REINTEGRATION SPECIALIST

The Reintegration Specialist (RS) provides case management, service coordination, assessment, individual counseling, family counseling (skill building) and resource development for assigned youth placed in IYR residential programs. The RS provides services throughout all of the phases of the treatment process (i.e., foundation, transition and reintegration phases).

The RS works under the general direction of the Director, Division of Community Services.

PROGRAM OUTCOMES RELATED TO THIS POSITION

As a result of the supervision and support provided by the RS, the youth assigned to his case load will:

• Make steady progress toward the achievement of their service plan goals;
• Know they are valued and are worthy of respect;
• Reside in a safe, healthy, clean and well maintained living environment;
• Be held accountable for their actions in a constructive, positive manner;
• Be prepared for their discharge from the program and return to the community;
• Make a successful transition into an appropriate community based educational program or work setting; and
• Make steady progress in the attainment of independent living skills and/or progress toward completion of family counseling.

FUNDAMENTAL QUALITIES (The Essence of the Job)

1. Underlying Principles. This area relates to and identifies the key personal internal characteristics, qualities, and traits the RS must have and fully utilize to help youth achieve their service plan goals.
   1. Ability to Relate. The RS possesses a caring and accepting attitude. He has patience. He enjoys being around and relating to youth and families, even when they are experiencing conflict. The RS shows genuine interest in youth and families, their lives, views and ideas, while maintaining his professional boundaries. He can view their short comings in its appropriate context and see their potential. He can teach families to respond to a youth’s misbehavior with calmness and constructive action. The RS understands that the care and concern he gives to youth and their families may not always be appreciated, but is given nonetheless.
   2. Personal Qualities. The RS is optimistic in outlook and resourceful in meeting challenges. Her personal values are aligned with the IYR agency values. She willingly abides by the agency ethics policy and the Code of Ethics for IYR Programs Employees. She possesses good insight into the motivational needs of others.
   3. Organizational Orientation. The RS abides by and actively supports the IYR mission, policies and practices. He understands that his work is part of a larger helping system that includes other IYR programs and placing entities. He understands that the IYR wants youth and families to experience long term success rather than just short time progress while in services and he approaches his work in that way.
2. Exercise Judgment. This domain relates to the way the RS uses their mental abilities to carry out their duties and responsibilities. RS’s work in a dynamic environment that requires critical thinking, sound judgment and strategic planning.
   1. Know and Understand. The RS continually increases her knowledge of the agency, larger system of care and the community through training and study. She develops her knowledge of the program’s treatment practices and interventions and understands how they are applied to help youth achieve their service plan goals.
   2. Observe. The RS is constantly aware of what is happening in their work environment. He shares his observations of youth behaviors with other staff and involved parties. His awareness and observation skills give him the ability to be proactive and to intervene with youth and families who are experiencing emotional adjustment or behavior problems before their problems escalate out of control.
   3. Learn. The RS aspires to learn and grow both personally and professionally. She seeks out learning experiences. She effectively applies what she has learned through study and on the job experience.
   4. Organize. The RS works with other involved parties to ensure coordination and a high level of accurate communication. He approaches each task after first thinking about how it should be organized to best achieve the desired result.
3. Purposeful Action. This domain relates to how RS’s act in carrying out their work duties and responsibilities.
   1. Team. The RS is an effective treatment team member and strives to help others understand the importance of team unity. She understands the importance of team members feeling safe in sharing their views and questions. She holds herself and other treatment team members accountable for their individual and team assignments. She supports treatment team decisions and activities in ways that reinforce effective program practices.
   2. Accountability. The RS takes responsibility for his own actions, and when necessary, addresses issues of accountability with team members, other employees, youth and families. He provides constructive feedback to treatment team members, program and agency leaders. He uses mistakes as way to promote learning and behavioral change.
4. Engage. This job domain relates to the level of active involvement the RS must maintain to be an effective resource. The RS stays engaged with youth, families and treatment team members throughout their work day. She participates rather than watching from the sidelines. She helps youth and families stay on task, provides direction, and support as needed and appropriate.
5. Model. The RS “walks the talk,” by living and working in a manner consistent with agency values, policies and program practices. He demonstrates a positive outlook, appropriate use of humor, patience, energy, perseverance, adaptability, punctuality, attention to detail, creativity, and the value of a healthy lifestyle. He keeps his emotions under control (or at least appears to) at all times. He demonstrates effective conflict resolution, problem solving, and strength-based methods that are consistent with the agency’s treatment approach. He demonstrates authority figures can be objective, helpful and trusted.
6. Communicate. The RS strives for clear, objective, constructive communications in all interactions. Her written work products are accurate, complete, and timely. She progressively improves her verbal, non-verbal, and written communication skills. She is an active listener. She is able and willing to confront individuals and situations constructively, with care and an eye on the larger purpose (the end in mind). She keeps other treatment team members informed and in the loop.
7. Teach. The RS shares his knowledge and experience with youth and families in appropriate ways. He uses the “teachable moment” to address patterns of negative behavior and offer positive behaviors to replace them. He imparts to youth and families social, problem solving, and conflict resolution, skills. He creates opportunities to learn empathy. He expects youth and families to do their best and enthusiastically acknowledges their accomplishments.
8. Manage. The RS helps youth with the management of their daily tasks and assignments. She helps her Treatment team members manage their duties and responsibilities.
9. “Whatever It Takes”. The RS does not recognize the words, “That’s not my job.” He is committed to the success of the agency, their program, and the youth and families in their charge. He willingly applies his skills and energy to any task that needs to be done.

