Occupational Therapist

Company Overview

Youth Villages is a national leader in the adoption and implementation of research-based treatment philosophies in the field of children's mental and behavioral health.  Our commitment to helping troubled children and their families find success spans 30+ years and includes a comprehensive array of programs and services.

Program Overview

Youth Villages’ Residential Treatment programs serve children with emotional and behavioral problems.  Our residential campuses provide the setting for an intensive treatment program that combines the unique balance of structure and freedom. This enables children and their families to identify, understand and cope with their individual needs and develop the skills necessary to succeed in less restrictive settings.  We have three different types of facilities—Intensive Residential Centers, Open Campuses, and Group Homes.  Located in Tennessee and Georgia, all of these facilities utilize the Re-Education of Emotionally Disturbed Children therapy model (Re-Ed). 

Position Overview

The occupational therapist at Youth Villages’ Inner Harbor Residential Treatment Center (RTC) will establish occupational therapy as a new service at this campus under the supervision and with the support of the OTR/L operating out of Youth Villages’ RTCs located in Memphis, TN. This role will include educating team members on the role of OT in this setting, screening referrals, providing evaluation and intervention for children and adolescents living in RTC, providing formal staff training, and informal coaching to various interprofessional team members who also support the OT’s clients.

The occupational therapist will be responsible for the following:

• Implementing established protocols and procedures for occupational therapy as a new service at this residential campus, including, but not limited to:
• Observing day-to-day operations at the RTC and attending relevant meetings for the purpose of understanding workflow operations and integrating occupational therapy services into the organization
• Forming relationships with staff at all levels
• Educating staff (leadership, recreation, education, residential, and clinical) on occupational therapy services and how to refer a youth for the service
• Providing evaluation and intervention to youth with a strong focus on teaching self-advocacy skills, sensory integration, modulation of arousal levels, interoceptive awareness, emotional regulation, frustration tolerance, task endurance, development of occupational identity, social skills, life skills, and (but not limited to) cognitive strategies for problem solving through a trauma-informed lens
• Documenting all services in a timely manner
• Disseminating carryover recommendations to the youth’s care team through a variety of means
• Informal staff coaching to support carryover of skills across all environments
• Formal coaching and training of staff to facilitate a strong trauma-informed and sensory-based environment for the youth served at the RTC
• Implementation of group therapy to select groups of youth
• Continuously seeking education on the latest evidence for the most effective occupational therapy when working with the targeted population
• Absorbing OT caseload from the education department at the RTC for youth who enter the facility with OT on their IEP (typical caseload for IEP Is 4 – 6 youth at a time).

Experience and qualifications:

• 2+ years working with the targeted population
• Strong foundation in trauma-informed care and sensory integration
• Experience with coaching caregivers
• Ability to be collaborative and assertive while establishing a new service at a large residential treatment center
• Strong interpersonal skills

Education and Licensure Requirements

• Master or Doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy from an ACOTE accredited institution
• Licensed to work in the state of Georgia
• Certified by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Prescription Drug Coverage and Vision
• 401(k)
• 2 weeks paid vacation
• 12 paid sick days per year
• 11 paid holidays
• Paid Parental Leave
• Mileage & Cell Phone Reimbursement (when applicable)
• Tuition reimbursement and licensure supervision
• Growth & development through continuous training
• Clinical and administrative advancement opportunities

Youth Villages is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Youth Villages is committed to not only advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace but also in our work with children and young adults. We know that children, families and young people of color can face inequity in child welfare and justice systems, and we train our employees to build the skills they need to work with the communities that we serve, as well as, other employees from different cultures and backgrounds. Youth Villages is opposed to racism in any of its forms and is committed to inclusion, equity, and diversity. We believe that respect for each other is crucial in the work that we do each day.