CHILD LIFE SPECIALIST

County of Los Angeles; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The County of Los Angeles is seeking a Child Life Specialist to provide therapeutic and psychosocial care for pediatric patients and their families. This role involves preparing children for medical procedures, offering emotional support, and collaborating with medical teams to enhance patient experiences. Ideal candidates will have a relevant Bachelor's degree, certification as a Child Life Specialist, and experience in pediatric care.

Qualifications

• One year of experience with pediatric patients in a medical setting (1,000 hours).
• Valid certification as Certified Child Life Specialist.
• Bachelor's degree in Child Life, Child Growth/Development, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Identifies and implements educational and therapeutic interventions for pediatric patients.
• Provides emotional support during medical procedures and crisis situations.
• Develops individualized child life care plans with medical team members.

Skills

Emotional support

Communication

Coping techniques

Education

Bachelor's degree in Child Life

Certification as a Child Life Specialist

Job description

3 weeks ago Be among the first 25 applicants

May 15, 2024 at 8:00 A.M. (PDT)

Until the needs of the services are met and is subject to closure without prior notice.

Position/Program Information

First Day Of Filing

May 15, 2024 at 8:00 A.M. (PDT)

Until the needs of the services are met and is subject to closure without prior notice.

Exam Number

Y5879A

Type Of Recruitment

OPEN COMPETITIVE JOB OPPORTUNITY

NO OUT-OF-CLASS EXPERIENCE OR WITHHOLDS ARE ALLOWED FOR THIS EXAMINATION.

ABOUT LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES: The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) is the second largest municipal health system in the nation. Through its integrated system of 25 health centers, four acute hospitals and expanded network of community partner clinics – DHS annually provides direct care for 600,000 unique patients, employs over 23,000 staff, and has an annual budget of over $6.9 billion. For additional information regarding DHS please visit www.dhs.lacounty.gov

Through academic affiliations with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Southern California (USC), and the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Sciences (CDU), DHS hospitals are training sites for physicians completing their Graduate Medical Education in nearly every medical specialty and subspecialty. In addition to its direct clinical services, DHS also runs the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency and the County's 911 emergency response system, as well as Housing for Health and the Office of Diversion and Re-entry, each with a critical role in connecting vulnerable populations, including those released from correctional and institutional settings, to supportive housing.

Mission

To advance the health of our patients and our communities by providing extraordinary care.

Definition

Provides professional therapeutic intervention and appropriate psychosocial/developmental care services for pediatric patients and families.

Essential Job Functions

Identifies specific educational and therapeutic interventions to increase understanding in patients, siblings and families regarding new diagnosis, trauma, death, and other crisis situations.

Prepares patients, their siblings, and families for inpatient and outpatient medical procedures such as I.V. starts, MRI's, CT scans, lumbar punctures, pelvic examinations, casts, and sutures to reduce potential stress and anxiety.

Accompanies pediatric patients and families to medical procedures, applying educational and diversional coping techniques.

Provides grief and loss support to patients and families

Provides emotional support, information and role modeling to patients and family members during identified stress points

Develops, implements, and evaluates individual child life care plans in conjunction with other medical team members which include psychological preparation and assessment of coping skills and available social supports.

Provides opportunities for and facilitates a variety of medical/developmental play activities and interactions to address patients' concerns, stressors, and vulnerability potential related to illness, injury and health care.

Provides a safe and therapeutic environment for patients and families through ongoing assessment of patient care areas and developmentally appropriate materials such as books, educational materials, crafts, and games.

Coordinates patient interactions and activities with available volunteers, students and interns.

Provides training for volunteers, students, interns, and medical staff regarding developmentally appropriate interactions with patients and families.

Participates in interdisciplinary rounds and evaluations as a member of the interdisciplinary team.

Documents assessments and implementation of Child Life care plan in the patient's interdisciplinary chart.

Participates in continuing education programs and remains abreast of advances in child life/development and the impact of illness, injury and health care on patients and families.

Requirements

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Graduation from an accredited college/university with a Bachelor's degree in Child Life, Child Growth/Development* or a closely related field** - AND - One (1) year of paid or unpaid experience totaling a minimum of 1,000 hours working with pediatric patients in a medical setting***.

License

A valid and current professional certification or proof of eligibility for professional certification as a Certified Child Life Specialist by the Child Life Certifying Commission****.

A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.

Desirable Qualifications

• Additional points will be awarded for experience in excess of the Minimum Requirements.
  
  

PHYSICAL CLASS II - Light: This class includes administrative and clerical positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10-pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.

Special Requirement Information*** A certified letter on a legible letterhead from the accredited institution verifying your experience totaling a minimum of 1,000 hours working with pediatric patients in a medical setting must be attached to your application or emailed to the exam analyst within seven (7) calendar days from the date of filing your application online. When emailing documents, please include the exam number and exam title. Applications without the required verification letter will be considered incomplete, and subject to disqualification.

• In order to receive the credit for possessing the Bachelor's degree in Child Life, Child Growth/Development or closely related field** applicants must attach a valid legible copy of their degree or official transcripts to their application at the time of filing or email the required documents to the exam analyst at [e-mail] within seven (7) calendar days from the date of filing the online application. When emailing documents, please include the exam number and exam title. Applications without the required degree will be considered incomplete, and subject to disqualification.
• Closely related field in Bachelor degree that will be accepted:
• Psychology
• Early Child education Intervention/Education
• Social Work
• A valid and current professional certification or proof of eligibility for professional certification as a Certified Child Life Specialist by the Child Life Certifying Commission must be attached to your application or emailed to the exam analyst within seven (7) calendar days from the date of filing your application online. When emailing documents, please include the exam number and exam title. Applications without the required certification will be considered incomplete, and subject to disqualification.
  
