Life Skills Advisor

Centerstone is among the nation's leading nonprofit behavioral health systems with thousands of employees dedicated to delivering care that changes people's lives. A dynamic, well-established organization, we offer rewarding opportunities to serve all ages in a variety of settings. Come talk to us about joining the Centerstone team!

JOB DESCRIPTION:

SUMMARY OF POSITION

Develops and provides life skills training to TLP residents in job preparedness and vocational skills. Assists TLP Residential Advisors in providing supervision and interaction with residents. Performs daily facility maintenance and cleaning, ensuring the safety of residents and the facility. Promotes positive communication among residents and staff. Develops appropriate leisure activities, instruction, demonstration and modeling of cooking, food preparation, storage, sanitation, budgeting, money management, housekeeping, hygiene skills etc.. Maintains a safe and supportive living environment conducive to recovery for young adult residents.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides outstanding internal and external customer service by communicating and interacting in a cordial, respectful, and professional manner. This includes, but is not limited to being prompt, pleasant, and personable, focused, responsive, appreciative, and providing assistance within scope of position. Consistently returns phone calls and e-mails within 24 hours and updates voicemail/out of office e-mail, TLP site voicemail as well as consistently using pleasant tone and having a helpful attitude.
• Provides individual and group life skills including job search and placement services for TLP residents in order to support their efforts in obtaining employment and preparing to launch into the community. Provides curriculum-based job skills education and life skills training to residents as assigned.
• Completes ongoing outreach/follow-up to current and perspective employers in the community to support efforts of clients in obtaining employment.
• Teaches basic life skills to residents, using the Ansell-Casey Basic Life skills inventory to identify skills needed.
  • Promotes and encourages involvement of residents in appropriate educational, life skill and employment.
  • Helps to identify resources,
  • Fills out application paperwork,
  • Prepares for interviews,
  • Prepares for daily participation in life skills, vocational training classes, and employment
  • Assists clients with arranging transportation or finding independent means of transportation, and public transportation services
  • Teaches daily life skills and vocational skills both individually at the clients' residences and in structured group class settings.
  • Debriefs upon arrival home from training, school, or employment.
• Works in close partnership with residents and staff toward accomplishing each young adult's personal recovery and self-sufficiency, using Rusty Clark's TIP principles.
  • Debriefs residents about educational and employment activities upon arrival home, actively listening and framing activities in terms of skills learned toward advancement and independence.
  • Supports the health and well-being of residents by helping to arrange needed medical and dental care, assisting with obtaining prescription medications, teaching appropriate use of medications, and assuring other needed follow-up to medical appointments.
  • Teaches and models positive personal daily health and hygiene habits, to include maintenance of personal and group space.
  • Teaches and models healthy and affordable meal planning, grocery shopping, and food preparation, to include developing plans for group meals.
  • Teaches and models budget planning, and money management.
• Provides monitoring services to residents including but not limited to:
  • Assists residents in problem solving, random phone calling for accountability purposes.
  • Teaches and models cooperative and respectful living skills; deflects and de-escalates tension and crisis by identifying triggers and options when a resident (s) experience frustration and/or conflict.
  • Follows crisis procedures to reduce the potential risk of harm to clients and staff.
  • Provides medication monitoring services as outlined in the med monitoring procedures.
  • Reviews and updates med logs and lists daily to reflect medication updates, and changes, log resident's self-administration of medications and compliance in the med log.
  • Completes all necessary reports including the UIR report for medication errors, overdosing, etc.
• Provides crisis intervention and documentation.
  • Provides crisis intervention, de-escalation, staff support and CPI techniques to ensure the safety and well-being of both staff and clients, and completes all required reports, com logs, and documentation of all events and interactions with staff and clients.
  • Documents residents' behavior during safety drills and their compliance with safety procedures. Conducts fire drills, tornado drills, earthquake drills, and other safety tests and make written report of all drills.
  • Communicates effectively with the TLP staff, resident's therapist, Case Manager Program Coordinator and Program Manager via verbal and written communication and documentation to ensure that all staff are abreast of the happenings and concerns that exist and to note resident's behaviors.
  • Provides documentation of all interactions with residents in the com log, activity notes and via secured email if appropriate.
  • Records all services as required by The Centerstone and its funding sources.
• Adheres to DCFS licensing standards by maintaining site cleanliness and safety at each TLP site.
  • Provides cleaning and housekeeping assistance to clients and staff at TLP sites in both client and staff areas; by teaching, prompting, monitoring, and modeling appropriate cleaning tasks.
  • Makes minor repairs on facilities.
  • Advises facility manager of any maintenance issues or damage to both internally and externally at the TLP sites.
  • Provides first aid and CPR as needed in emergency medical situations.
  • Transports residents and outpatients as assigned.
  • Conducts safety inspections and correct problems noted as directed by supervisor.
• Participates in workshops, conferences and other special meetings intended to improve skills.
• Attends training and becomes a DCFS financial literacy facilitator to provide necessary training to clients
• Establishes and maintains working relationships with allied resources, including school, probation, court personnel, public assistance agencies, employment and training programs, and social agencies.

• Effectively communicate via written, verbal, in person and virtual methods.
• Knowledge of basic employment and job placement skills.
• Knowledge of community/employment resources.
• Skill in customer service techniques.
• Knowledge of basic casework/social work practices.

Education Level

Requires Bachelor's degree in human services (Social Work, Juvenile Justice, etc.) or related field with some specific course work (e.g., psychology, education, social work, rehabilitation, sociology, special education, therapeutic recreation).

Years of Experience

Previous experience with target populations, human service work, crisis.

Required Certification/Licensure

Valid driver's license

Life Skill Advisors utilizing electronic health records and/or other automated/electronic documentation systems are required to have computer and keyboarding experience and skills or the ability to develop such skills within required timeframes in order to meet the level of proficiency set by the agency.

Task Percentage of Time/Frequency

Standing - 20%

Sitting - 80%

Squatting - occasional

Driving - occasional

Kneeling - occasional

Lifting - occasional

Bending - occasional

Time Type:

Pay Range:

Delivering care that changes people's lives starts with our employees. Below are just some of the great benefits Centerstone employees enjoy:

• Medical, dental, and vision health coverage
• Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts
• 403b retirement plan with company match
• Paid time off and ten paid holidays
• AD&D Insurance, Life Insurance, and Long Term Disability (company paid)
• Employee Resource Groups
• Continuing education opportunities
• Employee Assistance Program

Centerstone is an equal opportunity employer. Employment at Centerstone is based solely on a person's merit and qualifications directly related to professional competence. Centerstone does not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding), or any other basis protected by law.

At Centerstone, we use our values as a guide for what we do. Respect, Expertise, Integrity and Empowerment are at the heart of every interaction at Centerstone, and particularly rooted in our Culture.

Our approach to culture is to create an environment that encourages, supports and celebrates the voices and experiences of our employees. We are committed to a culture of empowerment, respect, integrity and expertise that powers our innovation and connects us to each other, our clients and the communities we serve.

Centerstone is also committed to a strong culture of quality and safety, celebrating role-models who champion best practices for quality, clinical risk, and patient safety.