Youth Specialist - Group Therapeutic Services

BENEIFTS:

At Applewood, we prioritize our employees and their wellbeing. We provide competitive benefit options to our employees and their families, including domestic partners.

Our offerings include:

• Health & Care: Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, low-cost plan options & 24/7 EAP
• Family First: Paid parental leave (birth & adoption), fertility/IVF support & pet insurance
• Career Growth: 50% CWRU MSW tuition discount & free supervision for licensed roles
• Financial Protection: 403(b) with employer match + 100% employer-paid life & LTD insurance
• Time Off: Generous PTO and paid organizational holidays

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, Sociology or related field.
2. Licensure: N/A
3. Competency/Skills:
   • Core Expertise: Possesses skill, knowledge and abilities to perform the essential duties of their role; keeps knowledge up to date.
   • Independent Judgment: Ability to perform job responsibilities with a high degree of initiative and independent judgment.
   • Cultural Competency: Demonstrates awareness, sensitivity and skills in working professionally with diverse individuals, groups and communities who represent various cultural and personal background and characteristics.
   • Interpersonal Communication: Communicates clearly using verbal, nonverbal, and written skills in a professional context; demonstrates clear understanding and use of professional language.
   • Professional & Ethical Conduct: Adheres to professional values such as honesty, personal responsibility, and accountability; Applies ethical concepts within scope of work and adheres to Agency policies and procedures.
   • Collaboration and Teamwork: Functions effectively as a member of a professional team that includes employees, clients and family members.
   • Problem Solving & Decision Making: Recognizes problems and responds appropriately; gathers information and sorts through it to identify and address root cause issues; makes timely decisions.
4. Experience: Experience working with children, adolescents and their families.
5. Other:
   • Must have and maintain a valid driver’s license and driving record that meets the underwriting criteria of the Agency’s insurance company. 
   • Must be approved by the Agency to transport clients in agency and/or own vehicle.

AGENCY SUMMARY:
Applewood Centers is a private, nonprofit agency providing mental health services, social services and education to children, adolescents and families living in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties. Dedicated to addressing a variety of behavioral, emotional and learning problems, we provide a continuum of care from outpatient counseling to residential treatment.

JOB SUMMARY:
The Group Therapeutic Services (GTS) Youth Specialist will provide guidance and instruction to foster emotional, physical and mental growth of clients through therapeutic group facilitation, intervention and positive role modeling.  In addition, the position will assist in client transportation and other group activities in accordance with established guidelines. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

1. Maintain awareness of client’s emotional condition and facilitate the daily care of clients by providing emotional support, assistance and motivation; assure that basic social, emotional and physical needs are met.
2. Participate in client’s progress by monitoring and evaluating client response to treatment, attending staff meetings and client treatment plan reviews, and completing required paperwork.
3. Provide a structured environment and provide day-to-day care of clients.
4. Care of the group space.
5. Acquire theoretical and practical understanding of:
   • basic child, adolescent and family development
   • issues that are relevant to children and adolescents with severe emotional and behavioral problems
   • interventions used in helping severely troubled clients. 
6. Participate cooperatively and flexibly in daily client transportation to and from the GTS program as needed.
7. Facilitate day treatment groups in collaboration with licensed group facilitators on various topics (i.e. anger management, relationship building, self-esteem, etc.) in accordance with each client’s individualized treatment plan.
8. Participate in the development of the individual treatment plan
9. Provide individual support as needed in order to facilitate client engagement in treatment and goal focused work
10. Assist the Day Treatment lead staff in any of the above psychotherapeutic interventions or take the group lead when needed.
11. Provide support to clients that will facilitate their involvement with psychotherapeutic interventions

OTHER DUTIES:

12. Attend scheduled staff meetings, supervision, and on-going training
13. All required trainings, certifications and licensure must be kept current in accordance with applicable licensing and accreditation regulations and standards.
14. Contribute to the development and maintenance of the clinical record through the timely completion of assigned documentation in accordance with applicable licensing and accreditation regulations and standards
15. Respect the privacy of clients and hold in confidence all information obtained during the client’s treatment.  All client-related documents should be handled in accordance with Agency guidelines on confidential material.
16. Maintain high standards of ethical and professional conduct and adhere to Agency policies and procedures.
17. Other duties as assigned by management.

Applewood Centers, Inc. (“Applewood”) is a private, nonprofit agency providing mental health services, social services and education to children, adolescents and families living in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties. Dedicated to addressing a variety of behavioral, emotional and learning problems, we provide a continuum of care from outpatient counseling to residential treatment. Applewood is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applewood’s policy is not to discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age (40 and over), disability, military status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Applewood also prohibits harassment of applicants or employees based on any of these protected categories.