Youth Specialist

Salary : $43,721.00 - $54,204.00 Annually

Location : Charlotte, MI

Job Type: Full Time

Job Number: 202400016

Department: Youth Facility

Opening Date: 06/28/2024

Closing Date: Continuous

General Summary

Why Choose a Career with Eaton County?
Pay Based on Experience: Starting pay is based on prior experience and Eaton County gives consideration for prior military service. Qualified applicants could start with an annual salary of up to $47,278

Recruitment Bonus: New employees who choose to work a high priority shift for 6-months will be eligible for a $500 recruitment bonus.

Annual Education and Military Bonus: Annual bonus of up to $1,500 for qualified candidates who meet program requirements.

Other Benefits: Access to affordable and quality health, vision and dental insurance. Competitive retirement programs both through a defined pension benefit and a direct contribution plan. Time off includes annual leave, sick leave accruals, ability to bank compensatory time, and employer provided short-term disability. And much more!

Learn how a career with Eaton County can work for you.

Applications are accepted until there are sufficient numbers of qualified applications or qualified candidate has been identified. The position could possibly close at any time.

GENERAL SUMMARY

Under the supervision of a Shift Supervisor, supervises and cares for the residents in the detention and/or treatment wings of the Youth Facility on an assigned shift. Ensures that residents meet personal conduct standards, oversees residents on household and work assignments, ensures that security and other policies are followed, and monitors resident movements throughout the facility. Acts as a mentor for youths on a variety of matters, conducts crisis intervention, prepares written observations of the youth's behavior and participates in assessment meetings regarding youths.

Essential Functions

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1. Ensures the safety and security of the Youths Facility and its occupants. Provides constant supervision of youths and monitors their activities, visually and with electronic monitors, throughout the facility.
2. Prepares observation and status reports on the behavior and progress of youths and documents operations and needs related to security, maintenance and supplies. Prepares incident and accident reports.
3. Ensures that the physical and emotional needs of youths are met, including hygiene, nutrition, medical, physical exercise and emotional guidance.
4. Provides mentorship to youths that may involve dealing with inappropriate behavior, suicidal thoughts, crisis situation, and related areas using approved methodologies.
5. Implements treatment programming including behavior modification and token economy system. Participates in the token economy system by awarding points, writing coupons, maintaining records and operating the store. Leads youths in recreational and other activities.
6. Facilitates educational group sessions on topics such as decision making, seeking employment, and behavioral issues.
7. Participates in staffings and team meetings and discusses observations of youth behavior.
8. Completes intake and discharge procedures, including completing forms, recording belongings, conducting orientations and providing clothing and personal items.
9. Provides supervision to residents in the performance of housekeeping chores, trash removal, laundry and meal clean up.
10. Discusses various matters of concern with youths and serves as an empathetic listener on topics such as family problems, homework and general interpersonal relationships. Reports concerns regarding psychological or emotional well-being of youths.
11. May include assisting with the coordination of health care for the youths, such as dispensing prescription and over-the-counter medications and reporting health concerns to appropriate individuals.
12. Transports youth by vehicle to medical and other appointments.
13. Uses crises intervention techniques and other approved methodologies to deescalate situations, and when necessary uses approved techniques to physically manage residents as necessary. This includes preparing appropriate incident reports to fully document such events.
14. Assists in the delivery and serving of food, cleaning of designated areas and other supports tasks as assigned.
15. Acts as confidential conduit for sensitive information about youths within the facility-such as court hearings, medical necessity, etc.-and maintains a general demeanor of professionalism and appropriate boundaries at all times.

OTHER FUNCTIONS

1. Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

EMPLOYMENT QUALIFICATIONS
Education

Must have 30 Semester credits of college level coursework; preferred in the human sciences area.

Experience

Preferred one-year experience working with delinquent or emotionally troubled youth and/or families; additional preference for experience working in a 24-hour facility.

Other Requirements: Must have a valid Michigan Driver's License and a good driving record.

FLSA Status

Non-Exempt.

The qualifications listed above are intended to represent the minimum skills and experience levels associated with performing the duties and responsibilities contained in this job description. The qualifications should not be viewed as expressing absolute employment or promotional standards, but as general guidelines that should be considered along with other job-related selection or promotional criteria.

Physical Requirements/Working Conditions

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORKING CONDITIONS

{This job requires the ability to perform the essential functions contained in this description. These include, but are not limited to, the following requirements. Reasonable accommodations will be made for otherwise qualified applicants unable to fulfill one or more of these requirements}:

Physical Requirements

• Climbing stairs to conduct security checks.
• Driving to various sites to transport youths.
• Ability to move desks, beds and other furniture to conduct security checks.
• Reaching, bending and stooping to perform security checks, housekeeping and other tasks.
• Extended periods of walking throughout facility.
• Ability to physically manage youths, as necessary.
• Hearing ability to use auditory monitoring system.
• Lifting and carrying containers weighing up to 25 lbs., laundry bags weighing up to 40 lbs. and other items.
• Visual acuity sufficient to monitor control cameras and security panels, distinguish colors on the control panel, and provide other forms of resident supervision.

Working Conditions

• Exposure to various weather conditions while transporting youths, delivering meals and laundry or leading field trips.
• Exposure to physical assault by youths.
• Exposure to youths with various states of cleanliness and hygiene.
• Exposure to various body fluids.
• Exposure to communicable disease of youths.

This position is benefited and is subject to the Youth Facility Unit Agreement.

Eaton County offers a variety of benefits that will support our employees both during their career and after. View the for more information.

The current group contract can be viewed