About the job

We're hiring superheroes to help shape the future of foster care. Do you want to be part of changing the lives of children in foster care who've been abused, abandoned, neglected, and experienced unspeakable trauma?

Make an impact: Working at the speed of social change, we create value for our stakeholders (children, families, and communities) by delivering solutions that empower relationships. Our pace of work enables fast learning and fosters an environment where you can stretch yourself and make an impact.

Learn and grow: If you're purpose-driven, compassionate, innovative, collaborative and have a growth mindset, we’re committed to growing your capabilities. We are building a leadership and learning organization where you can work with diverse individuals, explore new ways of thinking, be mentored, grow as a leader from the minute you're hired, and expand your capabilities. Our employees are doctors, engineers, therapists, entrepreneurs, social workers, and nurturing human beings who work out loud and share their knowledge to enhance each other’s growth.

If you’re good at what you do, you can work anywhere. If you’re the best at what you do, come work at ACTS II Ministry for Teens!

Summary:

LTAI C.M.H.S. Inc. is a licensed and contracted child caring institution providing clinical and residential foster care treatment services to youth ages 10 to 17. We offer many valuable services to assist the needs of our residents that teach skills they need to transition home to a parent/guardian, to a foster care home, to an AFC home, to independent living or to supported independent living environments. Many of the youth that we serve have experienced severe trauma due to physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and neglect. Some of the residents may also have developmental disabilities and/or cognitive impairments. These youth may struggle with toileting, hygiene, physical activity, language functioning, emotional regulation, and attend school. These youth may also struggle with over sexualized behaviors. We provide care in a warm, safe, caring, structured, and nurturing environment for our residents.

Our mission statement is: “Empower and equip youth for success beyond foster care.”

Our vision statement is: “Develop thriving young adults to transform families and communities.”

We are a 16-year mission-minded organization in search of exceptionally resourceful, compassionate, purpose-driven, and skilled Youth Service Specialists. Collaborating closely with our Chief Administrator, Clinical Therapist, & Chief Operations Officer where you will play a crucial role in managing youth, optimizing day-to-day operations, and advancing our groundbreaking clinical treatment model that’s in its ideation phase. Our clinical treatment model is unparalleled in the market and believe we can demonstrate mass-scale traction within the State of Michigan. Our clinical model is set to transform residential treatment, mental and behavioral health, workforce engagement, and youth outcomes by delivering a personalized treatment model tailored to the needs of every youth.

Working with us is definitely not for everyone.

We're on a mission to revolutionize residential treatment by helping 1000 thousand youth before the end of this decade. This is no small feat and will only be possible with the right kind of team members. And we're not just looking for skills and experience. Having shared values is just as important.

Here are ours:

✅ Extreme ownership: move with conviction, plan 3 steps ahead, and own the outcome.

✅ Do epic: Less marginal improvement, more serious innovation to solve real problems.

✅ Be kind: Kindness is often mistaken for weakness. Not here.

✅ No toxicity: Zero tolerance for dishonesty, disrespect, disengagement and drama.

✅ Move fast: Goals are dreams with deadlines. Be a goaler, not just a dreamer. Be PURPOSE-DRIVEN!

✅ Don’t overthink: launch, follow policy and licensing rules, occasionally fail, and repeat. Move fast!

✅ Know your gaps: Discuss what you know you don’t know. Embrace learning.

✅ Progress over perfection: All forward motion counts.

✅ Be grateful: We live in the most amazing period in human history, and we get to shape it.

✅ Adaptive and Kaizen mindset: Live for continuous action and regular improvements.

✅ Systems thinking: Improve the system to elevate the people operating in it which include our youth.

✅ Service attitude: Obsess over the impact you have on people’s lives.

✅ Communicate well: be detailed, respectful, humble, succinct, and show calibrated humor.

✅ Integrity: Doing what’s right even when its easy to take shortcuts.

✅ Keep it simple: "Simplicity is the ultimate in sophistication" - Leonardo da Vinci

Who this is NOT for:

❌ You don't like solving new problems & prefer a regular job in a familiar territory

❌ You are not open minded about innovations that defy commonly accepted solutions

❌ Growth and learning aren't a top priority for you

❌ You don't consider yourself to be resourceful

❌ You don't believe technology is making the world a better place

❌ You don't enjoy working with others, not collaborative, & don’t embrace a team mindset

❌ Stakeholder obsession isn't a strength or passion

❌ You are not agile and don’t easily adapt

❌ You frequently feel like a victim of the system, others, etc.

❌ You think making the world a better place is a joke and not feasible for a small team

❌ You are not accountable nor professional in a business environment

❌ You are not emotionally intelligent

❌ You are not able to work in a positive workplace culture

❌ You are not consistently available or on-time to work when scheduled

❌ You are not a problem solver or critical thinker

If it looks like we might be a fit, and you're one of those weird aliens on a similar journey towards making this world a little bit better… then we encourage you to take the next steps and apply below!

The Job Overview

We are looking for an extraordinary Youth Services Specialist who will work closely with our Chief Administrator, Clinical Therapist, & Chief Operations Officer and show extreme ownership of taking one of our most disruptive innovations to unprecedented heights. You will be a major contributor to bringing our company's vision and strategy to life by obsessing over: client outcomes, operational excellence, youth services, treatment development and improvements, and organizational growth and well-being. Your primary goal will be to manage and increase positive youth productivity, behavior, efficiency, and outcomes. You will fulfill the day-to-day youth schedule of services in a fast-moving, innovation-rich, impact-driven environment. You will also advise the Chief Administrator, Chief Operations Officer, and Clinical Therapist on key youth behaviors as well as operational insights and growth opportunities.

A Youth Services Specialist:

• Proven experience as a Youth Services Specialist (YSS) or a similar leadership role, with a strong track record of driving growth and running day-to-day youth service operations, ideally in at least two of the following industries: foster care, behavioral health, child caring institution, Adult foster care home, child placing agency, or Social Work.
• Exceptional leadership and youth services skills, with a focus on fostering a culture of collaboration, coordination, accountability, and high performance across cross-functional teams. Strong demonstrated using trauma-informed techniques, de-escalation, and problem-solving techniques to help youth function more effectively and positively in a residential setting.
• In-depth understanding of the relevant triggers of youth who’ve been severely traumatized, with the ability to identify and capitalize on behavioral management techniques, client needs, and youth development opportunities in the child welfare sector.
• Proven strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with a demonstrated ability to develop and implement innovative youth services strategies to optimize clinical treatment outcomes for youth.
• Proficiency in behavioral mitigation of youth with severe mental illness, with a keen understanding of how trauma-informed decisions impact the company's bottom line and the ability to manage daily regulatory risks.
• Demonstrated success in streamlining processes and implementing scalable systems to support the day-to-day scheduling of youth, while maintaining a strong focus on operational excellence.
• Solid understanding of compliance and regulatory requirements specific to the mentioned industries, with a commitment to maintaining the highest standards of data privacy, security, policy, and business ethics in daily operations.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to articulate the company's vision and strategy to internal and external stakeholders while effectively managing day-to-day operations (youth services).
• High adaptability, resiliency, and agility, with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, fluid, dynamic environment, respond to change, navigate uncertainty, and make company policy-driven decisions under pressure.
• Profound understanding of the accelerating pace of behavioral, psychiatric, mental health modality, and regulatory change.
• Exceptional client focus, with a commitment to delivering exceptional client experiences, continuously improving client (youth) satisfaction and retention, and addressing client needs in daily operations.
• A high-school diploma or GED from an accredited school or GED program. Experience in managing multiple youth in a residential setting is required and essential to clinical treatment success.

Required Qualifications:

