The Residential Counselor provides direct care to youth in one of YOU, Inc.’s 24-hour/7-day-a-week acute or congregate care settings. To this end, the Residential Counselor works as part of a shift of staff, led by a shift supervisor, all of whom are in a specific client to staff ratio, with the responsibility for creating and maintaining a therapeutic treatment milieu. Residential Counselors are considered “essential employees” and as such may be mandated to work beyond their scheduled shifts in order to maintain client to staff ratios and/or be required to report to work during declared states of emergency.
The Residential Counselor insures the safety and supervision of youth, cultivates a therapeutic treatment milieu, maintains appropriate boundaries while developing supportive professional relationships with youth, participates in the upkeep and cleanliness of the facility, documents client care as required or directed, and if necessary, utilizes agency physical management interventions.
• Insure the safety and supervision of youth through watching and engaging therapeutically with youth. To this end, the Residential Counselor should monitor and take corrective action to mitigate safety risks in the milieu, and report issues of immediate concern to the Shift Supervisor, or the next level manager.
• Cultivate a therapeutic milieu. The therapeutic milieu encompasses all aspects of programming daily routine and requires Residential Counselors to role model and promote client’s:
o Social growth and connection, building social skills
o Emotional expression and learning self-regulation,
o Positive behavior
o Improvement in overall functioning.
• Maintain appropriate boundaries while developing supportive professional relationships with youth in the following ways:
o Physical boundaries: always maintain appropriate physical boundaries with clients.
o Emotional boundaries: be aware that our clients have trauma histories.
o Logistical boundaries: always double-check client’s report of permissions granted.
o Informational/privacy: always protect client confidentiality and understand HIPAA
o Staff-to-staff boundaries: be collegial and professional with your coworkers and ensure you are always in ratio
o Staff- to- providers/caregivers: introduce yourself and be warm and professional to all other coworkers, visitors, and family members.
• Participate in the upkeep and cleanliness of the facility. To this end, be proactive about daily upkeep of the unit/program, model and assist youth in completing chores, ensure programmatic room checks, house chores, youth chores, etc. are completed, support youth to do laundry, and support in meal preparation (as needed/required).
• Document client care as directed. For a Residential Counselor, this typically includes:
o Reviewing and/or being familiar with client’s reason for intake and treatment plans
o Completing “shift notes” (all shifts at Wetzel, STARR, and Teen Parent Programs, and third shift at Oxford and Grafton House)
o Complete “Rehab option notes” after first and second shifts at Oxford and Grafton House, or if rehabilitation services occur at night.
o Completing shift logs after each shift
o Documentation of medication administration.
o Being aware of safety plans and any special programming (meal charts, sleep charts, etc.)
o Completing incident reports as instructed or as needed
• Uphold client confidentiality and maintain HIPAA requirements.
• Understand program/agency policies and procedures, which includes maintaining up-to-date certification in:
o CPI/De-escalation and Physical Management
o First Aid, CPR, and use of Universal Precaution
o Medication Management and/or MAP
o Van Safety/Drivers Safety
• Be a reliable and positive team member, which includes arriving on time to and prepared for all shifts, attending all required meetings and supervisions, bringing concerns directly to a supervisor, and viewing clients in a strengths-based, trauma-informed, and culturally-responsive manner.
• In the therapeutic milieu it is important to try to prevent crisis through intervention. These crisis prevention interventions should follow the approved agency behavior management model (CPI) and should focused on verbally deescalating the crisis situation, and only if necessary, utilize agency physical management interventions.
• Conducts intakes and implements therapeutic treatment plans for clients.
• Observes client functioning and reports any medical, psychological, and/or social/behavioral information to the clinical team.
• Mentors client to modify negative attitudes and harmful patterns of behavior by building client’s self-esteem and increasing client’s insight and self awareness.
• Overnight counselors/third shift Residential Counselors are required to be awake for the entire shift and will be assigned specific responsibilities such as bed checks, laundry, routine unit upkeep, scanning, etc.
• Residential Counselors are assigned a primary work location (see check box above) and are also available to be temporarily assigned to work at any program within residential services as needs arise.
• Experience with youth required. Group experience with youth, preferred.
Bylingual (English and Spanish)
• Ability to compose oneself with professionalism, ethical practice, and compassionate regard for consumers/clients.
• Proof of a valid driver’s license, acceptable driving record, and personal transportation to fulfill essential job functions is required. As per Massachusetts state law, driving under the influence of any substance is against the law, prohibited, and may be grounds for immediate termination.
• Ability to adhere to agency ethical standards, and agency confidentiality and privacy practices.
• Ability to build rapport and work effectively with others.
* Must be at least 21 years of age for this position
• Must be able to perform physical aspects of the job including active client engagement and physical management interventions. This include being able to be on one’s feet for many hours at a time.
• Must be able to perform the duties listed above, with or without a reasonable accommodation.
• Employee will be required to intervene in order to de-escalate and/or provide safety and if essential, provide physical management of clients, using methods and techniques approved by YOU, Inc. and appropriate to setting. Employee must complete the agency’s human service worker safety training
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