Youth Care Specialist I (#MDDV01)
$31,200.00 Yearly Min / $39,433.00 Yearly Mid / $47,320.00 Yearly Max

Youth Care Specialist II (#MDDV02)
$39,192.00 Yearly Min / $44,651.00 Yearly Mid / $53,581.00 Yearly Max

Youth Care Specialist III (#MDDV03)
$40,057.00 Yearly Min / $47,513.00 Yearly Mid / $57,016.00 Yearly Max

This class series uses four levels of work in the Health and Human Services occupational group and Human Services occupational series and describes work in supervising youth in the daily academic, recreational and social activities of a youth rehabilitative or behavioral health treatment facility. Work emphasizes teaching basic living skills and maintaining structure, discipline, safety, and providing support and guidance on everyday problems of adjustment to daily living or group situations.

Note: This career ladder series incorporates levels I, II and III.  Level I is to provide entry for hiring new employees into the class series but does not preclude hiring new employees at Level II or Level III.  Employees may be promoted through the career ladder in accordance with job requirements and promotional standards. Promotional standards, a selection document under separate cover, sets forth the criteria that defines and describes the requirements that must be met at Level II and Level III. 

Advancement of employees through the career ladder is dependent on an agency's/department's operational needs and distribution of work. The Youth Care Specialist Supervisor, although not part of the career ladder, provides competitive opportunity for movement of employees. 

Essential functions are fundamental, core functions common to all positions in the class series and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job duties for any one position in the class. Since class specifications are descriptive and not restrictive, incumbents can complete job duties of similar kind not specifically listed here.

• Oversees and assumes an active, participatory role in the daily activities of an assigned group of youth including recreation, education, rehabilitation and treatment activities, meals, personal hygiene, and maintaining living quarters. 
• Observes youth's behavior and adjustment to programs and exchanges written and oral reports on those observations with other staff daily.
• Establishes and maintains interpersonal relationships with youth to encourage and assist with their social adjustment.
• Interprets and teaches facility procedures, rules, and disciplinary policies to youths. 
• Implements facility security procedures including performing regular unit, room, and grounds checks; conducting community/home visits; and ensuring frequent observations and monitoring of high-risk youths. 
• Assists in the handling of serious disturbances and monitors incoming and outgoing visitors to the facility.
• Escorts youths to activities and appointments inside or outside of the facility and is responsible for their supervision and conduct in all settings.  Operates motor vehicle when necessary to transport youths to activities and appointments. 
• Prepares, maintains, and contributes to a variety of records and reports to document information relating to youth including, but not limited to, behavior management, treatment plans, progress notes, population reports, and inventories.

Youth Care Specialist I

This is the first level of work providing custodial supervision of youth to ensure the enforcement/implementation of rules and regulations affecting the care and security of youth.

• Performs the full range of essential functions.
• Advises supervisor of more serious behavior, social and health problems that require assistance and emergency response. 
• Completes behavior observation forms. 
• Completes required hours of job related training annually in areas such as facility policies and procedures, behavior management (de-escalation techniques/trauma informed care), basic coaching skills, security procedures and emergency response.

Youth Care Specialist II

This is the intermediate level overseeing and providing custodial supervision, coaching, direction, guidance, and general care of youth. 

• Carries out established program or facility policies and procedures to ensure an optimum level of effectiveness in daily living activities. 
• Provides direction to less experienced staff and orients new staff to the routines of the residential program.
• Evaluates youth to provide input for the behavior management system; makes recommendations regarding youth goals and progress, unit assignment, discharge, aftercare and/or alternative programs. 
• Completes behavior observation forms.
• Participates in structured groups with youth; co-facilitates groups with treatment staff. 
• Provides coaching, direction, and guidance to assist youth in adjusting to a residential setting.
• Intervenes to resolve disputes among youth; assists in the implementation of individualized behavior plans as determined by service teams.
• Completes required hours of job-related training annually. 
• May serve on committees.

Youth Care Specialist  III

This is the advanced level responsible for developing and implementing appropriate activities for youth; providing coaching, direction, guidance and crisis resolution to assist them in their adjustment to programs; and supporting the goals of the treatment plans and maintaining facility behavior management documentation and credibility.

• Provides direct programming, coaching, and custodial supervision for youth. Develops structured activities for youth to ensure a full schedule of activities and oversees groups of youth working on specific projects.
• Assists in the development of service plans for youth.
• Assists youth with social skills and delivers habilitative services in the facility. 
• Conducts formal in-service training for new staff.
• Develops and leads structured group coaching sessions. Co-facilitates groups with treatment staff.
• Mentors and serves as role model to youth. 
• Recommends individualized disciplinary plans for youth with severe behavior problems.
• Assists supervisor in coaching and problem solving with less experienced Youth Care Specialists. 
• Assists supervisor in resolving complex behavior management issues and in crisis resolution for youth.
• Leads the coordination of family nights, interaction, and special events which may include evenings and/or weekends.
• May serve on committees.

