Intervention Specialist (West Hempstead)

Gershexperience; West Hempstead (NY); On-site; USD 54,000 - 78,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Gersh Autism in West Hempstead, NY, seeks an Intervention Specialist for a year-round program to support behavioral, emotional, and academic needs of students aged 5–21. The role emphasizes compassionate, proactive crisis intervention within a collaborative educational setting.

The ideal candidate will document interventions, maintain safety and dignity during crises, and work with families and staff to plan proactive strategies. Bachelor’s degree preferred and CPI certification welcomed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred.
• Excellent writing and organizational skills required.
• Experience with crisis intervention in school settings is preferred.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; ability to engage with students, families, and staff.
• Ability to multitask, prioritize, and work under high pressure in a crisis-focused environment.

Responsibilities

• Observe, manage, evaluate, and document student behavioral issues and crisis interventions, including effectiveness of strategies.
• Assess and maintain a safe, dignified environment for students in crisis.
• Provide care, welfare, safety, and security for students throughout intervention.
• Utilize crisis intervention techniques to deescalate students and support staff.
• Collect and review intervention worksheets; attend team meetings as requested.

Skills

Crisis intervention

Observation & documentation

Interpersonal communication

Excellent writing

Organizational skills

Working under pressure

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s Degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Intervention Specialist (West Hempstead)

For over 30 years, Gersh Autism has empowered students on the autism spectrum to reach their full potential. Serving individuals aged 5-21 across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, our network of K-12 schools provides personalized education tailored to each student’s unique learning style. We offer comprehensive therapeutic services—speech, physical, occupational therapy, and more—along with vocational training for older students. Our dedicated team collaborates with families to ensure academic, social, and emotional growth, preparing students for success beyond the classroom.
At Gersh Autism, we are committed to helping individuals on the autism spectrum lead fulfilling, independent lives.

*Please note, this is a year-round school program.

We are currently seeking a full-time Intervention Specialist to join our team at our West Hempstead, NY campus. This role is an integral part of our Intervention team and is focused on supporting the behavioral, emotional, and academic needs of our students. The ideal candidate is proactive, compassionate, and collaborative, with a strong commitment to helping students succeed in a specialized learning environment.

Intervention Specialist Responsibilities:

• Observe, manage, evaluate, and document all aspects of student behavioral issues and crisis interventions. This includes the effectiveness and efficiency of all intervention strategies and verbal and physical techniques employed.
• Assess and maintain a functional environment for the intervention that preserves the dignity of the student in crisis and protects the safety of everyone involved
• Ensure that throughout every phase of the intervention we are always providing the highest level of Care, Welfare, Safety, and Security

Crisis Prevention:

• Observe and interact with all students in various academic and classroom settings to build rapport with them and gain an understanding of what their deficits and behaviors are
• Meet with classroom staff and service providers to discuss proactive strategies for managing and preventing outbursts and/or challenging behaviors
• Observe staff interactions with the students and debrief with them on rapport building, behavior management, and crisis prevention
• Crisis Intervention:
• Utilize intervention techniques such as Collaborative & Proactive Solutions and Non-Violent Physical Crisis Intervention to deescalate students who are acting out verbally and/or physically and have become a danger to themselves or others
• Ensure that all students are treated with the highest level of Care, Welfare, Safety, and Security
• Teamwork Excellence Attitude Courage Heart

Intervention Specialist Data Collection and Analysis:

• Collect and review completed Intervention Worksheets daily
• Attend team meetings as requested

Requirements:

• Must possess excellent writing and organizational skills.
• Bachelor’s Degree preferred
• Certification in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention preferred
• Previous experience with crisis intervention with school age students required
• Requires strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with all levels of Management.
• Ability to work well under pressure and to prioritize tasks are essential
• Strong Interpersonal skills
• Detailed oriented individual
• Maintain confidentiality
• Effectively manages student crisis with dignity and respect
• Anticipate and meet deadlines, complete assignments with consistent accuracy
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook)

Intervention Specialist Working conditions:

• Must be able to multi-task and work in high pressure environment

Physical requirements:

• Must be able to keep students safe from themselves and others and, in some cases, may need to implement CPI (therapeutic holds) procedures.
• Must be able to remove oneself from potentially harmful situations and, in some cases, be able to lift a child.
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, kneel, and move throughout the workday
• Ability to lift (at least 50-65 pounds), assist, and/or physically support students, which may include lifting or guiding students of varying sizes
• Ability to physically intervene when required to ensure safety (per CPI training)
• Ability to remove oneself and/or others from unsafe situations quickly
• Ability to maintain attention and focus in a dynamic, high-stimulation environment
• Ability to multi-task and shift priorities quickly
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and decision-making, particularly in high-pressure or safety-sensitive situations
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team and maintain professional relationships
• Ability to perform duties under stress, including during behavioral escalations

Schedule

• 8:00AM-3:30PM (and once a week until 4PM for a team meeting)

Benefits for Full Time Employees

Gersh Autism offers a competitive compensation package, including comprehensive health and retirement benefits, professional development opportunities, and a supportive work environment committed to your personal and professional growth.

• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)