Residential Care Specialist (Part-Time) 3:00 PM - 11:00 PM Shift

Canopy Standard; Jackson (MS); On-site; USD 17,000 - 22,000; Part time

Job summary

Canopy Children's Solutions in Jackson, Mississippi, is seeking a Part-Time Residential Care Specialist to provide a therapeutic environment for youth at the CARES Center, including school day programs. You will engage youth in therapy-based activities and teach coping and social skills as part of individualized behavior plans.

The role requires lifting, ongoing supervision, and a strong commitment to safety and de-escalation in a dynamic residential setting.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent or higher; experience preferred but not required.
• Experience with children and adolescents; some college credit preferred.
• Must be at least 21 years old and have a valid driver's license.
• Ability to read, write, speak, and understand English and communicate therapeutically.

Responsibilities

• Teach youth daily living activities and pro-social skills.
• Implement therapeutic systems and assign restorative tasks.
• Observe clients and de-escalate challenging behavior daily.
• Provide transportation for clients as needed.
• Respond safely to acting-out behavior using approved interventions.

Skills

Therapeutic communication

English proficiency

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Associate's or Bachelor's degree

Job description

Founded in 1912 as an adoption agency, Canopy Children's Solutions is Mississippi’s most comprehensive nonprofit provider of children’s behavioral health, educational, and family support solutions.Canopy employs a diverse group of mission-driven individuals committed to honoring the voice of Mississippi children and families. Being an integral part of the Canopy team involves committing to the Core Values that drive our organization forward:

• The voice of our children and families always comes first
• Relationships matter and our differences make us stronger
• We take great joy in service to others
• Our families and our communities deserve our very best

Canopy has been recognized as a Great Place to Work® for the fifth consecutive year and is one of only nine companies in Mississippi to earn this certification for 2025–2026. At Canopy, employees are committed to fostering a healthy workplace culture built on trust and driven by a shared mission: helping children thrive and empowering families to overcome extraordinary challenges.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package for all eligible full-time employees. Benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Competitive Compensation
• 403b Retirement Plan with Match
• Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
• PTO/Vacation
• Employee Wellness Program and Counseling Services

Residential Care Specialist (Part-Time) - Position Overview

• Provide a therapeutic environment for youth in the CARES Center program (residential and school day).
• Actively engaged with the youth in therapeutic activities through the use of relational supervision.
• Teach coping, communication, and pro-social skills according to the individualized behavior plans.
• Serve as an adult role model who positively contributes to a culture of an ideal team player.

Physical and Environmental Requirements

• Required Physical Activities:

• Sitting, standing, walking, reaching, pushing, pulling, grasping, lifting, talking, seeing, hearing, repetitive motions.
• Must have the physical ability to assist in the physical or therapeutic hold of youth when required, following organization approved safety protocols.

• Characteristics of Work:

• Frequent standing and walking, occasional sitting, lifting and carrying objects up to 50 pounds.
• Must be able to respond quickly to emergencies and physically assist or support youth and/or staff.

• Vision Requirements:

• Close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

• Environmental Conditions:

• This job requires exposure to both inside and outside weather conditions; the typical noise level for the work environment is moderate to loud noise.

Job Responsibilities

• Teach youth activities of daily living, social skills, conflict resolution, how to effectively problem solve and independent living skills.
• Assure appropriate implementation of therapeutic systems, implementing consequences and assigning restorative tasks as appropriate.
• Observe and engage with clients so as to prevent and pro-actively de-escalate out of control behavior daily.
• Make Supervisors, Clinical and Administrative Staff aware of any anticipated problems with clients.
• Provide transportation for clients, as needed, in an agency vehicle in a safe and responsible manner.
• Respond appropriately to clients’ acting out behavior utilizing safe physical intervention in accordance to MAB curriculum when necessary.
• Debrief with youth after each emergency safety intervention (ESI).
• Assure the safety of the facility and clients by reporting environment of care concerns/problems to supervisor.
• Participate in scheduled training opportunities to meet and maintain the specific staff training requirements of licensing and accrediting agencies.
• Participate in pre-shift "pass down" meetings before each shift to ensure proper transfer of information necessary for a safe and therapeutic shift.
• Ability to navigate through electronic medical records, demonstrate ability to complete proper documentation and forms for Incidents, Precautions and all other required documentation.
• When working overnight shifts, complete necessary paperwork on a rotating basis, including but not limited to shift reports, behavior sheets, and roster reports.
• Display knowledge of and implementation of all policies and procedures for the program.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent and at least one year of residential, or related mental health treatment experience; or Associate's Degree or Bachelor's Degree without experience.
• Experience working with children and adolescents and some college credit preferred.
• Must be at least twenty-one years old and possess a valid driver’s license and the ability to be covered by agency insurance provider.
• Must be able to read, write, speak and understand English, and to communicate in a therapeutic and professional manner.