Residential Counselor

Huckleberry Youth Programs (HYP) is a critical provider of essential safety net services for high-needs youth and their families in San Francisco and Marin County. For over 50 years, HYP has developed and maintained prevention programs that promote the health and leadership of youth, and, as a result, divert youth from violence, crime and gang involvement, as well as other harmful behaviors, including running away, drug/alcohol abuse, risky sexual activities, and involvement in the juvenile justice system. The agency employs over 80 staff and operates on a $7.5 million annual budget.

The Residential Counselor is a member of the Huckleberry House team that offers continuous 24-hour crisis intervention and resolution services and emergency shelter to youth between the ages of 11 and 17. Program goals are to mediate family crises, reunite youth with their families, and empower youth to identify healthy life choices and develop positive decision-making skills.

 ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Provision of house coverage includes:
2. Direct supervision of the youth in the shelter, on outings in community, and during meetings and/or appointments in the community
3. Conducting Intake assessments with youth, including interviewing parents, guardians, and/or other involved adults
4. Crisis counseling for drop-in clients and families, housed clients and crisis phone clients
5. Phone coverage, including answering and responding to incoming crisis, business information and referral calls
6. Assist with case management: including referrals, collaboration with community partners, collaboration with House therapist and/or interns, research of potential services for clients and families
7. Supervision of housed clients as follows:
8. Facilitate in-house groups and recreational activities
9. Supervise clients in the daily schedule: including chores, educational time, recreational time, and mealtimes
10. Supervise evening activities: including group time, homework time, mealtime, phone time, free time, and bed time prep  
11. Supervise clients during morning activities: including wake up, school departure, and meal preparation
12. Supervise clients on awake overnight shift: including regular bed checks and possible intakes
13. Follow through with boundary setting and consequences
14. Conduct “check-ins” with housed clients
15. Assure that house rules and procedures are maintained at all times
16. Follow all Community Care Licensing regulations, including those pertaining to medication distribution, meal preparation, and chemical storage
17. Knowledge of safety and emergency procedures as outlined in agency emergency procedures manual and program manual
18. Responsible for household maintenance, including;
19. Maintaining a clean and safe facility: including some light cleaning and organizing of work spaces
20. During awake overnight shift, complete the overnight checklist to ensure facility is prepared for next day
21. Coordinating the arrangements for repairs and maintenance as instructed by the Program Director
22. Participate in daily client and weekly client reviews, weekly staff meetings, and other agency related meetings as directed by the Program Director
23. Provide emergency coverage, when necessary
24. Perform other duties related to this position, as directed by the Program Director

COMPETENCIES: 

1. Maintain professional standards of performance, demeanor and appearance at all times
2. Perform tasks and responsibilities in a complete and timely manner, complying with agency policies and standards and conforming to scheduling requirements of this job description and program
3. Maintain a creative, team-building, cooperative approach to job performance and seek to bring a constructive problem-solving orientation to all tasks
4. Maintain an awareness of the agency’s mission and work to promote the positive individual and social change goals it embodies
5. Exercise discretion and professional judgment at all times in keeping with the responsibility carried personally and by the agency for the care and welfare of youth and families
6. Actively strive to upgrade personal skills through engaging in appropriate professional training experiences

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

1. BA degree in Human/Social Services or Related field preferred
2. Minimum one-year experience in working with adolescents in a residential setting and providing crisis services to youth and their families, strongly preferred
3. Willingness to work evenings, weekends, and awake overnights, required
4. Bilingual in Spanish/Cantonese/Mandarin preferred

ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY QUALIFICATIONS:

1. TB and health clearance

2. Valid first aid certificate

3. Valid CA driver’s license & clear DMV record

4. 2 years driving experience

4. COVID-19 Vaccine, exemptions for religious and medical reasons considered

SECURITY CLEARANCE: 

Must pass DOJ/FBI background check. Due to our requirements with licensing, candidates with backgrounds including items on the non-exemptible crime list will not be eligible for exemption at this time. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

This position works at Huckleberry House. This role routinely includes driving and transporting youth. The position also includes the use of standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines. Huckleberry House is located in San Francisco and is accessible by public transportation.   

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear and sit. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, climb stairs and use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools and controls. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

OTHER DUTIES: 

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: Huckleberry Youth Programs is an equal opportunity employer, committed to providing equal opportunity to its employees and applicants for employment without discrimination on the basis of race; color; ethnic background; religion; gender; gender identity or expression; sexual orientation; national origin; ancestry; age; marital status; pregnancy, childbirth, or other related medical condition; disability, including HIV-related conditions; or status as a covered veteran. This policy applies to every aspect of employment, including but not limited to: hiring, advancement, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, compensation, benefits, training and working conditions.

FAIR CHANCE: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.