• High-school diploma or GED.
• 1-3 years of hands-on youth experience in roles such as Direct-Care, Youth Counselor, Youth Worker, Youth Program Coordinator, Youth Activities Counselor, or Youth Specialist.
• Exceptional attention to detail and a proven track record of using trauma-informed techniques.
• Significant operational experience in managing youth behavior in a team environment within one or more of the following industries: mental health, behavioral health, foster care, or Social Work.
• Outstanding analytical skills.
• Robust interpersonal skills and exceptional resourcefulness.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully complete projects within the defined scope, budget, and timeline.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficient with computers, the Internet, email, and Microsoft Office Suite
• Valid Michigan driver’s license.
• Reliable transportation and telephone.
• Possess strong leadership skills, conflict mediation skills, and positive decision-making skills.
• Must possess the social skills to interact positively and objectively with residents, staff, and administrators that enhance the culture of organization.
• Prior experience working with individuals that may have mental health diagnoses, cognitive impairments, or disabilities.
• Experience with culturally diverse groups.
• 1-3 years’ experience working with cognitively impaired & developmentally disabled youth.
• Manage a caseload of foster children and their families, ensuring that their needs are met and that they are receiving appropriate services and support.
• Advocate for the best interests of foster children and their families, ensuring that they have access to all necessary resources and services per the policy of the agency.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date incident reports and other documentation, in compliance with agency and state regulations.
• Attend court hearings and other meetings as required, and provide testimony as needed.
• Participate in agency and community meetings, events, and always represent the agency in a professional manner.
• Knowledge of child welfare policies and procedures and understanding the impact of trauma on children and families.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively with a diverse range of stakeholders e.g., youth, families, case workers, judges, referees.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple competing priorities.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, and to make sound decisions in high-pressure situations.

Preferred (but not required) Qualifications:

• Previous youth services specialist experience as a member of a residential treatment facility, hospital, or other behavioral and mental health organization, CCI (Child Caring Institution), CPA (Child Placing Agency), or AFC Home.
• Substantial hands-on experience with navigating regulatory and licensing requirements of State of Michigan MDHHS.
• Experience working with clients who have experienced severe trauma or who have cognitive impairments and developmental disabilities.

B.A. or B.S. degree.

Additional Eligibility Qualifications:

1. Must be able to successfully pass fingerprinting, abuse/neglect registry, pre-employment drug test and physical, driving record clearance process, and criminal background check.

2. Have a strong working knowledge of computer systems, including Microsoft Office Suite.

3. Follow HIPAA guidelines and maintain confidentiality.

4. Must have a Michigan valid driver’s license.

5. Reliable transportation and telephone.

6. 100% engagement with youth throughout the day with various activities; following daily activity calendars is a must.

7. Wake residents for school, work, or other morning activities.

8. Supervise and/or assist residents with hygiene, using the restroom, showering, eating, activities, doing their laundry, cleaning their bedrooms, completing chores, etc.

9. Transport residents to school, appointments, work, community service/volunteer projects, etc.

10. Prepare meals for residents

11. Responsible for verbally de-escalating and resolving conflict, anger, etc.

12. Complete checklist and deep cleaning/disinfecting throughout the home.

13. Distribute morning medication and or over-the-counter medication; signing medications logs during a medication pass is required

14. Enforce all company policies and rules.

15. Complete appropriate paperwork timely, efficiently, and accurately during your shift (i.e., incident reports, one-on-one reports, electronic communication log, etc.).

16. Must be able to sympathize with resident’s needs and feelings regardless of resident’s race, social, ethnic and religious background

17. Must be patient, nurturing and accepting of others.

18. Perform other duties as directed by Lead trainers and/or Supervisors.

19. Attend monthly mandatory monthly staff meetings and trainings.

20. Possess strong positive leadership skills, conflict mediation skills, and positive decision-making skills.

Competencies:

• Customer/Client Focus.
• Decision Making.
• Leadership.
• Ethical Conduct.
• Teamwork.
• Problem Solving/Critical Thinking
• Strategic Thinking
• Conflict Resolution
• Collaborative
• Integrity
• Good moral character
• High-level/Excellence in Service Delivery
• Highly effective written and oral communication skills
• Multi-tasking
• Self-starter with the ability to work with minimal supervision is a must.
• Detail-oriented and able to work with and abide by state and organizational rules and policies.
• Professionalism/Excellent Professional Etiquette
• Excellent organizational skills
• Excellent computer and internet skills
• Innovative
• Passion for serving teenage youth
• Relationship-Oriented
• People-Centered
• Purpose-Driven

Compensation:

• Competitive hourly wage ($18 per/hr.)

Work-life Balance

• Vacation
• PTO
• Employee performance, Merit, & Retention increase based on yearly performance of the organization.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: $18.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Paid time off

Schedule:

• 12 hour shift

Education:

• High school or equivalent (Required)

Experience:

• childcare: 3 years (Preferred)
• CNA: 1 year (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Required)

Work Location: In person