TENTATIVE

 

Occ. Code 8261202

 

YOUTH DIVISION AIDE 2, GRADE 9	8261202
YOUTH DIVISION AIDE 3, GRADE 12	8261303
YOUTH DIVISION AIDE 4, GRADE 14	8261400

 

New York State Department of Civil Service

 

Classification Standard

 

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CLASS SERIES

 

Youth Division Aides perform a variety of tasks related to the direct care, supervision, and guidance of youth placed by the courts in residential facilities operated by the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) and provide paraprofessional assistance to professional staff.  Incumbents help to create and maintain a safe, healthy, and therapeutic living environment that supports the development of pro-social skills for youth in care.  When assigned to OCFS-operated Community Multi-Services Offices (CMSOs) incumbents communicate and collaborate with, and enlist community providers to engage with youth, and their families, as they return to the community.

 

These positions are classified only in OCFS.

 

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

These positions exist in secure, limited secure, residential programs, and community services programs operated by OCFS that requires shift, weekend, and holiday assignments.

 

YOUTH DIVISION AIDE 2: non-competitive; responsible for the safety and security of residential, limited secure and secure facilities for youth including buildings, grounds, property, and personnel.

 

YOUTH DIVISION AIDE 3: non-competitive; full performance level; assists professional staff by serving as a member of a treatment team, participating in team discussions and providing observations and suggestions to professional treatment team members, and assists in the development and implementation of individual treatment and youth safety plans.  Positions assigned to CMSOs are involved with verifying youths’ compliance with their Conditions of Release and Participation and assisting youth, and their families, transition back into the home and community.

 

YOUTH DIVISION AIDE 4: non-competitive; performs all of the duties of a Youth Division Aide 3, in a secure facility setting.  

 

ILLUSTRATIVE DUTIES

 

YOUTH DIVISION AIDE 2

 

Assists in security and access control functions of the residential facility.

 

·       Secures and controls access to the facility by, for example, operating security cameras, performing key control, ensuring that only staff and authorized visitors are permitted access to the facility, and screening and rescreening staff and visitors.

 

·       Monitors movement throughout the facility.

 

·       Confiscates contraband from visitors and staff.

 

·       Staffs a designated post.

 

·       Escorts contractors and vendors to and around the facility and may explain facility programs, functions of the different units and other aspects regarding the operation of the facility.

 

·       As scheduled or directed, conducts an inspection of the facility’s perimeter.

 

·       Inspects motor vehicles.

 

·       Drives trucks, buses, cars, and other vehicles to transport youth to, from and around the facility; may pick up and deliver equipment, materials and supplies.

 

·       Physically restrains youth when necessary, in accordance with OCFS and Division of Juvenile Justice and Opportunities for Youth (DJJOY) safety guidelines and protocols.

 

·       Attends training in restraint guidelines, protocols and techniques.

 

·       Completes log entries and activity reports and enters case contact notes in the Juvenile Justice Information System.

 

·       Completes forms and logs, as required.

 

·       Reports suspected instances of child abuse in accordance with established policy and procedure.

 

YOUTH DIVISION AIDE 3

 

May perform all of the same duties as a Youth Division Aide 2.

 

When assigned to a residential facility:

 

Participates in youth admission and orientation process.

 

Serves as a member of the facility’s treatment team; evaluates youth progress and reports observations at treatment team meetings.

 

Communicates with supervisors and co-workers, verbally and in writing, through log books, activity reports, and briefings.

 

Provides direction, guidance, support, and reinforcement to youth by correcting behavior and teaching appropriate skills as needed.

 

·       Models appropriate social skills and behavior to youth, as well as trauma-sensitive behavior and effective responses to stress.

 

·       Builds healthy adult/youth relationships and serves as a mentor by teaching healthy relationship skills and problem-solving techniques.

 

·       Guides and encourages youth to improve their personal hygiene, appearance, manners and work and study habits.

 

·       Plans and participates in organized recreational activities with youth, demonstrating team work, fair play, and a healthy lifestyle.

 

Assists in planning and facilitating programs, as well as Family Days.

 

Helps youth develop their Community Safety Plan.

 

Conducts community meetings.

 

Plans, prepares and serves meals, and/or instructs youth in same.

 

Provides general instruction and on-the-job training to new staff.

 

May be assigned to the Statewide Transport Hub.

 

May collect documents and prepare files for American Correctional Association audits.

 

May review facility policies and procedures and provide updates.

