Direct Care Staff

Job Title: Direct Care Staff

Reports To: Direct Care Supervisor

Employment Status: Hourly; Non-Exempt

Job Overview

The Fred and Clara Eckert Foundation for Children is a private operating foundation whose primary charitable purpose is operating Eckert Youth Homes in Williston, North Dakota. Eckert Youth Homes provides quality substance abuse treatment services which encourage the spiritual, educational, behavioral, emotional, and physical development of children, youth, and their families. Eckert's core values are Faith, Integrity, Excellence, and Caring.

Direct Care Staff are responsible for the ongoing monitoring of all adolescents receiving services at Eckert. Direct Care staff shall familiarize themselves with Trauma Informed and Restorative Approach care for providing care to the youth. This will be completed by taking the Trauma Informed Care Orientation within 30 days of start date and then later followed with Restorative Approach and Risking Connections Training. The Confidentiality of each youth is imperative. Initial training on confidentiality and 42 CFR Part 2 will be reviewed by reading policies at orientation and then by participating in training within the first 30 days of employment.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Daily responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, teaching living skills, mentoring, actively supervising residents and any behaviors, participating in recreational activities and programing with youth, assisting with homework, resolving conflicts, using critical thinking skills in line with policies and procedures, role modeling positive behaviors and coping strategies, maintaining and practicing youth confidentiality, and assisting in making progress towards treatment plans.
• Staff are responsible for the ongoing active, audible, and visual monitoring of all youth in the homes at all times. During the day shift this will occur during any time that treatment programing is not taking place; during the evening shift this could include taking the youth to off campus programing. During the night shift this will include bed checks every 30-minutes, unless there is a youth on a Safety Plan which could require increased random bed checks every 15-minutes.
• Document information required for each youth. Documentation includes: the Day shift being responsible for the location of youth at all times, youth participation level in activities, individualized group notes, youth behaviors and more. The Evening shift will always document location of youth, off- or on-campus programming, phone calls, youth behaviors, participation in chores, etc. Night shift documentation consists of entering the number and time of checks, youth behavior, and sleep patterns. All will be documented during the scheduled shift.
• Meal preparation during the weekend or when the cook is unavailable.
• Certified Medication Assistants (CMA) will dispense, and document prescription medication administered to residents, as required.
• Be able to identify emergencies immediately and react accordingly using critical thinking skills in line with established policies and procedures.
• Prepare incident reports according to policy and procedure as necessary.
• Housekeeping tasks assigned on shift notes schedule including but not limited to; common area bathrooms shall be cleaned each night, dishes shall be completed each night; input daily log information into the electronic health record, assist with other duties such as shredding, laundry etc.
• Complete any assignments identified at pass down, such as setting alarm, disengaging alarm, and housekeeping tasks that did not get completed, and duties assigned by supervisor or lead.
• Work with a team of people who are charged with the spiritual, educational, behavioral, emotional, and physical development of the children and youth in Eckert’s care.
• Attend all required training, with a minimum of 20-hours of training per year.
• Attend at least two Direct Care meeting per month and all mandatory meetings.
• Communicate with the next shift and update staff on important updated information about each youth under your care.
• Observe cameras
• Assist and care for youth on social detox under the direction of Eckert nurse.
• Escort youth to medical appointments or take them to emergency room when needed for urgent care.
• Facilitating group materials and/or learning activities for youth
• Facilitating morning meeting with youth to prepare for their day

Supervisory Responsibility

There is no supervisory responsibility in this position.

Work Environment

This job is performed in two residential style homes for treatment of adolescents with substance abuse disorders. Youth may come from a background that includes trauma which my result in behaviors that include physically acting out and discourteous language. This position involves frequent movement throughout a two-story home or between both homes.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and occasionally carry items weighing less than 50 pounds. The employee may also be required to participate in activities with the youth such as basketball, walking, hiking, bowling, and exercising. The employee will be required to walk up and down stairs frequently.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position which requires 40 hours per week.

Twelve-hour shifts consist of: 8:00am to 8:00pm, 8:00pm to 8:00am, 4:00am to 4:00pm, and 4:00pm to 4:00am. Eight-hour shifts consist of: Midnight to 8:00am, 8:00am to 4:00pm, and 4:00pm to Midnight. This position requires you to work four (4) weekend days per month. Eckert operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Travel

Travel is not required for this position.

Qualifications

• High School diploma and life or lived experience, peer support experience; and/or experience in addiction or mental health care.
• Be 21 years of age or older.
• Good verbal, technology, and written communication skills.
• The personal characteristics and experience to collaborate with and provide appropriate care to residents, gain their respect, build a rapport, hold personal and professional boundaries, guide their development, participate in their overall treatment program, the ability to work effectively as a team with coworkers, the treatment team, Supervisor, DC Leads, and other stakeholders.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office products such as Outlook, Word, and Microsoft Teams. The knowledge to send and respond to emails and messages, as well as the ability to learn our electronic health record program, and an intermediate to advanced knowledge level of computers.
• Ability to pass an employee physical, criminal background check, TB screening and drug screening.
• Possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.
• Have no child abuse or child neglect charges or convictions.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Attention to detail.
• Commitment to complete tasks correctly and on time
• Strong sense of duty
• Act in accordance with rules, laws, policies, and procedures and expect others to do the same.
• Conscientious
• Ability to set professional boundaries.
• Steady persistence in a course of action
• Task-oriented
• High standards of quality and accuracy
• Strong follow-through
• Lead by example.
• Critical thinker with problem solving skills.
• Desire and ability to learn and grow in position along with gain further knowledge.
• Team player
• Growth and open mindset

Other Duties

• As assigned.

Please note: this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.