Position Title
Bilingual Youth Counselor -
“AMIGOS de JOVENES”
Description
The Bilingual Youth Counselor
(BYC) is a member of the McEachern treatment team
providing twenty-four hour shift supervision for up to twelve
unaccompanied adolescent
DCS males in a residential facility designed as a therapeutic
environment. Within this
setting youth receive individualized treatment, mental health
services, educational and
vocational services, recreation and physical education
activities, and scheduled daily
activities. Youth Counselors support the Individual Treatment
Plans and Strength Based
Behavior Management Plans for each youth, and act in
accordance with the individuals’
needs and abilities. Youth Counselors support youth feeling
safe in the program,
provide transportation to meet medical and legal needs, and
motivate and engage the
youth to stay in and participate in their program. The BYC
functions as a counselor to
all residents and is assigned as primary counselor for one to
three residents.
Responsibilities
A. Treatment Tasks
1. Maintain a favorable living and
treatment environment in which the residents live:
- by insuring
that youth have a safe and clean place in which to live.
- by
demonstrating to youth that they are respected and understood as
individuals.
- by
demonstrating to youth that people care about them and will take care of
them.
- by
demonstrating that adults can help them deal with unacceptable behavior
without being
punitive, retaliatory, or rejecting.
- by
demonstrating that youth will receive protection and guidance in controlling
their
impulses until their own controls are established.
- by modeling
appropriate behavior, language and attitudes.
2. Participate in incorporating and
supervising student interns and volunteers in
performing program activities in
cooperation with the volunteer coordinator.
3. Model pleasant, positive attitude,
good disposition, and appropriate humor.
4. Demonstrate self-control in
stressful situations.
5. Use preventative as opposed to
reactive floor management skills.
6. Complete a De-escalation and
Restraint training within the first 45 days of
employment to be eligible to be
involved in the restraint of a resident if necessary.
7. Maintain appropriate physical
structure and house schedule and safety.
8. Remain visible and available to
residents at all times.
9. Facilitate regularly scheduled
groups and call groups as needed to address
residential house problems and
concerns.
10. When appropriate attend court,
family therapy sessions, or appointments as
helpful.
11. Assist in planning a wide range
of recreational activities. Occasionally be
available for extended recreational
outings.
12. Develop plans with residents for
constructive use of free time.
13. Participate in supervising
classroom and participate in activities under the
direction of the DCS teacher as
requested or to meet census compliance.
B. Housekeeping Tasks
1. Teach, supervise and model various
chores, including meal set-up and clean-up,
room care, residence and grounds
maintenance.
2. Take initiative for and supervise
residents in completing allowance chores and
household tasks.
3. Demonstrate concern and pride in
the environment. Create a clean and pleasant
surrounding and encourage safe and
careful treatment of all agency property.
4. Take responsibility for reporting
any damage to agency property and when
appropriate, discipline for damage in
accord with Friends of Youth policy.
5. Maintain linen, toiletry and
clothing items. Teach, encourage and model personal
hygiene.
6. Prepare meals and snacks as
necessary. Support appropriate table behavior and
conversation.
7. Maintain prescribed medications in
a secure area and dispense as instructed.
8. Assist residents with school
assignments and meet with DCS teacher/aide to
review assignments and/or special
instructions.
C. Monitoring Tasks
1. Make every effort to protect and
secure resident's property.
2. Monitor residents' health,
transport to medical appointments as assigned by
Program Supervisor/Medication
Coordinator.
3. Monitor and document the
whereabouts of all residents at all times.
4. Report any known or suspected
abuse, exploitation or neglect of residents in
consultation with management to Child
Protective Services and per DCS policies
and procedures.
5. Monitor and assist Program
Supervisor in training volunteers, interns and relief
staff in the completion of their
duties and service time.
D. Participate as a Member of the Treatment Team
1. Assist in establishing treatment
goals in various program areas consistent with
agency policy, subject to review of
Clinical Program Manager. Monitor performance
in relation to the goals, providing
feedback and modifying them as necessary.
2. Read each treatment plan, become
familiar with specific goals for each youth.
3. Be familiar with both the agency
treatment philosophy and program, as well as
the individual treatment and goals
for each resident.
4. Attend and participate in weekly
staff meetings.
5. Contribute to discussions, offer
input and feedback concerning both residents and
co-workers.
6. Initiate conflict resolution.
7. Display positive morale; speak
positively and objectively about the program.
8. Attend agency or professional
training, seminars, or conferences to increase
professional knowledge.
9. Encourage the involvement of
family members and support persons when
appropriate.
E. Primary Counselor Responsibilities
1. Listen and respond to youth
concerns on an individual basis, helping him clarify
and understand his own feelings,
attitudes and behaviors.
2. Provide personal attention.
3. Respect confidentiality.
4. Demonstrate acceptance of, and
establish a positive relationship with each youth.
5. Interact with youth in a
non-judgmental manner.
6. Understand dynamics of teen
development, and incorporate knowledge into daily
interactions with youth.
7. Take initiative to solve problems.
8. Assist in developing and
implementing individual treatment plans.
9. Meet weekly with youth assigned to
you.
10. Maintain youth charts assuring
completeness in accordance with the Table of
Contents.
11. Complete and submit all treatment
plans and reports, quarterly reports, and
discharge summaries to the Clinical
Program Manager for approval in a timely
manner.
12. Assist the Case Manager by
completing and sending to the proper authorities
the required DCS paperwork per policy
and procedure.
13. Once a month, present the youth's
case in the team meeting for the purpose of
reviewing and updating the individual
treatment plan.
14. Help youth develop an
appropriate, healthy, supportive relationship with peers
and staff. Help the resident clarify
the reason for placement.
15. Develop and implement assigned
residents' treatment plans with the
collaboration and approval by the
CPM.
16. In conjunction with the Case
Manager and consistent with residents' treatment
plans, maintain contact with those
significant people in the resident's life who
support his growth and have ongoing
involvement in his case.
17. Create and maintain the
residents' charts.
18. Complete any other tasks assigned
by supervisors or management.
19. Group facilitation.
20. Learn Dialectical Behavior
Therapy (DBT), and implement core modalities in
milieu management.
F. Communicate Information in Verbal, Non-Verbal, Written
Form, and Maintain
Required Forms and Records
1. Provide objective descriptive
narrative of behavior events.
2. Understand and separate one's own
belief and value system from interpretation on
behavior and events.
3. Be straight-forward and concise in
communications.
4. Show congruency between verbal and
non-verbal messages.
5. Maintain daily communication log
and milieu notes of behavior on each youth per
shift.
6. Set up accounts, log entry, and
disburse allowance and earnings funds for youth
consistent with DCS guidelines.
7. Record medication receipts and
disbursements as directed by Medication
Coordinator.
8. Record fund receipts and
disbursements.
9. Assist in yearly inventory.
10. Complete incident reports per
agency and DCS policy.
11. Record meal counts at each meal.
12. Complete other reports as
requested by supervisor(s).
13. Maintain vehicle mileage log.
Required Skills and Qualifications
A. Education and Experience
1. Bachelor of Arts Degree in the
social sciences area, fluency in Spanish, and
Central American cultural experience
preferred.
2. One year of experience in working
with emotionally disturbed youth.
3. Must have a valid Washington State
driver's license or be able to obtain one by
date of employment.
4. Employees and volunteers who
operate their own or Friends of Youth vehicles on
Friends of Youth business must have a
safe driving record as defined by Friends of
Youth. Employees and volunteers who
operate their own vehicle(s) on Friends of
Youth business must carry auto
liability insurance that complies with the
requirements of Friends of Youth.
5. Must have a Red Cross First Aid
Card, CPR and Food Handlers permit, or be able
to obtain one within thirty days of
employment.
6. Must pass TB screening.
7. Must successfully pass criminal
history check (WAC 388-148-0035).
8. Education or experience in
cultural competency.
B. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
1. Fluent in Spanish
2. Knowledge of laws, policies, and
ethical concerns relating to confidentiality.
3. Knowledge of immigration court
systems, legal parameters, and therapeutic/legal,
interfacing with youth.
4. Able to accept the role of
authority in youth/adult relationship.
5. Role model health, good attitude
and appropriate humor.
6. Continuing awareness of
development and research in the field of youth trafficking.
7. Know personal stressors and
weaknesses, and work to overcome them.
8. Knowledge of relevant COA
standards, participation in the Quality Improvement
process and knowledge of DCS policies
and procedures.
9. Must demonstrate sensitivity and
responsiveness to cultural differences and a
commitment to the value of cultural
competency.
Hours
Full-time
Salary
Salary Range: $27,500 to
$33,500
Reports to
Program Supervisor
Location
Renton
Application Deadline
Open until filled
Contact
Job Posting Date
4/2/13
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