Youth Care Specialist Supervisor

This level supervises staff who provide direct supervision of youth in a residential setting to facilitate their adjustment to the residential facility and to support the goals established in the youth's treatment plan and to ensure and maintain the security, safety, control and well-being of youth in a therapeutic/rehabilitative setting.

• Supervision is exercised over at least two or more merit, full time positions per the Merit Rules.  The elements of supervision include planning, assigning, reviewing, evaluating, coaching, training, and recommending hire, fire, and discipline.  Supervision must include responsibility, as needed, for providing documentation to support recommended corrective and disciplinary actions, signing performance plans and appraisals, and resolving informal grievances.
• Oversees the implementation of rules and regulations by subordinate staff affecting the security, safety, and well-being of youth to ensure that staff perform assigned duties in accordance with standard institutional practices and applicable policies and procedures.  Establishes facility discipline procedures/rules and interprets same for staff and youths.
• Participates in the development and oversees the implementation of behavior management and treatment plans for socially and/or emotionally maladjusted delinquent youth.
• Engages youth to encourage them to participate in programming and oversees the organization of small group activities to structure residents' free time appropriately.
• Trains subordinates in the presentation of social and independent living skills programming to small groups.
• Evaluates youth's behavior and adjustment and makes recommendations concerning classification, assignment, discharge, aftercare, and/or alternative programs.
• Investigates reports of serious behavior problems to ascertain facts, takes corrective action as required, and implements disciplinary measures.
• Maintains a therapeutic environment ensuring proper group and individual coaching techniques. Provides individual coaching, direction, and guidance to severely emotionally disturbed youth. May be required to develop solutions to therapeutic problems as they rise.

The intent of the listed knowledge, skills, and abilities are given a general indication of the core requirements for all positions in the class series; therefore, the KS&A's listed are not exhaustive or necessary inclusive of the requirements of every position in the class.

• Knowledge of facility rules, regulations, and requirements for the control and protection of youth residents.
• Knowledge of child and/or adolescent behavior and development.
• Knowledge of behavior management techniques and trauma informed care.
• Knowledge of the methods and techniques of supervising youth in custodial care.
• Knowledge of the preparation and maintenance of records and reports.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining cooperative relationships with youth in difficult individual and group situations.
• Ability to understand, interpret, and teach youth facility rules and procedures.
• Ability to perceive problems and identify needs of youth and make recommendations orally and in writing.
• Ability to consistently and effectively implement behavior management objectives.
• Ability to enforce rules and regulations of the facility firmly and impartially and effectively use authority.

In addition to the above knowledge, skills, and abilities, the Youth Care Specialist II requires:

• Knowledge of individual and group coaching techniques applicable to youth.
• Skill in the observation and evaluation of normal and abnormal adolescent behavior.
• Skill in the application of behavioral management techniques.
• Ability to act independently and use sound judgement in crisis situations.
• Ability to accurately complete behavior observation forms.
• Ability to assist in mentoring Youth Care Specialist I staff.

In addition to the above knowledge, skills, and abilities, the Youth Care Specialist III requires:

• Knowledge of the methods and techniques for investigating behavioral problems.
• Knowledge of the appropriate discipline for youth with severe behavioral problems.
• Knowledge of the methods and techniques for maintaining behavior management documentation.
• Skill in the application of behavior management techniques to more complex situations.
• Ability to coach Youth Care Specialists and to train new staff.
• Ability to form positive interpersonal relationships with adolescents, through effective listening and empathic response.
• Ability to enforce rules and regulations of the facility firmly and impartially and effectively use authority.
• Ability to develop and facilitate structured group activities for youth.
• Ability to organize and coordinate family visitations and interactions.

In addition to the above knowledge, skills, and abilities, the Youth Care Specialist Supervisor requires:

• Knowledge of supervisory practices and procedures.
• Skill in directing and achieving positive interventions with adolescents through individual coaching.
• Ability to develop, interpret, and enforce security procedures.
• Ability to identify and de-escalate potential crisis situations.
• Ability to demonstrate and teach leadership techniques to staff.

JOB REQUIREMENTS for Youth Care Specialist III
Applicants must have education, training and/or experience demonstrating competence in each of the following areas:  

1. Possession of a High School Diploma or equivalent.
2. At least 21 years of age.
3. Two years’ experience in maintaining the security and safety of individuals and facilities.
4. Two years’ experience in behavior management such as understanding, explaining, describing and predicting behavior, studying the connection between behavior and its causes and identifying appropriate behavior modification strategies for individual situations.
5. Two years’ experience in supervising youth by overseeing daily activities such as recreation, treatment activities, meals, self-care, transportation or education.
6. Two years’ experience in narrative report writing.
7. One year of experience in child and adolescent development.
8. Possession of a valid Driver's License (not suspended, revoked or cancelled, or disqualified from driving).