Therapeutic Support Specialist

Summary of Job Duties:

Our Corbin Benchmark Family Services office is growing and we're ready too add to our team! The position that we are hiring for is a Therapeutic Support Specialist (TSS). This is a salary position with the opportunity to receive a performance-based bonus at 6 months and a pay increase near your 1 year anniversary date. You will be paid on the 10th and 25th of each month. As a TSS you will maintain an average caseload of 10-12 youth who will reside in 3-5 different foster homes. These are foster parents that are licensed and maintained by our agency and are located in Corbin as well as Whitley, Knox, Bell, and Harlan counties. Travel completed for work will be compensated via mileage reimbursement that you’ll receive on the 20th of the following month.

Your main duty is to communicate with each youth weekly to ensure that they are receiving services that they need and also making progress toward treatment plan goals set forth for them. These contacts will be completed either during home visits at the foster home (2 required monthly), an “out of home visit” at our office or another location, or a telephone contact if appropriate at that time. Then you will type a very detailed contact note for each youth on your caseload that includes details of their home life, school life, relationships with bio family, medical concerns, etc. Beyond completing contacts, you will assist youth/families in crisis stabilization as needed, advocate for the youth when needed at school or in court, and serve as the primary contact (and “relayer” of information) for DCBS and foster parents. There may be times that you’ll need to transport a child to court, a bio visit, hospitalization, etc.

There may be times when the schedule of the youth/families that you’re working with requires you to finish/complete a home visit after 5pm or another situation occurs that requires your attention after normal work hours. We utilize a tool called “flex time” to ensure that you’re not working over 40 hours each week. You have the ability to “flex” off time previously worked over at your own discretion, and with the approval of your supervisor. Our office atmosphere is very friendly and casual, and we’re a laid back crew! We understand that you have a family and that life happens, because we also have a family and life happens to us, too! We do our best to accommodate your personal needs and provide a level of flexibility that you won’t find with many other employers. We also offer 192 hours of paid time off each year along with all major holidays, and most months we also receive an extra PTO day that’s awarded to us due to our high standard of work. There are also times that you may be permitted to work remotely.

We do have a 24-hour emergency number that our families can call when emergencies arise and they need assistance after hours. Each TSS will participate in a rotating on-call schedule that occurs on a 3-7 week basis (depending on the number of TSSs at that time). During your assigned on-call week you will carry the emergency phone with you from Monday to Friday and handle situations that arise during that time. You will have another TSS that is working on call along with you as a “secondary” on call worker and is there for back-up and guidance should the need arise. Then you also have a supervisor or senior TSS assigned to assist each week as well. On Friday you’ll pass the phone off to the secondary on-call worker and then work as their back-up. The next time you’re on-call you’ll most likely be assigned the opposite schedule. You’ll receive an extra on-call stipend of $125 for each week that you work on-call.

Official TSS Job Description :

1. Assists in the development of treatment plans including medication concerns with the input of family, legal guardian or significant others.

2. Establishes a formal process for case reviews and information transfer between agencies and referral sources that appropriately meets the needs of those agencies/professional referral sources to promote their professional involvement in the child’s treatment.

3. Provides case management services to foster children including but not limited to, advocating on behalf of the client and family with social service agencies, court, police, medical, school, and other mental health professionals. Conducts home visits and provides on-going assessments to ensure foster homes remain viable for placements.

4. Provides support to foster children and consultation to foster parents. May refer children for counseling, psychiatric and psychological services if indicated.

5. Complies with paperwork requirements as established by the state placing agency and Benchmark Family Services, Inc.

6. Provides stabilization services on a crisis basis to prevent placement disruptions.

7. Participate in the rotation of the emergency after-hours phone.

8. Assist with child placing services, including identifying and contacting an appropriate BFS foster home and coordinating arrangements between the state placement worker and BFS foster home.

9. Participates in individual supervision, case conferences, staff meetings, and team meetings. May be asked to represent Benchmark Family Services, Inc. at community and civic functions and market the program.

10. Maintains knowledge of current trends and developments in the field by reading appropriate books, journals, and literature and attending in-services, conferences, and workshops.

11. Provides supportive service to a child or children with severe emotional, behavioral, or physical needs placed with our agency.

12. May provide therapeutic services OR plan and coordinate additional therapeutic services/interventions to a child or children with emotional, behavioral, or physical needs placed with our agency.

13. Assist with other miscellaneous duties as assigned.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $36,000.00 - $38,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Mileage reimbursement
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• On call
• Weekends as needed

Application Question(s):

• There are times we must transport youth for placement, for medical need, or for visitation purposes. Are you comfortable transporting youth?
• We do have a rotating on-call schedule where 2/3 employees work on-call assisting families in need (should the need arise). Do you have resources available to be able to assist foster families in crisis when assigned to work on-call duties after hours? Childcare, a reliable vehicle, etc.?
• On average you'll work with anywhere from 10-12 youth placed in 3-5 different homes in our local communities. Are you comfortable traveling to Whitley, Knox, Bell, and Harlan counties to conduct home visits with each of these homes at least twice monthly?

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $36,000 - $38,000