 pounds, and lift heavy objects up to 25 pounds.

The employee commonly uses usual vision demands and must normally be able to converse verbally with the youth, visitors, family members, general public and others, and to hear. The employee may occasionally sit in and operate a vehicle for variable periods of time.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of: residential facility rules, regulations and policy; laws related to residential operations; basic psychology and human relations; societal & familial issues; group dynamics; crisis intervention process and techniques; counseling techniques; security and safety precautions.

Ability to: apply regulatory requirements to practical situations; empathize with youths’ problems and serve as role model; post information accurately and legibly to written record; deal and communicate effectively with youth; develop and maintain effective working relationships with associates, youth, family members, visitors and general public; maintain confidentiality of confidential and sensitive subject matter; exercise sound judgement in making fair but firm decisions.

Skill in: first aid; CPR; listening; crisis intervention; mediation; verbal and written communication; observation; mediating differences between youth; adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing whole numbers; reading; physical restraint.

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s degree in any field, with one year work experience counseling youth, or bachelors degree in counseling, social work, or related field. Ability to pass criminal background check.

Ability to document identity and employment eligibility within three (3) days of original appointment as a condition of employment in compliance with Immigration Reform and Control Act requirements.

LICENSURE OR CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

CPR; First Aid Certification; State Motor Vehicle Operator’s License.

This job description in no manner states or implies that these are the only duties and responsibilities to be performed by the employee filling this position, who will be required to follow instructions and perform any duties required by the employee's supervisor or designee.

Experience

Preferred

• Bachelor’s degree in any field, with one year work experience counseling youth, or bachelors degree in counseling, social work, or related field. Ability to pass criminal background check.

Education

Required

• Bachelors or better in Criminal Justice or related field

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.