 

May become certified to present agency training curricula such as crisis prevention management.

 

When assigned to a CMSO:

 

Provides support to the Youth Counselor 1 while the youth is in residential care standards.

 

·       Transports families to OCFS and voluntary facilities for visitation.

 

·       Participates in Facility Support team meetings as directed by CMSO supervisor.

 

·       Assists facility in facilitating groups as directed by CMSO supervisor.

 

Provides supervision and support of youth standards.

 

·       Interacts with youth in a positive fashion to build pro-social relationship and to serve as a positive adult role model.

 

·       Provides safe transport for youth and families in the community and escorts youth to and from programs attended in the community.

 

·       Accompanies youth and their families according to program needs following agency policy and procedures.

 

·       Intervene in crisis or emergency situations and notify supervisor as required.

 

·       Utilizes strength-based approach and engages youth in discussing their behavior and consequences.

 

·       Attaches Electronic Monitoring (EM) to youth and assists in monitoring daily EM expectations.

 

·       Facilitates group counseling, such as sanctuary psycho-education groups and independent living skills, as directed.

 

·       Provides assistance in any office family engagement activities.

 

·       Makes contacts with youth when directed by supervisor or designee as prescribed by the standards of supervision.

 

·       Participates in Community Support Team meetings as directed.

 

·       Participates in Team Group Supervision meetings for youth where applicable, e.g. for Sanctuary.

 

Performs monitoring and evaluation of daily program activities.

 

·       Monitors/instructs youth in assigned program activities; participates in monitoring of community-based program activities.

 

·       Performs required functions in the community, such as school or other program placements, school or other program checks, home visits, and Electronic Monitoring hookups/checks as needed.

 

·       Conducts curfew calls/or visits as directed.

 

·       Contacts family and local authorities to follow-up on AWOL youth and assists in the apprehension of AWOL youth.

 

·       Assists youth in finding employment and leisure time activities.

 

Reports verbally and in writing on youth standards.

 

·       Reviews youth case file as needed and directed by CMSO supervisor.

 

·       Records and reports program attendance in the case contact notes, including family attendance at meetings and groups.

 

·       Documents youth misbehavior and, when necessary, files Reportable Incident Report; assists Youth Counselor 1 with follow-up on major rule violations.

 

Maintains security and safety of the CMSO standards.

 

·       Reports any security or safety problems to the supervisor and address those that require immediate attention.

 

·       Safeguards CMSO Office, vehicle keys, and other OCFS equipment.

 

·       Maintains vehicle and vehicle reports as assigned.

 

Adheres to New York State Codes of Ethics as well as all New York State and Federal Laws Specific to OCFS Care and Treatment; assists higher level staff in obtaining consent from families and caregivers to communicate and gain access to services and support.

 

YOUTH DIVISION AIDE 4

 

Performs all of the duties of a Youth Division Aide 3, while assigned to a secure residential facility setting.

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

 

YOUTH DIVISION AIDE 2

 

Non-Competitive: either one year of full-time experience in the care and programming of youth* under 21 years of age; or one year of full-time experience in the care, programming and/or secure custody of residential clients under 21 years of age in a health care, mental hygiene or correctional institutional setting; or possession of a high school or equivalency diploma.

 

YOUTH DIVISION AIDE 3 & 4

 

Non-Competitive: either two years of full-time experience in the care and programming of youth* under 21 years of age; or two years of full-time experience in the care, programming and/or secure custody of residential clients under 21 years of age in a health care, mental hygiene or correctional institutional setting; or possession of a high school or equivalency diploma and one year of full-time experience as described above; or an associate’s degree and six months of full-time experience as described above; or a bachelor’s degree.

 

*Defined as direct-care experience with youth involved in the juvenile justice system or in an institution, camp, school, community center, youth rehabilitation program, or residential center.

 

Satisfactory completion of the probation period must include successful completion of the Basic Academy Training’s six-week training course, possession of a valid New York State motor vehicle operator’s license, ability to legally operate a motor vehicle in New York state and participation in ongoing restraint training and other training, as required.
Date:  3/19

 

NOTE: Classification Standards illustrate the nature, extent and scope of duties and responsibilities of the classes they describe.  Standards cannot and do not include all the work that might be appropriately performed by a class.  The minimum qualifications above are those which were required for appointment at the time the Classification Standard was written.  Please contact the Division of Staffing Services for current information on minimum qualification requirements for appointment or examination.