Youth Coach

San Diego Center for Children; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

403(b) Retirement with Employer Match

Paid Time Off

Wellness Programs

Employee Assistance Program

Employee Discounts

Career Advancement Opportunities

Job summary

San Diego Center for Children seeks a Youth Coach to provide daily support within a therapeutic milieu in PHP and IOP settings. You will help implement DBT, CBT, life skills, and wellness activities, guiding up to 15 youths in group sessions and monitoring safety alongside a multidisciplinary team.

The role emphasizes effective communication, crisis awareness, and role-model behavior. Evening shifts may be required to meet program needs, with ongoing training and development offered.

Qualifications

• Must be 21 years of age or older.
• Valid California Driver’s License and reliable transportation.
• High School Diploma is required.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Loves to work with kids.

Responsibilities

• Provides rehabilitative and skill-building support to acute youth in PHP and one day per week in IOP, helping them develop and implement DBT, CBT, and coping skills.
• Develop a safe environment that promotes honest sharing and connection with youth and staff.
• Explain and enforce clear safety boundaries and communicate with clinical staff during crises.
• Supervise meals and snacks as designated and facilitate arts, independent living skills, and recreational groups.
• Be a positive role model to promote greater engagement in groups and treatment.

Skills

Good verbal communication

Written communication

Multi-disciplinary teamwork

Loves to work with kids

Ability to work with diverse youth

Education

High School Diploma

Bachelor’s Degree

Tools

NTST/SmartCare experience

Job description

Description

By joining the San Diego Center for Children, you will empower children and families through transformative mental health care and educational services. Our vision is to inspire a world where children and families live joyful, healthy lives. We serve over 1,000 people every day - are you ready to make an impact?

• Team-oriented, Multidisciplinary Approach
• Ongoing, High-Level Learning and Development Opportunities
• Culturally Diverse Environment
• Joint Commission Accredited Organization
• Retirement Savings Plan: 403(b) - With Employer Match Up To 3%
• Wellness Programs
• EAP - Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Discounts For Those Pursuing a Higher Education
• Employee Discounts
• Employee Recognition Program
• Opportunities for Career Advancement
• May Be Eligible For State or Federal Loan Forgiveness Programs For Work With Underserved Populations
• All Offsite Programs Have a Bonus Structure

Position Benefits

• Team-oriented, Multidisciplinary Approach
• Ongoing, High-Level Learning and Development Opportunities
• Culturally Diverse Environment
• Joint Commission Accredited Organization
• Comprehensive Health Insurance (Medical, Dental, Vision, Pet)
• Retirement Savings Plan: 403(b) - With Employer Match Up To 3%
• Generous Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick Leave, Holidays)
• Wellness Programs
• EAP - Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Discounts For Those Pursuing a Higher Education
• Employee Discounts
• Employee Recognition Program
• Opportunities for Career Advancement
• May Be Eligible For State or Federal Loan Forgiveness Programs For Work With Underserved Populations
• All Offsite Programs Have a Bonus Structure

Summary

Youth Coach will provide daily support in implementation of a therapeutic milieu, including facilitating DBT, CBT, life skills, and other wellness activities in the partial hospitalization program (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). Youth Coach will support youth directly and support the PHP and IOP teams in achieving youth treatment goals. They are expected to model appropriate communication and problem-solving skills throughout the day. Youth Coach may accompany youth for 1:1 breaks away from the group setting to help implement coping skills and regulate emotions. Will be able to work with up to 15 youth in a group setting and facilitate some activities. Youth Coach will monitor youth and the environment for any safety concerns and work with the team to keep youth safe. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

Schedule is Monday- Friday. Four days per week will be 8:45-3:30pm and one day per week will be 12:00-7:30pm. Must be available evenings, and weekly evening schedule will be based on program needs.The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Provides rehabilitative and skill building support to acute youth primarily in PHP and one day per week in IOP, helping them to develop and implement DBT skills, CBT skills, positive communication, emotional regulation, social skills, and coping skills.
• Develop a safe environment that promotes honest sharing and connection with youth and staff.
• Ability to explain and enforce clear boundaries and expectations around safety and appropriate participation with group and communicate with clinical staff and supervisor when youth are in crisis.
• Serve and supervise meals and snacks when designated.
• Facilitate art, independent living skills, and recreational groups for youth.
• Act as a positive role model for youth to promote greater engagement in groups and treatment.
• Ability to work with youth, families, and staff of diverse ethnic, cultural, religious, gender identity, sexual orientation, and neurodivergent presentations and backgrounds.
• Triage crisis situations with youth, including doing basic risk assessments, safety planning, and connecting with clinical staff as soon as possible, and communicating concerns with parents/caregivers.
• Documents youth participation and engagement in group interventions and sessions per NTST/Medi-Cal requirements and SDCC policies and procedures.
• Maintains clear, effective, and open communication between multi-disciplinary clinical staff and administrative personnel within and between SDCC programs.
• Utilizes supervision, consultation, and training as necessary to provide high quality services to youth in an effective manner.
• Fulfills all required training including documentation, applicable EBP training, cultural competency, and HIPAA.
• Ability to work a full 8 hour day/5 day a week schedule.
• All other duties as assigned.

On The Job Mandatory Ongoing Trainings

• Complete and stay up-to-date with all mandatory trainings as specified by the San Diego Center for Children, including but not limited to: CPR and First Aid, SPA Certification, False Claims, HIPAA, Safety, and Mandate Reporting.
• All other trainings as assigned.

Language Skills

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret medical records, journals, reports, and legal documents. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community. Ability to effectively present information to management and public groups.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret medical records, journals, reports, and legal documents. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community. Ability to effectively present information to management and public groups.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, and talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to run, walk, sit and drive a vehicle. The employee must be able to move and/or lift a child when clinically necessary and must be able to follow a child that AWOLs in a walking or running pace. Due to the emotional instability of the clients the employee may be subjected to kicking, hitting, punching, biting, hair pulling, etc. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Required to provide onsite services during pandemics.

DIVERSITY STATEMENT

The San Diego Center For Children Is Committed To

• Actively recruiting, retaining, and supporting diverse staff at all levels of the organization.
• Ensuring that diverse perspectives are included in the development and implementation of policies, practices and services, and that individuals feel empowered to advance our mission within an atmosphere of trust, safety, and respect.
• Encourage and provide access to professional development to deliver equitable and culturally informed services to the population we serve.

Qualifications

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• 21 years of age or older
• Valid California Driver’s License and reliable transportation
• High School Diploma
• Good verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team
• Loves to work with kids

Preferred Qualifications

• Bilingual in Spanish
• Proficient in online medical record keeping (NTST/SmartCare)
• Experience working with acute clients experiencing suicidal ideation, safety planning, and implementing evidenced based treatment interventions
• Lived experience as a consumer/family member of consumer of mental health services
• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited university