Youth Care Worker I

at  Truecore Behavioral Solutions

The following is a composite representation of the actual positions which make up this classification. It is not intended to cover all possible job requirements or job factors which, if applicable, are included by reference. Lines of supervision and reporting are as shown on an organizational chart. TrueCore has zero tolerance for abuse.

• Position Definition & Summary:

Provides safety and security to the facility through proper youth supervision. Ensures that the facility behavior management system is enforced in a consistent and fair manner. Participate as a member of the facility treatment team, assisting youth with meeting performance goals. Completes observation checks and provides role model behavior to assist youth with problem solving and competency development. Must make every attempt to minimize adverse affects of confinement by supporting the juvenile’s physical, emotional, educational, and social development in an atmosphere which is as nonthreatening as possible. Is on call to respond to emergencies.

C. POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

Education:

• High school diploma or equivalent and successful completion of a required training program.

Other Requirements:

• Must be 21 years of age or older.
• Appointees will be required to possess a driver’s license valid in the state where the work site is located only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.

D. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Ability to maintain positive professional working relationship with co-workers and juveniles.
• Ability to comply with rotating mandatory stay list.
• Ability to cope with crisis situations that occur in a juvenile facility.
• Ability to follow orders explicitly.
• Ability to empathize with juveniles from different backgrounds.
• Ability to work with a variety of behaviors.
• Ability to tolerate verbal and mental abuse while maintaining a professional demeanor.
• Ability to perform appropriate crisis intervention, including physically breaking up fights.
• Ability to participate in escape apprehension activities and to respond to emergency situation requirements.
• Ability to complete pre-service and annual in-service CPR and first aid certification training and self-defense and physical intervention training.
• Ability to pass drug and TB screening and testing.
• Ability to work under pressure; meet inflexible deadlines; set priorities; deal diplomatically with difficult individuals; and supervise others; ability to manage multiple programs; lead management teams and work independently. Adherence to the highest ethical standards essential.
• Ability to write concise and accurate reports.

F. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Talking: Ability to express and exchange ideas via spoken word during activities in which they must convey details or important spoken instructions to others accurately, sometimes quickly and loudly. Hearing and Vision: Ability to perceive the nature of sounds with no less than 40 dB loss at Hz, 1000 Hz and 2000 Hz with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication. Work requires a minimum standard of visual acuity with or without correction that will enable employees to complete clerical tasks, and observe youth. Dexterity: Ability to stoop, kneel, crouch, reach, push, pull, lift, grasp, and be able to perceive the attributes of an object such as size, shape, and temperature. Movements frequently and regularly required using wrists, hands and/or fingers. Physical Strength: Ability to exert up to 50 pounds of force occasionally. Position is mostly standing and employee must be able to physically perform escalation matrix as defined in Protective Action Response. This may include, but is not limited to all countermoves and restraint techniques. Employee may be subject to temperature changes, but the employee is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions as the work is predominantly inside. Language: Ability to write complex sentences, using proper punctuation, and ability to communicate in complex sentences using normal word order with present and past tenses. Processing and Reasoning: Ability to exercise self-control in potentially volatile situations such as in verbal and physical confrontations. Must be able to work and concentrate amidst distractions and noise. Ability to assist youth with problem solving and maintaining self-control in volatile situations.
• The work environment characteristics described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this position the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions as they relate to travel. The noise level is usually moderate. Work environment may involve exposure to noise, dust, fumes, dangerous machinery, chemicals, body fluids, falling objects, and aggressive verbal and physical behavior from students and weather and temperature extremes.
• Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the company undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

• Supervises and/or participates in various recreation programs and activities with juvenile residents to stimulate interest in and cooperation with various social and education programs.
• Teaches, supervises and/or participates in various daily living activities with juvenile residents to stimulate interest in and train skills needed for independent living.
• Provides advice to individual juvenile residents on personal problems they encounter while in the facility such as peer pressure, adapting to the surroundings, and so forth by presenting a positive role model and using common sense to relieve tension and prevent additional problems.
• Keeps continual track of the number of juvenile residents under direct supervision through periodic head counts and reports all movements of juvenile residents in areas both inside and outside the facility, to master control, aware at all times of the whereabouts of juvenile residents.
• Uses understanding to calm disruptive residents in a potentially dangerous situation and may physically restrain residents to prevent endangering the health and safety of the resident and others.
• Constantly observes unusual physical appearance or behavior of juvenile residents throughout the facility to uncover violations of rules and protect the health, security, safety, and welfare of the juvenile residents.
• Detects unusual odors such as marijuana, cigarette smoke, fires, or alcohol to uncover violations, and protects the security, safety, and welfare of the juvenile residents.
• Listens for unusual sounds such as a sudden change in noise level, calls for help, cries of fire, arguments among juvenile residents, scraping of metal, and so forth to maintain the security, safety, and welfare of the juvenile residents, and to react in accord with established policies, regulations, and procedures in crisis situations.
• Learns the names and recognizes juvenile residents under immediate charge and maintains a constructive personal relationship with the juvenile residents to control their general conduct and behavior and to identify the problem residents so that these persons can be closely watched.
• Patrols various locations within the facility for the purpose of checking safety and security hazards such as fire, smoke, broken pipes, unlocked doors, and tampered windows and locks to protect the security and safety of the inmates and the facility.
• Searches juveniles clothing and possessions, and makes periodic room checks to detect contraband in accord with established policies, regulations, and procedures.
• Participates in escape apprehension activities.
• Participates in emergency response activities.
• Supervises, performs, and instructs juvenile residents in housekeeping duties such as sweeping and mopping floors, making beds, and so forth to maintain sanitary conditions in resident areas.
• Ensures that all residents are washed and properly dressed by observing them, and thus maintains personal hygiene of the residents.
• Remains alert to possible security problems such as the planning of escapes and so forth, and reports such information in accord with established policies, regulations, and procedures.
• Writes comprehensive, factual, incident reports and/or fills out short forms such as head counts and safety reports to give routine and detailed information.
• Perform related tasks as required to include operation of the facilitys central control center.
• Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and computerized information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
• Effectively implements and consistently applies the programs Positive Performance System (PPS) / Behavior Management System (BMS).
• Detect, respond and prevent abuse of youth.
• Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor.