Job Overview

The Milieu Therapist is responsible to maintain a safe, predictable and therapeutic living environment for children in care at Andrus while supporting the agency’s mission, vision, core values and treatment philosophy. The Milieu Therapist provides close supervision, counseling, and support to the children during all cottage-based activities. The Milieu Therapist is responsible to plan and implement individual and group initiatives to build children’s skills and self-esteem. The Milieu Therapist ensures that the basic needs of children are met, and that the cottage is maintained in a safe, orderly, predictable, therapeutic, structured and clean condition. The Milieu Therapist works as part of a multidisciplinary team which includes recreation therapists, teachers, social workers and other professionals.

Schedule: Sunday Thru Wednesday: 9:00 AM until 9:00 PM - Off Thursday Friday and Saturday

Essential Duties

Key duties of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Assuring the safety of each resident and for the cottage community.
• Actively supervising the residents at all times, based on their age and level, to assure everyone’s safety.
• Supervising the residents by participating with them in scheduled activities
• Enacting the program schedule as written and on time.
• Using all aspects of Sanctuary in the care s/he provides
• Using all aspects of trauma sensitive care in the services s/he provides.
• Using all techniques of TCI to prevent triggering, to intervene early to prevent escalation to crisis, for safe management of any crisis that does arise, and for assuring safety and learning after any crisis. This includes becoming skilled in LSIs and conflict resolutions, and conducting them for even minor conflicts, to minimize the occurrence of larger conflicts.
• Assuring that Safety Plans and ICMPs are in place, available to all staff and actively used to guide treatment.
• Understanding the importance of and takes responsibility for team work and good communication.
• Planning and enacting smooth transitions from one activity to the next.
• Arriving consistently and on time for assigned shifts. Meet expectations for use of leave, professional presentation, and responsibility for specific tasks.
• Experience dealing with teenaged children with behavioral, past traumatic experiences and/or living with Autism.
• Supports overall strategic plan of the organization.
• Ability to adhere to our organization's core values and commitments.

Essential Qualifications

Key qualifications include:

• 
  CPR/First Aid certification preferred (in-service trainings are mandatory)
• Minimum of HS diploma (or equivalent) plus one year of lived or work experience dealing with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder/behavioral or emotional issues/special needs
• Experience working with children, preferably in a residential setting and/or with Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Computer proficient and navigate Microsoft Office suite
• Multi-lingual a plus
• Ability to access and utilize ADP app on smartphone or other device for access to agency programs.

Physical/Travel Requirements

• lift
• reach
• walk
• climb stairs
• bend

The employee must be able to meet these requirements with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Disclaimer

Nothing in this job description restricts Andrus’ right to modify the duties/responsibilities of this job at any time, with or without advanced notice.

EEO Statement

Andrus is an equal opportunity employer.