  

The original documents must be presented during the selection process and prior to appointment.

Additional Information

Examination Content

This examination will consist of an evaluation of education, experience, and desirable qualifications based upon your application information, weighted 100%

Candidates must achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on the examination in order to be placed on the eligible register.

Eligibility Information

Applications will be processed on an "as-received" basis and those receiving a passing score will be promulgated to the eligible register accordingly.

The names of candidates receiving a passing score in the examination will be placed on the eligible register in the order of their score group for a period of twelve (12) months following the date of promulgation.

No person may compete in this examination more than once every twelve (12) months.

Vacancy Information

The eligible register for this examination will be used to fill vacancies throughout the Department of Health Services as they occur.

Special Information

Appointees may be required to work any shift, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.

Application And Filing Information

APPLICATIONS MUST BE FILED ONLINE ONLY. APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED BY U.S. MAIL, FAX OR IN PERSON WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Apply online by clicking on the green "Apply" button at the top right of this posting. You can also track the status of your application using this website.

All information is subject to verification. We may reject your application at any time during the examination and hiring process, including after appointment has been made. Falsification of any information may result in disqualification or rescission of appointment.

Utilizing VERBIAGE from Class Specification and Selection Requirements serving as your description of duties WILL NOT be sufficient to demonstrate that you meet the requirements. Doing so may result in an INCOMPLETE APPLICATION and you may be DISQUALIFIED.

This examination will remain open until the needs of the service are met. Application filing may be suspended at any time with or without advance notice.

Notification Letters and other correspondences will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application. It is important that applicants provide a valid email address. Please add [e-mail] and [e-mail] to your email address book and to the list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as SPAM/JUNK mail.

Applicants have the ability to opt out of emails from Los Angeles County. If you unsubscribe, you will not receive any email notification for any examination for which you apply with Los Angeles County. Regardless of whether you choose to unsubscribe, you can always check for notifications by logging into governmentjobs.com and viewing your profile inbox, which saves a copy of all emailed notices.

Fill out your application completely. The acceptance of your application depends on whether you have clearly shown that you meet the REQUIREMENTS. Provide any relevant education, training, and experience in the spaces provided so we can evaluate your qualifications for the job. For each job held, give the name and address of your employer, your job title, beginning and ending dates, number of hours worked per week, description of work performed. If your application is incomplete, it will be rejected.

Applications electronically received after 5:00 p.m., PDT, on the last day of filing will not be accepted.

NOTE: If you are unable to attach required documents, you must e-mail the documents to [e-mail], within 7 calendar days of filing online. Please include the exam number and the exam title.

Fair Chance Initiative

The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except for a very limited number of positions, you will not be asked to provide information about a conviction history unless you receive a contingent offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and consider potential mitigating factors, including, but not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, regency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about a conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed.

Social Security Number

Please include your Social Security Number for record control purposes. Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number.

Computer And Internet Access At Public Libraries

For candidates who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County.

No Sharing User Id And Password

All applicants must file their applications online using their own user ID and password. Using a family member or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.

Ada Coordinator

[phone]

California Relay Services Phone

[phone]

Teletype Phone

[phone]

Department Contact

Michelle Rivas, Exam Analyst

HR ESC telephone: [phone]

[e-mail]

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

Employment Information

Any language contained in the job posting supersedes any language contained below.

This document is intended to provide general information about the recruitment process of the County of Los Angeles. Applicants with questions about a specific job posting should contact the exam analyst listed on the posting.

Equal Employment Opportunity/Non-Discrimination Statement

The County of Los Angeles is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and is committed to non-discrimination in the County workforce, regardless of age (40 and over); ancestry; color; ethnicity; religious creed; protected family or medical leave status; disability; marital status; medical condition; genetic information; military and veteran status; national origin; race ; sex; gender; sexual orientation; or any other characteristic protected by State or federal law. For more information, please visit: https://employee.hr.lacounty.gov/eeo-programs/.

Testing Accommodations For Applicants

The County of Los Angeles complies with all federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact the testing accommodation coordinator listed on the job posting. Hearing impaired applicants with telephone teletype equipment may leave messages by calling the teletype phone number on the job posting. For more information on accommodations, please visit: https://hr.lacounty.gov/accessibility/.

Fair Chance

The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except as otherwise permissible under applicable laws, you will not be asked to provide information about conviction history unless you receive a conditional offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct and adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and will also consider potential mitigating factors, which may include, but is not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with County Fair Chance Policies and the Fair Chance Act (Gov. Code Section 12952).

Employment Eligibility

Final appointment is contingent upon verification of U.S. citizenship or the right to work in the United States.

Career PathFinder

Resources to help current and prospective employees plan a career with Los Angeles County are available. To explore career paths to and from nearly all job titles, please visit our interactive Career PathFinder application at http://career-pathfinder.hr.lacounty.gov.

Revised January 2025

For detailed information, please click here

01

Do you have one year of paid or unpaid experience totaling a minimum of 1,000 hours working with pediatric patients in a medical setting? Must be attached to your application or emailed to the exam analyst at [e-mail] within seven (7) calendar days from the date of filing your application online.

• Yes
• No
  
  

02

Do you have a valid and current professional certification or proof of eligibility for professional certification as a Certified Child Life Specialist by the Child Life Certifying Commission? Must be attached to your application or emailed to the exam analyst at [e-mail] within seven (7) calendar days from the date of filing your application online.

• Yes
• No
  
  

03

Do you have a Bachelor's degree in Child Life, Child Growth/Development or a closely related field mention on the job bulletin? Must be attached to your application or emailed to the exam analyst at [e-mail] within seven (7) calendar days from the date of filing your application online.

• Yes
• No
• Required Question

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Entry level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Other

• Industries

  Government Administration

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