Job Overview The Cognitive and Behavioral Support Specialist provides specialized assessment, intervention, consultation, and staff support for youth demonstrating significant cognitive, behavioral, developmental, and executive functioning challenges within the Juvenile Residential Center of Northwest Ohio. This position serves as a bridge between clinical services, direct care, education, medical providers, and administration by ensuring treatment approaches are individualized to each youth's cognitive abilities and developmental needs. The specialist works collaboratively with treatment staff to develop neurodevelopmentally informed interventions that improve behavioral outcomes, reduce crisis incidents, enhance emotional regulation, and promote successful community reintegration. The position is designed to support youth with suspected or diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), traumatic brain injury, intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities, executive functioning deficits, and other complex behavioral presentations. This position will also at times be responsible for assisting in coordinating services for youth who are in need of employment, or transitional living

CORE JOB FUNCTIONS

Behavioral Intervention- 30%

• Develop individualized behavioral support strategies based upon cognitive functioning rather than chronological age.
• Conduct behavioral observations and identify environmental or cognitive factors contributing to challenging behaviors.
• Assist with crisis prevention planning and post-crisis reviews.
• Collaborate with staff to implement proactive behavioral interventions and skill-building opportunities. Cognitive and Executive Functioning Support- 25%
• Identify deficits in executive functioning, adaptive functioning, problem-solving, memory, attention, and emotional regulation.
• Develop individualized supports to improve organization, decision-making, self-monitoring, emotional regulation, and independent living skills.
• Create visual support, routines, structured schedules, and cognitive accommodations to improve youth functioning. Staff Training and Development- 10%
• Provide ongoing education to direct care staff, teachers, and administrators regarding neurodevelopmental disorders and evidence-informed behavioral interventions.
• Coach staff in effective communication, de-escalation strategies, trauma-informed care, and neurodevelopmentally appropriate responses.
• Promote consistency in treatment implementation across all shifts. Program Development- 15%
• Assist in developing facility-wide behavioral programming that incorporates trauma-informed, strength-based, and neurodevelopmentally responsive practices.
• Review trends in behavioral incidents and recommend system-wide improvements.
• Develop resources, tools, and treatment materials that support youth with cognitive and behavioral challenges. Collaboration- 20%
• Coordinate with counselors, psychiatry, nursing, education, probation officers, families, and community providers.
• Participate in transition planning to ensure continuity of behavioral supports following discharge.
• Assist in identifying community resources for youth with developmental and behavioral needs.

ADDITIONAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Demonstrate positive leadership and role modeling, for both youth and staff while completing assigned duties.
• Demonstrates an understanding of program philosophy and treatment modalities while interacting with both youth and staff.
• Maintains a current working knowledge of Juvenile Residential Center policy, procedure and practices.
• Reports to work as scheduled, in a punctual manner, and is prepared for job assignment.

Hours of work:

Monday-Thursday:

10a-6pm,

Friday:

8:30pm-4:30pm, with one Saturday per month.

• Attends all mandatory training and staff meetings.
• On a rotating basis provides on call (telephone triage) to the facility for evenings and weekends.
• Accurately completes other duties as assigned.
• Knowledge of and abides by all applicable American Correctional Association (ACA) standards.
• Upholds all policies, procedures and practice of the facility's zero tolerance toward all forms of sexual abuse and sexual harassment, and all policies, procedures and practice of the facility's Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS

• Master's Degree in Social Work, or Counseling with licensure, or Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling, Special Education, or a closely related behavioral health field with enrollment into a Master's Degree Program.
• Experience working with adolescents in residential treatment, behavioral health, juvenile justice, developmental disabilities, or special education.
• Demonstrated experience developing behavioral interventions for youth with complex cognitive or developmental needs

Pay:

$48,000.00 - $58,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Dental insurance Employee assistance program Health insurance Mileage reimbursement Paid sick time Paid time off Professional development assistance Retirement plan Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person