What are the responsibilities and job description for the CARE Team Specialist (54880) position at YSS?
Step into the moment. Support the mission. Change the outcome.
YSS is seeking a compassionate, proactive, and highly engaged CARE (Crisis, Assistance, Response, Engagement) Team Specialist to play a key role in maintaining safety and connection at our newly opened Ember Recovery Campus.
YSS provides trauma-informed, inpatient addiction treatment through Ember Recovery, serving adolescents and young adults with residential care, mental health support, crisis stabilization, and shelter services.
As a vital member of the CARE Team, the Specialist helps create a safe, structured, and supportive campus environment for clients, visitors, staff, and community partners. This role maintains a strong, visible presence—building trust, modeling positive interactions, and offering real-time coaching and support to staff.
This is a hands-on, fast-moving role where no two days are the same. The CARE Team Specialist responds to crisis situations such as behavioral escalations, elopements, and safety concerns, working alongside direct care staff to de-escalate and stabilize situations. Law enforcement is engaged only when necessary, with a strong emphasis on therapeutic intervention. Following critical incidents, the Specialist leads or supports debriefs within 24 hours in partnership with the CARE Team Manager.
What You'll Do...
- Engage with clients in a compassionate, supportive, and therapeutic manner
- Promote growth by providing structure, maintaining clear expectations, and consistently applying boundaries
- Build familiarity with campus operations, clients, and staff while proactively monitoring safety practices
- Respond quickly and effectively to crisis situations, supporting both staff and clients
- Complete timely, accurate documentation and incident reporting
- Ensure client needs are addressed through established processes
- Communicate effectively with internal teams and external partners, including family members and caseworkers as appropriate
- Collaborate with Campus Leadership to coordinate with local emergency responders when needed
- Follow established protocols related to scheduling, fund management, and communication of key issues
- Maintain clean, safe, and organized living spaces; submit maintenance requests as needed
- Complete all required residential care training
- Partner with program staff and supervisors to ensure compliance and high-quality service delivery
This is not a complete list of the responsibilities of this position. Duties may change at any time.
What We Provide...
We believe in your potential, we meet you where you are, and we invest in your future. Beyond the meaningful work, YSS provides the following benefits:
- Supportive leadership team and mission-driven culture.
- Flexibility and autonomy in a collaborative environment.
- Competitive salary
- Comprehensive benefits.
- Health insurance
- Voluntary dental insurance
- Voluntary vision insurance
- Life insurance and long-term disability coverage
- Supplemental accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance
- Professional liability insurance coverage
- Flexible spending account/health savings account
- Supplemental compensation award
- Generous Paid Time off and Leave
- Four weeks of paid time off (PTO)
- Volunteer time off
- Paid holiday leave
- Birthday holiday
- Wellness Program Opportunities
- Paid membership to the Athletic Club of Ames
- Employee Assistance Program for all employees
- Flu shots
- Mental health support
- YSS is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness qualified employer.
- 403(b) retirement offerings
If this sounds like work you’d be proud to do—and a team you’d want to grow with—we’d love to hear from you. Let’s do meaningful work, together.
Qualifications:
We want to create a world where youth are valued and empowered to stand strong. To do this, we ask our staff to embrace YSS core values - Commitment, Collaboration, Compassion, Innovation, Integrity, and a “Can Do” Spirit.
MUST HAVES - to qualify, you need:
- One year of experience caring for and managing clients in a residential facility.
- Travel, including transporting clients, is required for this position. For YSS insurance purposes, you must:
- be 21 years of age,
- have a valid, state-issued, driver's license,
- have a clean driving record, and
- have adequate insurance coverage per YSS policy.
SHOULD HAVES - we would also like:
- Bachelor's degree in human services or a related field.
- Skilled in mediating conflicts, de-escalating tense situations, and promoting healthy communication.
- Able to establish and maintain appropriate and effective working relationships with coworkers, the public, and clients.
- Patient and calm under pressure, able to think critically, solve problems, and make sound decisions in challenging or unexpected situations.
- Understand issues of substance use, substance use disorders and the needs of youth facing substance use and dependency.
- Understand available chemical dependency treatment interventions and other intervention strategies available to address these needs.
The IDEAL candidate:
- Be rooted in purpose and driven by equity, inclusion, and positive social impact.
- Bring humility, respect, and cultural awareness to every interaction.
- Speaks a language in addition to English (especially one spoken in our communities).
Who You Are...
You stay cool, think fast, and lead with compassion. You know how to read a situation, respond with confidence, and support both clients and teammates through high-stress moments.
We Celebrate Your Story...
Have you navigated recovery from addiction, mental health challenges, trauma, or housing instability? Your lived experience offers a unique, compassionate perspective that can inspire real change. By sharing your story and serving as a role model or mentor, you can make a meaningful impact in the lives of youth and families. Your journey matters. If you’re ready to use it to uplift and empower others, we warmly encourage you to apply.
Who We Are...
We’re YSS - one of Iowa’s oldest & largest nonprofits dedicated to putting kids first. Our mission? To spark hope, create opportunities, and help young people thrive. With life-changing programs, an enthusiastic leadership team, and our brand-new 50-acre recovery campus, we’re growing fast and thinking big. Check us out at yss.org!
At YSS, we celebrate the unique backgrounds, identities, and experiences that each team member brings. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we’re dedicated to creating a respectful, inclusive, and empowering environment where everyone can grow and succeed. And we’re always working to do better together.
YSS is a nicotine-free workplace.
Heads Up! Don’t Miss Our Messages! - We communicate with applicants via email - straight from our Paycom system. So be sure to keep an eye on your inbox (and your spam/junk folder too). Got questions? Email yss@yss.org - we’re happy to help!
The YSS Hiring Process
- Apply - Fill out the online app at yss.org/ysscareers.
- Assessment - We’ll check out your skills and experience.
- Interview - Phone, video, or in-person - we’ll chat and get to know you.
- References - Send us three people who can sing your praises.
- Screening - Background and driving checks (plus license verification if needed).
- Offer - If it’s a match, you’ll get a formal offer through Paycom.
Salary : $19