Mental Health Worker - Relief

Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch; Billings (MT); On-site; USD 25,000 - 28,000; Part time

Job summary

Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch (YBGR) seeks a Relief Mental Health Worker to provide supportive coverage for youth in a trauma-informed, therapeutic setting. You will help create a safe environment, mentor youth, and contribute to treatment programming while building strong relationships with families and partner agencies.

Flexible evenings, weekends, and holidays are available. Minimum monthly commitment is 8 hours, with pay ranging from $18.12 to $20.39 per hour based on education and

Qualifications

• Ability to build rapport and maintain healthy boundaries with youth.
• Clear verbal and written communication, including active listening and de-escalation skills.
• Ability to manage stress, remain calm, and model healthy coping skills for youth.
• Willingness to work with a multidisciplinary team, including therapists and direct care staff.
• Sound judgment and critical thinking in responding to crises or behavioral challenges.
• Flexibility to work varying shifts in a residential treatment environment.
• Familiarity with trauma-informed behavior intervention strategies.
• Sensitivity to cultural, racial, gender, and socioeconomic factors affecting youth behavior.
• Empathy and compassion for youth facing mental health challenges.
• Commitment to professional boundaries, confidentiality, and ethical care.
• Documentation skills to maintain accurate records per YBGR requirements.
• Motivation, self-discipline, and teamwork mindset.
• Values: Faith, Integrity, Relationship, Stewardship.
• Willingness to obtain First Aid/CPR and Violence Intervention Training

Responsibilities

• Create and maintain a safe, therapeutic environment for youth.
• Supervise and mentor adolescents in daily activities and skill-building.
• Teach coping strategies, life skills, and healthy communication.
• Assist with treatment programming and timely documentation.
• Maintain regular communication with families and partnering agencies.
• Lead or support psycho-educational groups that promote growth.
• Collaborate with treatment teams to support agency goals.
• Model YBGR’s mission, values, and culture of respect.
• Participate in ongoing training and coaching to strengthen skills.
• Support daily operations while upholding safety policies.

Skills

Empathy

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Team collaboration

Crisis de-escalation

Trauma-informed care

Boundaries

Documentation

Reliability

Professionalism

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Job description

Starting Pay: $18.12–$20.39/hour (based on education & experience)

Schedule: Flexible relief shifts — evenings, weekends & holidays as needed

Minimum Commitment: 8 hours per month

Make a Difference on Your Schedule

At Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch (YBGR), our mission is to provide hope and healing to youth facing emotional and behavioral challenges. As a Relief Mental Health Worker, you’ll play a meaningful role in that mission—stepping in to support staff coverage, build healthy relationships with youth, and contribute to a trauma-informed, therapeutic environment.

Whether you’re exploring the mental health field, looking to grow your experience, or want a flexible way to make an impact, this role lets you do valuable work while choosing shifts that fit your life.

What You’ll Do

• Help create and maintain a positive, safe, and therapeutic environment for youth.
• Supervise, mentor, and support adolescents in daily activities, recreation, and skill-building.
• Teach coping strategies, life skills, and healthy communication.
• Assist with treatment programming and provide timely documentation.
• Maintain regular communication with families and partnering agencies.
• Lead or support psycho-educational groups that promote growth and life skills.
• Collaborate with treatment teams and contribute to agency goals and outcomes.
• Model YBGR’s mission, values, professionalism, and culture of respect.
• Participate in ongoing training and coaching to strengthen your skills.
• Support daily operations while upholding all safety and organizational policies.

What We're Looking For

• Are reliable, compassionate, and motivated to help youth succeed.
• Bring strong values, integrity, and a desire to serve as a positive role model.
• Can maintain professionalism and teamwork in high-energy environments.
• Are comfortable working with youth who have complex emotional and behavioral needs.
• Are committed to trauma-informed care and continuous learning.

Important Expectations for Relief Staff

• Work a minimum of 8 hours of direct care each month (training hours do not count toward this requirement).
• Communicate monthly with the YBGR scheduler about your availability.

Why YBGR?

Working at YBGR means joining a mission-driven team dedicated to empowering youth and strengthening families. You’ll gain valuable hands-on experience in behavioral health, education, and residential care—while making a lasting impact on the kids who need it most.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• 21 years old or older
• Criminal / Child Abuse Clearance: Must pass criminal record and child abuse registry background check as required by the State of Montana.
• High School Diploma or GED

Required Abilities/Skills

• Strong Interpersonal Skills: Ability to build rapport and maintain healthy boundaries with youth from diverse backgrounds.
• Effective Communication: Clear verbal and written communication, including active listening and de-escalation skills.
• Emotional Resilience: Ability to manage stress, remain calm under pressure, and model healthy coping skills for youth.
• Team Collaboration: Willingness to work closely with a multidisciplinary team including therapists, supervisors, and other direct care staff.
• Problem Solving: Sound judgment and critical thinking in responding to crisis situations or behavioral challenges.
• Adaptability: Flexibility to work varying shifts and respond to the dynamic needs of a residential treatment environment.
• Behavior Management: Familiarity with or willingness to learn trauma-informed behavior intervention strategies.
• Cultural Competence: Sensitivity and understanding of how cultural, racial, gender, and socioeconomic factors affect youth behavior and treatment.
• Empathy and Compassion: Ability to empathize with the struggles and emotions of youth experiencing mental health challenges, and to provide compassionate care.
• Boundaries and Professionalism: Understanding of professional boundaries and ethical guidelines in mental health care, including maintaining confidentiality and respecting patient autonomy.
• Documentation Skills: Ability to maintain accurate and detailed records of youth’s interactions, treatment plans, and progress notes in compliance with YBGR requirements.
• Demonstrate being self-motivated, self-disciplined, and diligent with forward thinking.
• Demonstrate the ability to think of their team over self and define success collectively rather than individually.
• The ability to effectively interact and communicate with others. These skills are essential for building and maintaining relationships, collaborating with colleagues, resolving conflicts, and navigating various social situations.
• Demonstrate the following values.
  • Faith - is being sure of successfully achieving our mission, based upon our trust in a loving creator.
  • Integrity - doing what is right, putting the needs of others above your own, and living by the highest values.
  • Relationship - being committed to one another in a mutually respectful, dignified, healthy, and honoring manner.
  • Stewardship is the use of any resource or talent entrusted to YBGR to fulfill the mission and values.
• Willingness and ability to obtain certification in First Aid/CPR and Violence Intervention Prevention.