TREATMENT / SERVICE TASKS

The following outline covers the duties of the RS by treatment phase.

Phase 1 Foundation

1. Family Unity Meeting. The RS contacts parents, JSC, JPO and other community partners in order to conduct a Family Unity Meeting. The purpose of the Family Unity Meeting is to identify who is going to be involved in the youth’s life as a professional and as a natural support through the development of a Geno-gram and Eco-map. The ultimate goal of the meeting is to put down in a “contract” a plan of support for the youth defining who is going to do what and when in order to support desired changes in the youth and their natural support system.
2. Master Service Plan. Information gathered from the Family Unity Meeting, YoLSI, and other assessments conducted by IDJC and IYR which assess needs, risks, assets and strengths are used in the development of the Master Service Plan. The Master Service Plan is developed by the RS to provide the framework for treatment throughout the youth’s placement with the IYR.
3. Meetings with parents. The purpose for parent meetings in this phase is to focus on competency enhancement. The RS utilizes the approved IYR curriculum to help equip parents with the skills needed to improve parenting and better prepare the home for the return of the youth.
4. Review Board. The RS will be a member of each assigned youth’s review board. The purpose of the review board is to gage the learning and behavior change progress of the youth throughout treatment. Determinations of movement into other phases of treatment will be made by the review board.
5. Internal Staffings. The RS will attend and participate in regular staffings to update, adjust treatment strategies, and plan for the next month of treatment for each assigned youth.
6. Treatment Team Staffing/Service Plan review. Every other month the RS will schedule and attend a Treatment Team Staffing/Service Plan review meeting to include but not limited to the JSC, JPO, Parents and/or other involved parties. The purpose of this staffing is to update everyone on the progress of the youth, share information and make any adjustments to the master service plan if needed. All involved parties will be provided a written review outlining the youth’s progress in treatment.
7. Transition Family Unity Meeting. The RS will conduct another Family Unity Meeting to review the contract and identify any changes to the youth’s support system. The support plan will be updated and adjusted to better help prepare the youth for movement into the Transition Phase.

Phase II Transition

1. Transition Plan. The RS participates in the development of the youth’s transition plan which outlines the tasks and community connections needed to support the youth moving back to the community. This plan will act as a road map for activities needing completion prior to the youth returning home full-time
2. Family Meetings. The RS meetings with parents will focus on skill application learned while the youth was in the Foundation Phase of their treatment. These meetings will also be used to plan and review home passes for task completion and behavior issues.
3. Facilitate Gradual Re-Entry. The RS will contact community partners (e.g., school, church, neighborhood supports) to help pave the way for the youth’s re-entry into the community. Home passes will be scheduled and planned. School attendance will be coordinated to allow for gradual re-entry.
4. Relapse Prevention Plan. The RS will ensure the development of the individualized Youth Relapse Prevention Plan in conjunction with the residential provider, youth and treatment team.
5. Review Board, Internal Staffings, Treatment Team Staffing/Service Plan review. These are same treatment activities the RS attends to in Phase 1.
6. Transition Family Unity Meeting. The RS conducts another Family Unity Meeting to review the contract and identify any changes to the youth’s support system. The support plan will be updated and adjusted to better help prepare the youth for movement into the Finalization Phase.
7. Discharge Report from Residential Programming. The RS will ensure the completion of the Discharge Report outlining services which were provided and goals accomplished by the youth and family while participating in Phase 1 and 2 of services. This Discharge Report will also include recommendations for services during the Finalization Phase.
8. Refer to Functional Family Therapy or Transition and Aftercare Program. According to the Master Service Plan the youth will be by referred by the RS to either FFT or TAP depending on the needs of the youth. Referral to FFT will be based on the need for family therapy to further solidify and empower the family relationship upon re-entry. Referral to the TAP program will based on the needs of the youth in acquiring community based independent living skills. (e.g., employment, health, money management etc.)

