Grouphome /direct care staff

Little Debbie's provides 24 hour care for adolescents who need this level of care due to complex emotional and behavioral issues. The programs provide stabilization, behavioral support, education around daily living skills, recreational and therapeutic activities, educational linkage and support, case management and coordination of care. Little Debbie's provides a family involved, trauma informed, and strengths-based approach to care within residential communities in the DeKalb county area.

Position Summary

Direct care of children and/or adolescents in placement with a wide range of responsibility for documentation, program activities, child supervision and safety skills. Because of the life experiences and trauma histories that our residents bring to their placement here, staff must not only provide adequate safety and supervision, but must be actively engaged in the process of building relationships, understanding and solving problems as part of a team, and must offer energy, safety and commitment in their work with our residents through genuine, caring and empathetic engagement. The programs support family treatment and involvement. Providing facilitation, supervision, and support for visits and family connections with parents, relatives and other significant people in the life of our youth.

Role and Responsibilities

This position provides supervision to residents as well as administrative responsibilities around incident reporting, case notes and medical appointments. Primary duties include but are not limited to the following:

Provide positive role-modeling to consumers/clients/members/residents

• Promote self-esteem
• Promote healthy boundaries
• Promote good hygiene and appropriate personal appearance among youth and young adults
• Reinforce socially acceptable behaviors (ex: manners, eating habits, safety)
• Teach and reinforce thoughtful decision making

Specific services to Residents

• Provide a safe, nurturing, consistent and caring atmosphere for youth who reside in the homes
• Support the consistent routines of the home
• Responsible for communication with school environment, attending IEP meetings as assigned and tracking attendance, grades and assignments in the parent portal.
• Transport youth when necessary
• Care for program facilities and equipment: organizing, cleaning, sanitizing. Household tasks and duties as assigned, or as needed, to promote a clean, safe, and comfortable environment.
• Cook balanced, healthy meals for youth and provide life skills training and supervision re: menu planning and cooking
• Assure safety in the home by conducting room inspections, securing potentially hazardous equipment and/or cleaning products
• Assure residents safety in the home by monitoring youth interactions, remaining mindfully attuned to escalating emotions, intervening with calming and de-escalation interventions and strategies to diffuse interpersonal tensions.
• Support routines of youth through assisting and supervising wake-up, bedtime, personal care routines, completion of chores and laundry, meals, meal preparation, recreational activities, homework supervision and assistance
• Maintain awareness of each youth's history of trauma, developmental age, medications, strengths, skills and abilities and use such information to guide interactions and interventions with resident.
• Plan and actively participate in activities to support and increase skills and competencies
• Engage residents in planning activities whenever reasonable to do so.
• Work as part of a team to identify needs and strategies to meet those needs. Implement identified strategies for youth to insure needs are met.
• Work with the on-call supervisory structure in order to assure safety for the home, residents and staff after hours
• Prepare balanced, nutritious meals for residents and staff, involving the residents as appropriate to developmental age
• Assure medical and behavioral health needs are met in a timely and efficient fashion
• Aware of current safety plan for all residents and able to implement
• Assist House Supervisor and Lead staff in meeting needs of residents and home by shopping, collaboratively planning menus, attending meetings and maintaining communication with all stakeholders.

Documentation Requirements

• Document significant incidents before end of shift
• Document all medical and dental appointments end of shift
• Document visits, meetings and court dates, if applicable
• Review medication administration record daily for accuracy
• Performance and Conduct
• Maintain confidentiality of resident information
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries
• Works on other duties, tasks and projects as assigned.
• Ensures agency compliance with Accreditation and other mandatory regulations/standards.
• Lives and works by Little Debbie's Values and Code of Ethics
• Follow mandated reporting requirements of GA Code
• Support and maintain an environment of emotional and physical safety for consumers, staff and other stakeholders at all times

Demonstrate customer service

• Promote positive image of Little Debbie's programs at all times
• Work as a contributing and collaborative team member
• Respond to resident and peer needs in a timely fashion
• Answer telephone calls and emails accordingly
• Respond to requests for information from stakeholders in a timely fashion
• Work with parents, education professionals, DFCS and DJJ workers, court officials and other stakeholders and a helpful and professional manner
• Maintain Personal Information and Training
• Attend and participate in staff meetings as scheduled
• Attend and participate in required trainings as scheduled
• Maintain required certifications
• Review, understand and responsible to program policies
• Provide documents in a timely fashion to Human Resources
• Report changes in status to HR as required by policy

Qualifications and Education Requirements

DirectCare Youth worker must be at least 25 years of age,high school or GED preferred with two years experience and a contiguous 10 year work experience history or be able to explain gap in employment history. Must be proficient with office productivity software such as Outlook, Word and Excel. Must have experience using simple databases. Must be able to produce a business writing sample.

Schedule

This position may require 8 OR 12 hour shifts that vary according to the need at that location. It may also require morning, evening and/or overnight hours. This position has both full-time and part-time opportunities. Flexibility is required based on the needs of this position.

Other

The ideal candidate will possess the following:

Technical expertise that allows well informed decisions, usage of available tools and resources and training to execute job responsibilities

• Accountable for work being completed accurately and in a timely manner as well as following up as needed
• Ability to collaborate with other staff to ensure best practices and sound decisions
• Ability to communicate using appropriate tone when corresponding verbally or written (as well as proper usage of grammar and spelling)
• Ability to adapt and adjust to course and be open to new ideas
• Ability to manage workload by having a clear understanding of task/project and set realistic timelines and goals
• Commitment to our vision and mission should be demonstrated in work

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, stand and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to lift and/or move up to 20 pounds

Reports to: House Supervisor

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $17.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Life insurance
• Retirement plan

Schedule:

• 12 hour shift
• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Holidays
• Monday to Friday
• Night shift
• Overtime
• Weekends as needed

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Work Location: In person

Salary : $17