POSITION TITLE: Behavior Specialist

REPORTS TO: Mental Health Clinical Supervisor; Director(s); Clinical Supervisor(s); Behavior Analyst/Behavior Consultant; Other managers as directed.

POSITIONS SUPERVISED: None

FLSA STATUS: Non-exempt

PURPOSE: The Behavior Specialist position is a specialized role available at our autism intervention center to work with our clients that have more challenging behaviors. This position is best for a detail-oriented person who loves to collaborate with others, can implement clinician developed behavior support plans with fidelity, collect and document daily data, complete daily progress notes, and provide data to clinicians at case review meetings. Challenging behaviors vary depending on the client and their specific needs.

ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL:

• Director
• Manager
• Senior Staff
• Staff

EDUCATION REQUIRED: Must hold a bachelor's degree and/or 3 years of related experience required.

CREDENTIALS REQUIRED: None

PRODUCTIVITY REQUIREMENT: 1,200 hours per year (12 months)

General Requirements (All Employees)

• Follow work schedule with reliable attendance and punctuality and attend meetings, staff development, and training
• Multi-task, organize and prioritize assignments
• Adhere to applicable company and departmental policies and procedures
• Work in difficult environments, solve problems effectively, and exhibit a positive attitude
• Initiate communication with supervisor when needed and work collaboratively with supervisor and other employees
• Follow the guidelines, coaching, and directives provided by management to ensure consistent application of agency protocols
• Receive constructive feedback from supervisor(s) and implement corrections
• Follow all legal and licensing board requirements and ethical standards
• Follow state, federal, and local law as they pertain to job duties and execution
• Keep all client information confidential

Specific Duties, Competencies, Responsibilities, and Behaviors

• Work 1:1 consistently with clients that have more challenging behaviors for up to 6 hours per day
• Do not respond emotionally to behavior episodes verbally or through body language or other non verbal communication
• Remain calm during behavior episodes and doesn't give off that they are nervous or scared to other staff or the client
• Respond positively to feedback from supervisors and implements feedback immediately, correctly and consistently
• Initiate modification of instructor variables- pairing, fading in demands, extinction of off task behaviors, without direction from supervisors
• Follow a BSP with minimal modeling front the program supervisor and implements the BSPs without question with fidelity
• Demonstrate adaptability to new clients, new recommendations, and environmental changes
• Treatment Room Organization: IA sets up the classroom areas such as teacher desk, independent centers and instructional area. Creates schedules and sub plans for the classroom and students. Treatment Binder is set up correctly and the room is clean and organized daily.
• Safety: Maintains proper supervision of children within care at all times. Maintains a safe environment for students by ensuring children do not have access to anything that could harm or injure them. Student health and hygiene are top priority as well as teaching self help/adaptive skills.
• Discrete Trial Training: Implements the procedures of Applied Behavior Analysis including completing correction procedures, teaching verbal behavior accurately, modifying instructor variables. Implements errorless learning as designed as well as prompt fading procedures.
• Discrete Trial Training Part 2: Implements appropriate variable ratio schedule of work to reward, uses visuals such as schedulesles and first, then boards, token economy systems, reviews data daily and uses an appropriate pace of instruction
• Mand Training: Pairs self and environment with reinforcement on a daily basis, conducts preference and reinforcer assessments, and teaches functional communication training to students
• Engagement: Has a medium to high level of engagement with clients captures their motivation in order to increase skill development at a high frequency
• Behavior Support Plan Implementation: Implements behavior support plans as designed including specific strategies like social extinction, therapeutic rapport, rational detachment and demonstrates professionalism, compassionate care as well as cultural competence during this time.
• Administrative Job Duties: Uses professional, ABA language and privacy when discussing a client. Turns in data collection, dismissal checklist and progress reports in a timely manner. Creates materials, takes daily data and seeks input from supervisors.
• Professionalism: Recognizes potential problems, presents them professionally, and suggests appropriate solutions, follows IA and all staff policies and procedures. Creates a positive working environment for all staff.
• Do not request schedule changes
• Complete all training, education, and development activities as required
• Demonstrate accurate implementation of clinical and other competencies specific to the position
• Provide behavioral health services following the client's treatment plan, and as qualified to do so, including but not limited to CPST and/or TBS services
• Complete data collection, progress notes, and communication of client progress or lack thereof following internal procedures (e.g., progress note documentation, walkie procedures, Q/A systems, troubleshooting and program completion forms, etc.)
• Monitor and report progress on designated clients toward their ISP/ITP, IEP, and/or Treatment Plan objectives and goals to the supervisor
• Work collaboratively within a treatment team; implement feedback as directed
• Change diapers and provides toilet training; run after children that have eloped from treatment area, get up and down from ground when needed
• Participate in staff development, education and training
• Attend video reviews given by supervisor and complete self-evaluations and video reviews as requested
• Seek, receive and apply feedback appropriately and professionally
• Meet productivity requirements
• Model professional behavior and decorum such as treat staff and clients professionally; uses professional language when discussing
• Prepare for sessions prior to session start time to make each treatment moment valuable
• Prepare and maintain “mix and vary” boxes and associated materials including but not limited to promptly adding newly-mastered target materials
• Conduct reinforcer assessments and delivers reinforcement following ABA principles and procedures
• Conduct social skills sessions for individuals in need and as assigned by client's case supervisor
• Implement behavior plans as directed by supervisors
• Identify and report to supervisors when interventions are needed for specific clients and client treatment and/or education programs
• Substitute at any given time for other staff to work with clients potentially not on regular schedules

Other

Employees in all positions may have contact with co-workers and clients and be required to engage in moderate physical activity.

Company Management has the right to change an employee's job duties or request that employees perform other reasonable duties that are not listed.