Phase III Finalization

1. Family Meetings. The RS conducts meetings with the family to assess and encourage skill application.
2. Treatment Team Staffing/Service Plan Review. Same as Phases 1&2 mentioned above.
3. Assess Re-Entry. The RS contacts community partners to assess progress and make adjustments to the re-entry process.
4. Final Family Unity Meeting. The RS conducts the Final Family Unity Meeting to assess and adjust the support plan of the family and youth with the community based natural supports available to the family.
5. Final Review Board. The RS schedules and attend the Final Review Board to assess progress, evaluate and plan the graduation.
6. Graduation. The RS schedules and attends Graduation ceremony.
7. Coordination of other IYR Services. The RS provides information to successful graduates about IYR services available to them after graduation.

OPERATIONS TASKS

1. Human Resources. The RS abides by all agency personnel policies and procedures. She takes responsibility to ensure her own personnel record contains the information required by licensing, contracting and accreditation standards. She confronts all discrimination and harassment in the work place by reporting all incidents in accordance with agency policy. She completes and maintains required training, certifications and skills courses.
2. Supervision. Although the RS does not directly supervise other employees, he provides direction regarding reintegration IYR program team members. The RS supports his own supervisor by asking for help or guidance when he needs it. He asks for regular feed back on his own job performance. He evaluates his own performance, makes improvements and works with his supervisor to establish annual performance goals.
3. Financial Management. The RS abides by all agency and program fiscal policies and procedures. She optimizes reintegration resources.
4. Employee/client safety. The RS conducts all of his duties and responsibilities in a safe manner. He actively promotes a safe work environment by confronting any unsafe behavior he observes. He reports unsafe work conditions/equipment to his supervisor. He abides by all agency safety policies and practices. He reports all accidents and injuries to his supervisor in accordance with agency policy.
5. Risk Management. The RS is continually aware of risks in her work environment, especially as they relate to youth behavior. She remains constantly aware of youth who are experiencing psychological crisis, have suicidal ideation, or are psychologically fragile. She takes the appropriate steps to reduce or eliminate those risks through careful assessment, planning for appropriate levels of treatment, supervision and structure, and seeks direction from program clinicians as necessary.
6. Quality Assurance & Improvement. The RS views quality assurance and improvement as an every day opportunity. She constantly looks for ways to improve her own performance and her team’s performance. She actively participates in the Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) meetings. She carries out CQI strategies, tasks, and assignments directed by her team, program and the agency.

GENERAL INFORMATON

Work Schedule

RS work schedules are primarily built around the time of day when youth and families are available. The RS may work flexible hours, including weekend and holidays. He is available to respond to individual and family crisis situations. The RS may have on-call responsibilities. The Director will do her best to maintain the work schedule she gives the RS when he is hired, but the she cannot guarantee an employee’s schedule won’t change.

The RS may be required to attend an occasional organizational meeting or training sessions that requires overnight travel and that may last for several days.

MINIMUM POSITION QUALIFICATIONS RS

1. Education & Knowledge. A Master’s degree (or higher) in a direct clinical practice human services field (e.g., Master’s degree in social work, psychology, or marriage and family therapy).
2. Experience and Skills. Two years post-graduate experience providing counseling and/or crisis intervention services to families and adolescents. Strong organizational skills. Ability to handle multiple tasks at the same time. Ability to work independently and as a team member. Ability to handle multiple complex tasks concurrently. Good computer skills. Bi-Lingual in Spanish preferred.
3. Driver’s License. Must have a valid Idaho’s driver’s license or obtain one within 15 days of hire, as a condition of continued employment.
4. Certification. Must hold current certifications in first aid, CPR, physical/non-physical crisis intervention or complete the requirements for certification within ninety (90) days of hire date.
5. Physical Condition. Must be in good health as certified by a physician within 30 days of hire. Must have the physical ability to perform essential job duties and responsibilities.
6. Other. Must be at least 25 years of age. Does not have a criminal record, or obtains a criminal history clearance via Idaho Department of Health and Welfare licensing rules and IYR criminal history policies and procedures.

INSTRUCTIONS

Fax letter of interest, resume, salary requirements and three professional references to Jenny Quiroz, Director, at 208-529-6696, or e-mail jquiroz@youthranch.org. The Idaho Youth Ranch is an Equal Opportunity Employer.