Youth Care Worker in Salem, Virginia at HopeTree Family Services

Job Title: TGH Youth Care

Department: Therapeutic Group Home

Reports To: TGH Staff Supervisor

FLSA Status: Hourly, Non-Exempt

SUMMARY

The TGH Youth Care Worker provides direct supervision, guidance, and support to residents while helping them build essential life skills, strengthen personal growth, and improve overall well-being. This position develops individualized coaching plans, supports resident goal setting, assists residents in overcoming challenges, and participates in the development of engaging activities. The TGH Youth Care Worker is directly responsible for the safety, guidance, and supervision of residents assigned to their care and helps residents explore community engagement, social development, career, and higher-education opportunities. The position may provide coverage in TGH cottages as needed.

Essential duties include the following. Other duties may be assigned as needed.

RESIDENT SUPERVISION, SUPPORT AND ENGAGEMENT

• Provide safe, appropriate, and consistent supervision of residents in accordance with licensure standards and HopeTree Family Services policies.
• Establish and maintain therapeutic rapport with residents through empathy, respect, consistency, and professional boundaries.
• Model appropriate behavior, communication, decision-making, and attitudes for residents and coworkers.
• Provide a supportive environment in which residents can share concerns and experiences without judgment.
• Use trauma-informed care principles in all interactions and interventions.
• Use respectful language, an appropriate tone of voice, and fair treatment when interacting with residents, coworkers, leadership, and community partners.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries among residents, staff, and leadership at all times.

LIFE SKILLS ASSESSMENT, PLANNING AND COACHING

• Conduct and document ongoing life-skills assessments, including Casey Life Skills or other approved tools, to identify resident strengths, needs, progress, and goal areas.
• Develop and implement individualized life-skills coaching plans in collaboration with residents, clinical staff, and TGH leadership.
• Collaborate with residents to establish realistic short-term and long-term life-skills goals.
• Provide routine one-on-one and small-group life-skills coaching sessions.
• Use effective coaching techniques to support skill acquisition, sound decision-making, and increasingly independent problem-solving.
• Provide guidance and instruction in communication and interpersonal skills, time management and organization, stress management and emotional regulation, decision-making, and personal responsibility.
• Monitor and document resident progress toward goals and communicate relevant updates to the treatment team, as appropriate.

ACTIVITY PLANNING AND SKILL-BUILDING EXPERIENCES

• Design and implement creative, engaging, and developmentally appropriate life-skills activities within approved budget parameters.
• Tailor activities to residents’ individual needs, interests, developmental levels, and abilities.
• Coordinate with TGH Leads and the Chaplain to implement budget-sensitive activities that support resident growth and program goals.
• Identify and recommend relevant resources, workshops, and community-based opportunities that strengthen residents’ life skills and independence.
• Support residents in community-based learning experiences, when appropriate, to promote real-world application of skills.

MEDICAL SUPPORT, SAFETY AND CRISIS RESPONSE

• Help ensure residents’ medical and health needs are addressed in accordance with agency policy, including medication administration and eMAR documentation; implementation of medical and psychiatric treatment plans; attendance at and coordination of healthcare and psychiatric appointments; and communication of health concerns to appropriate personnel.
• Respond to crisis situations calmly and appropriately by following established intervention, notification, and reporting procedures.
• Complete Serious Incident Reports related to the shift accurately and within required timeframes.

DOCUMENTATION AND COMPLIANCE

• Document life-skills sessions accurately and professionally in the electronic health record within 24 hours after services are provided.
• Ensure documentation is timely, thorough, objective, and reflective of the services provided.
• Read, understand, and implement applicable licensure standards, agency policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
• Comply with applicable state requirements and agency policies.
• Complete required training and certifications within established deadlines.

COLLABORATION, COMMUNICATION AND TEAM PARTICIPATION

• Attend and actively participate in supervision, program meetings, treatment-team meetings, and resident staffing meetings, as required.
• Contribute to a positive, supportive, accountable, and collaborative team environment.
• Demonstrate initiative and accountability by supporting a “see it, own it, solve it” culture.
• Communicate effectively with residents, coworkers, leadership, clinical team members, families, and other partners to support coordinated care.

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND RELIABILITY

• Demonstrate dependability and the ability to carry out assigned duties independently without routine prompting.
• Report to scheduled shifts on time, appropriately groomed, and in accordance with HopeTree Family Services dress-code and attendance requirements.
• Maintain professionalism in appearance, conduct, judgment, and communication.

PROGRAM SUPPORT AND COVERAGE

• Perform Youth Care Worker duties as needed to support cottage operations and resident safety.
• While providing cottage coverage, remain responsible for assigned life-skills documentation, assessments, and coaching expectations.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support program operations.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

Candidates must meet at least one of the following education and experience pathways:

• Bachelor’s degree in human services or a related field, strongly preferred.
• Associate degree and at least three months of experience working directly with children.
• High school diploma or GED and at least two years of experience working directly with children, including at least one year in an adolescent residential facility.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• Ability to accommodate varying schedules, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and other coverage needs based on resident and program needs.
• Knowledge of adolescent development and behavior, trauma-informed care, and appropriate professional boundaries.
• Ability to remain calm, use sound judgment, and follow approved procedures during behavioral, medical, or other crisis situations.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read, understand, and apply policies, procedures, treatment information, licensure requirements, and governmental regulations applicable to the position. Ability to complete clear, accurate, objective, and timely documentation and communicate effectively through verbal and written methods with residents, coworkers, leadership, families, and community partners.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to perform basic calculations and manage approved activity funds, receipts, or other amounts applicable to assigned duties.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to solve practical problems, respond appropriately to changing circumstances, exercise sound judgment, and interpret instructions provided in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

COMPUTER SKILLS

Ability to use email, electronic health records, eMAR, the agency HRIS and timekeeping system, and common Microsoft applications. Accurate and timely data entry is required.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES AND REGISTRATIONS

Valid driver’s license, acceptable driving record, and an acceptable criminal background record. The employee must maintain all training, medication-administration credentials, crisis-intervention certifications, first-aid/CPR credentials, and other certifications required by HopeTree Family Services, licensure standards, or the program.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to stand, walk, sit, bend, reach, and move throughout residential and community settings during the shift.
• Ability to use a keyboard and other office or electronic equipment for documentation and communication.
• Ability to see, hear, and communicate sufficiently to supervise residents and respond to safety concerns.
• Ability to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to participate in approved crisis-prevention and intervention activities, as required by the position and training.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those encountered while performing the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Duties are performed in residential, office, vehicle, healthcare, and community settings and may involve moderate noise, changing activity levels, behavioral or medical incidents, and exposure to varied weather conditions during transportation or community activities. The position requires the ability to work respectfully and effectively with ethnically, linguistically, culturally, and economically diverse populations.

ACCEPTANCE OF JOB DESCRIPTION

I acknowledge that I understand the duties outlined above and agree to perform them to the best of my ability. I understand that this job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every duty and that responsibilities may be changed or assigned based on program and organizational needs. I have received a copy of this job description and understand its requirements.

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Employee Name Employee Signature Date