STRTP Direct Care Staff

The STRTP Direct Care staff works in an STRTP residential facility providing support to Severely Emotionally Disturbed (SED) DCFS youth, ages 12-17, with mental health challenges, who are impacted by the foster care system in a 24/7 highly structured setting. The role of the STRTP Direct Care Staff is to provide care, supervision and behavioral interventions that develop coping and problem-solving skills, teach social skills, and teach transference of those skills into the home, school, and community. These interventions are provided to youth in our residential program. These interventions are developed within the collaborative planning process and are prescribed by the program. 

• Assist in the implementation of individual treatment plans for residents, focusing on vital areas such as therapeutic interaction, crisis intervention, education, and activities.
• Provide supervision, counseling, and direct care for residents, living in the group home setting, serving as a surrogate parent, to teach values, life skills, and problem-solving skills.
• Ensures the health, safety, and welfare of our residents in the program, while also maintaining a therapeutic environment. 
• Assists in planning and supervising recreational activities which promote developmental competencies and skills targeted to the resident's unique and special needs.
• Provides transportation for residents to and from school, medical appointments, community outings, meetings, or other locations by driving agency vehicles.
• Ensures a safe and clean-living environment by participating in household cleaning and maintenance activities.

Essential Duties

• Responsible for checking the calendar upon the start of shift and adhering to all scheduled meetings and/or appointments for residents. 
• Responsible for direct supervision and assistance, by following the structure of the resident’s daily routine, i.e., meal and snack preparation, sleep schedule, recreation activities, health, hygiene, safety, and discipline. 
• Assists residents in the acquisition of independent living skills, such as management of money, care of clothing, successful completion of skills enhancement in doing chores, jobs and keeping appointments.
• Cares for residents when ill, being aware and attentive to the resident’s individual health needs (including reporting on side effects). This will include providing care to COVID positive residents. 
• Responsible for applying appropriate first aid when needed.
• Assists in medical and psychiatric appointments as directed, including transporting to & from appointments, filing out appropriate paperwork and reporting information back to immediate supervisor.
• Assists in maintenance of the home, furnishings, equipment, and grounds, including daily cleaning, weekly deep cleaning, refurbishing, minor repairs and monthly maintenance inventory and household supplies inventory and ordering.
• Dispenses and records all prescribed medications; notes and reports on side effects to the youth’s mental health team and adheres to medication storage protocol.
• Coordinates with client’s treatment team, service plans and utilizes treatment techniques and interventions to assist clients, families, and significant others in achieving goals.
• Responsible for completing a Residential Daily Mental Health Note in accordance with clients’ Treatment goals given by Mental Health Team.
• Manages the behavior of residents using approved behavioral management techniques/interventions, ensuring compliance with agency policies.
• Plans and participates in special occasion celebrations: admissions, birthdays, holidays, discharges, recreational activities, and community activities.
• Plans, implements, leads, teaches, and facilitate the constructive use of leisure time through therapeutic activities.
• Assist and oversee residents’ homework, tutoring, and homeschooling (if applicable).
• Fosters positive group experience through the development and application of principles and practices of group dynamics.
• Develops and maintains professional skills by participating in supervision and staff development/in-service training.
• Participates in staff meetings, conferences, consultations, supervision, and evaluation as scheduled.
• Effectively communicates with other staff a Shift Change Report, including providing written and verbal observations of children, maintaining accurate records and reports daily.
• Prepares, maintains, and submits all documentation and reports promptly. 
• Maintains confidentiality regarding children, families, and the operations of the Agency.
• Supports Agency philosophies, policies, and practices in accordance with the Agency’s Employee Handbook.
• Exercises good judgment in the performance of duties and responsibilities, utilizing Prudent Parent Standards.
• Always maintains a professional relationship with residents.

Qualifications (Must meet ONE of the following):

• Bachelor's degree
• Previously been employed for a minimum of 1 year as full-time staff or served as a volunteer at a group home, short-term residential therapeutic program, or substance abuse treatment program.
• A valid Child Development Teaching Permit.
• Completed 12-semester units of Early Childhood Education, Adolescent Development, or Foster and Kinship Care Education and have at least 100 hours of experience working with youth.
• A valid certificate as an Alcohol Counselor, Drug Counselor, or Alcohol and Drug Counselor, and have at least 100 hours of experience working with youth.
• A valid vocational training certificate, credential, or documentation demonstrating that the individual is a trade journeyperson who instructs children in vocational skills and has at least 100 hours of experience working with youth as a mentor, athletic coach, teacher, vocational coach, tutor, counselor, or other relevant experience as determined by the department.

Must Demonstrate ALL the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Effective communication skills both oral and written.
• Knowledge of computer applications such as Microsoft Word, Outlook Email, Outlook Calendar, Microsoft Teams, and Payroll Platforms
• Ability to plan, organize and maintain family-type living environment; parenting capacities for nurturing and guidance of children; cooperate with other members of the treatment team; ability to form helping relationships with children through empathy, understanding, acceptance, a non-judgmental attitude, and appropriate limit-setting to promote security; understanding group process and ability to initiate appropriate change, ability to participate with children in carrying out residential responsibilities, ability to teach, advocate, support and facilitate development of independent living skills in adolescents.
• Thoughtful decision making and resourceful problem-solving ability, self-starter, self-aware, willingness to work productively with other adults, potential to benefit from training and supervision, ability to learn and be open to adopting agency's philosophy, methods, and procedures.
• Ability to be flexible and work in a changing environment and effectively as part of a team.
• Knowledge of emergency procedures of the agency
• Sensitivity to the different cultures represented among the residents, families, and staff.
• A basic understanding of age-appropriate behavior for children/adolescents within the Foster Care System.
• Ability to pass and utilize the Pro Act physical restraint system.
• Must have a valid California Driver License, proof of automobile insurance, and meet the Agency’s safe driver guidelines.
• Ability to maintain First Aid/CPR Certification

Physical Demands

• Direct Care Staff must have the ability to physically manage and/or de-escalate residents. This includes the physical ability to restrain residents in conformity with Pro-ACT training.
• Ability to practice physical intervention for safety of residents according to training and policy.
• Ability to operate a motor vehicle is required.
• Frequent driving in the community and surrounding areas with residents is required.
• Frequent/continuous intermittent standing/walking and occasional/intermittent sitting.
• Continuous use of bilateral upper extremities in fine motor activities requiring fingering, grasping, and forward reaching between waist and chest level.
• Reaching at or above shoulder level may be necessary.
• Bending, squatting, kneeling, pushing/pulling, twisting, and climbing.
• Occasional/intermittent lifting and carrying objects/equipment weighing up to 25 pounds.
• Continuous use of near vision, hearing, and verbal communication skills in handling telephone calls, interacting with residents and co-workers and performing job duties.
• Always requires physical presence in the facility. 

All candidates who are presented with a conditional offer of employment must have a pre-employment background check and health screen.

Bourne, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state, or local protected class. Further, Bourne Inc. is a Fair Chance employer and complies with California Government Code Section 12952, Employment Discrimination: Conviction History.