Residential Specialist in Elizabeth, New Jersey at RWJBarnabas Health

Job Title: Residential Specialist

Location: NPC PLAZA BLDG

Department Name: Residential Units - IP Adol

Req #: 0000265372

Status: Hourly

Shift: Day

Pay Range: $26.39 - $26.39 per hour

Pay Transparency:

The above reflects the anticipated hourly wage range for this position if hired to work in New Jersey.

The compensation offered to the candidate selected for the position will depend on several factors, including the candidate's educational background, skills and professional experience.

Our Residential Specialist works collaboratively to promote optimal development, teach vital independence skills, and prevent psychological trauma in hospitalized adolescents and youth navigating severe psychiatric crises. Operating within a specialized 15-bed inpatient adolescent residential unit, our specialists proactively engage vulnerable populations to provide safety, connection, structure, and support. We view our clinical support staff as a critical component of the multidisciplinary care plan and recognize the incredibly positive impact they have on the healing journeys and healthcare outcomes of our patients and their families. We hope you are excited by the opportunity to deliver trauma-informed care in a way that redefines the patient experience through teamwork, compassion, and excellence within the RWJBarnabas Health network!

A Typical Day

• Shift Coordination & Leadership: Directing shift workflows, assigning duties to floor staff, and leading daily resident community meetings and psychoeducational independent life skills groups.
• Milieu Safety & Crisis Management: Utilizing verbal de-escalation and crisis intervention techniques to manage high-acuity behavioral outbursts, monitoring elopement protocols, tracking crisis precipitants, and safely facilitating restraint interventions when necessary.
• Treatment Plan Implementation: Contributing daily electronic medical documentation to support individualized treatment plans, following nurse/physician directives, and overseeing state-standard medication delivery workflows.
• Clinical Triage & Discretion: Exercising critical clinical judgment regarding the deployment of emergency medical or psychiatric services, reporting directly to the Program Director and on-call nursing leadership.
• Family & Visitor Support: Maintaining strict unit security by screening visitors, updating unit logs, and providing supportive interventions during family interactions and clinical visitations.
• Staff Mentorship & Collaboration: Serving as an active preceptor to orient new residential staff members and rotating students, while collaborating fluidly during multidisciplinary conferences to optimize team safety.

This Role Might Be For You If

• You are deeply passionate about creating a secure, welcoming, and therapeutic environment for youth (ages 14 to 18) navigating severe trauma and acute emotional disturbances.
• You excel under pressure, maintain an exceptional professional demeanor, and stay current on acute crisis intervention and youth residential care techniques.
• You recognize and respect the direct impact your active listening, patience, and vigilance have on a young patient's intensive hospitalization recovery journey.
• You are high-energy, possess strong clinical judgment, and thrive in a collaborative team framework alongside nurses, physicians, and administrative leadership.

To Be Considered

• Education: A Bachelor’s Degree (B.A./B.S.) in Psychology, Social Work, Criminal Justice, or a closely related behavioral health field from an accredited institution is required.
• Licensure: Must possess and maintain a valid, unencumbered Driver’s License with a clean driving record validated by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC).
• Experience: Proven foundational experience in crisis management, acute behavior mitigation, or youth residential care is required. Prior experience in an inpatient psychiatric facility, residential treatment center, or youth shelter is highly preferred.
• Domain Knowledge: Strong ability to assess age-specific safety issues and implement specialized trauma-informed protocols. Familiarity with the New Jersey Children's System of Care (CSOC) and PerformCare is a plus.