Milieu Counselor (Part time)

FLSA: Non Exempt

Department: ORR- LTGH

Location: Downtown Shelter (Portland, OR)

Reports To: Milieu Supervisor and Lead Milieu Counselor

Job Type: In - Person (Part Time)

Salary: $20.28/hr. - $22.35/hr.

Shifts: (Part time)

• Sunday-Tuesday from 7am-5:30pm OR 7am-3:30pm
• Thursday-Saturday from 7am-5:30pm OR 7am-3:30pm

• Nonviolence - being safe and doing the right thing 
• Emotional Intelligence - managing our feelings so we don’t hurt ourselves or others  
• Social Learning - respecting and sharing ideas of our teams 
• Democracy - shared decision making whenever possible 
• Open Communication - saying what we mean and not being mean when we say it 
• Social Responsibility - everyone makes a contribution to the organizational culture 
• Growth and Change - creating hope for our clients and ourselves 
• Equity - Assuring all can survive and thrive

The Milieu Counselor is responsible for providing direct care supervision and maintaining a safe and supportive environment for Unaccompanied Children (UC) in accordance to Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) licensing standards, Agency and program policies and standards, and other federal, state, and local regulatory requirements.  The program is a 24-hour shelter for male and female minors between the ages of 12-17.  The program works with adolescents in a residential facility. The Youth Care Worker/Milieu Counselor (MC) provides direct supervision of youth in care and always maintains effective line-of-sight supervision. MC assists with vocational and daily living skills and is involved in working one-on-one, in groups and school settings, provides transportation and guidance for safety during resident outings and participates in serving daily meals, depending on program requirements.  

Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Provide effective supervision of milieu and youth activities according to the program’s daily schedule.  
• Complete documentation of services in a timely manner, including internal incident reports and shift summaries. 
• Transport and/or accompany youth to local appointments and other client outings.  
• De-escalate youth using behavior management techniques and perform appropriate follow ups 
• As a last resort, perform physical restraints of clients as needed following approved crisis intervention model methods. 
• Administer medication to youth, including required documentation and disposal. 
• Demonstrate a commitment to developing a thorough knowledge and application of the Sanctuary model and other organizational policies & practices.  
• Participate in staff development, in-services, and training related to equity and inclusion in the workplace; model appropriate behaviors; develop, recommend, and implement improvements to business practices with awareness and understanding of the impact in a trauma-informed and culturally diverse organization.

Core Competencies:

• Ability to lead a group of staff and clients.
• Ability to maintain composure and professional boundaries in chaotic situations; ability to effectively diffuse or de-escalate potentially volatile situations with clients and/or visitors.
• Ability to keep accurate records and maintain confidentiality;
• Ability to follow oral and written directives;
• Availability to work on any of the seven days of the week; availability to work any shift of the day, including, but not limited to, Swing, or Early Morning, or both;
• Ability to communicate effectively, verbally, and in writing,
• Base knowledge of program policy and procedure, including the importance of safety and security in a residential setting.

Required Position Qualifications:

• At least 21 years of age
• High School Diploma
• Minimum of 1 year employment experience in the child welfare field working with children and/or adolescents in a social service setting.
• Basic computer skills using Microsoft Word, Excel, databases and Outlook

Preferred Position Qualifications:

• Residential experience
• Knowledge of adolescent developmental issues, trauma, abuse and neglect, substance abuse and dependence, delinquency, peer influence, and related group and individual interventions.

Other Requirements:

• Pass a criminal history background check though Morrison and a suitability determination investigation through the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. For further information review :  https://www.opm.gov/suitability/suitability-and-credentialing-faqs/  
• Proof of Vaccination (MMR, Varicella, DTap & Influenza annually)
• Meet agency driving requirements: a valid driver’s license for OR or WA and a driving record permitting coverage under corporate auto liability policy. Personal auto liability insurance ($100,000/$100,000 required), if position requires use of own vehicle for work purposes.
• Bloodborne pathogen training
• Ability to travel between programs locations
• CPR/First Aid certification within 30 days of hire and kept current
• All other applicable trainings as required with necessary updates and reoccurrences
• Must have and maintain a valid driver’s license and personal auto liability insurance.

Physical demands and work environments

• The person in this position needs to frequently move around the residential site including up stairs and on outings and possible travel
• Constantly positions self to maintain site, including under the desks and access supplies up high. and the ability to possibly perform physical restraints of clients. 
• Position requires moving youth from different rooms in Milieu, checking on youth throughout Milieu, and transitioning activities with youth consistently. 
• We serve youth that can become escalated in behavioral circumstances, and this position will be required to participate in and lead de-escalation frequently and physically de-escalate or restrain occasionally. Proper training on techniques that are safe for youth and staff is provided at time of hire. 
• The person in this position frequently communicates with clients and staff with various inquiries. Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations