Overview

YOU, inc is looking for Full-Time Residential Counselors to join our team at programs located in Worcester, Oxford, and South Grafton.

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.

**New Hire Sign-On Bonus $2,500 (50% paid at 6 months and 50% paid at 12 months)

Responsibilities

• 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. • Maintain appropriate boundaries while developing supportive professional relationships with youth.• 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.• Uphold client confidentiality and maintain HIPAA requirements.• Understand program/agency policies and procedures.• 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.

Qualifications

• Experience with youth required. Group experience with youth, preferred.• 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.• Ability to adhere to agency ethical standards, and agency confidentiality and privacy practices.• Ability to build rapport and work effectively with others.