What is this job? 

Ensure the wellness of youth and families through supportive, direct child care services and ensuring a safe, secure, and calm environment.  The Lead Treatment specialist works as a vital member of the care team to act as a mentor, coach, and support to those in a Treatment Specialist Position.  In addition, the Lead Treatment Specialist works closely with the Campus Supervisor to provide supportive services to youth across programs. 

What is the Caminos Program? 

You would be helping children who have recently migrated to the United States and are seeking opportunities for reunification with family as well as the chance to pursue their education and legal immigration cases. BCC calls this our Caminos program, and we see it as a fulfillment of our purpose as a non-profit: to enrich communities, one family at a time.

What is the Board of Child Care?

Board of Child Care (BCC) is not a federal or state agency. It is an independent not-for-profit organization that serves over 1,000 children annually across 12 locations. You would join about 800 teammates across DC, MD, PA, and WV that empower youth and their families to flourish within their community.

What does this job do specifically?

Essential Functions:

• Acts in the capacity of the designated point of contact for new intakes entering the Caminos Program, duties to include (but not limited to): ensuring completion of steps to prepare the unit to receive new intakes, greeting new intakes upon arrival, and providing each youth with a warm welcome to the program, processing the admission of the youth in the UC portal and securing belongings of the new arrivals for Care Team staff to process and inventory.
• Assists with the preparation and coordination of resident discharges by completing required discharge documentation, reviewing required documentation with the resident, processing the discharge of the resident from the UC portal, and generating UC portal discharge documentation including the Verification of Release form.
• Consistently implements each resident's programming in an individualized manner, implementing safety and guidance plans as applicable to provide additional supports and ensures the completion of all documentation related to resident progress and activities.
• Coaches and mentors treatment specialists to engage in supportive conversations with youth and their role as positive, consistent support in the recovery from complex trauma. Encourages actions in a calm, respectful, and patient manner.    
• Utilizes and mentors treatment specialists to implement specialized training provided by BCC to prevent and support youth that is experiencing acting out behavior. This training includes but is not limited to Therapeutic Crisis Intervention, National Trauma Stress Network modules, Integrated Treatment and Prevention of Sexual Abuse and Harassment concepts.  
• Encourages the establishment of a safe, secure, and calm milieu through supporting the treatment specialist in completion of the unit routines and schedules, as well as unit systems for cleanliness, supplies, recreation, etc. Working with the care team, support the wellness of the youth through identifying and supporting the health, medical, educational, spiritual needs of the youth to create a trauma-sensitive milieu. The goal is to create an environment that avoids triggering their unregulated emotions whenever possible.  
• In order to assist the youth in regulating their emotions when they are unable, the lead treatment specialist must be self-aware and avoid getting caught up in the emotions and teach the youth how to manage these difficult situations and assist with developing interventions that include alternative pathways to seclusion or restraint. 
• In collaboration with the unit supervisor and therapist, participates in the development and facilitation of weekly life skills and acculturation groups. Supports and mentors treatment specialists to understand the value of life skills and acculturation groups and encourage treatment specialists to participate in the identification of subject matter for these group sessions.
• Demonstrates understanding of how the residential services work together with the other programs in the agency to support the orientation of youth and care team members. Able to demonstrate how the alignment of services supports treatment and how residential fits within the treatment services. 
• Provides support to the treatment specialist to teach and maintain an environment that supports the acquisition of life skills, including health, hygiene, money management, etc. Help support the treatment specialist in understanding that setting limits and offering a fair and reasonable consequence for unsafe behavior is central to establishing the treatment environment and avoid power struggles for non-safety issues.  
• Demonstrate effective communication and leadership that contributes to the ability to teach a mentor treatment specialist and supports BCC central goal, “teamwork always.”
• Demonstrates knowledge of and familiarity with both Board of Child Care and Office of Refugee Resettlement Policy and Procedures relating to the care and supervision of Unaccompanied Children. This includes knowledge of legal background and authority governing the practice as related to working with Unaccompanied Children.
• Demonstrates the ability to ensure the appropriate staff support for campus, while minimizing and/or eliminating overtime.
• Provides safe transportation in agency vehicles for residents to keep scheduled appointments as required.
• Provides mandatory on-call coverage.

Required Education and Experience:

• Associates degree plus 3 years of working with youth in a social service setting

OR

• High School Diploma plus 5 years of working with youth in a social service setting

Preferred Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university.
• Certification in Medication Administration through the State of Maryland within twelve months of employment.

What are my next steps?

Drug screen and background check required.

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The Board of Child Care is an equal opportunity employer committed to excellence through diversity. All eligible candidates, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply for vacancies as appropriate.