Lead Autism Program Technician

Description

Who We Are:

Overlooking the Great Smoky Mountains of Eastern Tennessee, The Stables sits on 25-acres designed for housing, dining, education, groups, multisensory experiences, and a wide variety of recreational and adventure activities. The Stables environment gives individuals a safe, non-institutional setting that allows them to reconnect to nature and animals while experiencing a healthy social engagement. The serene mountain environment that surrounds Pasadena Villa is the perfect place for a peaceful road to recovery. Our retreat-like setting helps individuals on the autism spectrum to explore the vulnerabilities that interfere with self-awareness, acceptance, and growth, ultimately creating a unique opportunity to develop life strategies and the inner-strength necessary for sustained success.

What We Offer:

• Team driven culture based on our 5 Star Service Commitment
• Multiple Development Pathways
• Company Supported Continuing Education & Certification
• PPO & HDHP Health Plan Options
• Flexible Dental & Vision Plan Options
• 100% Company Paid EAP Emotional Well-Being Support
• 100% Company Paid Critical Illness (with health enrollment plan)
• 100% Company Paid Life & ADD
• 401K with Company Match
• Company-Sponsored HSA, FSA, & DSA Tax Savings Accounts
• Six Annual Paid Holidays Plus One Floating Holiday
• Generous Team Member Referral Program

How You Will Contribute:

The Lead Autism Program Technician works with individuals who have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, a brain disorder that can lead to issues with social interaction and repetitive behaviors as well as verbal and nonverbal communication. The Lead Autism Program Technician is responsible for managing the daily milieu of the facility, ensuring the safety of residents, and maintaining a therapeutic environment.  This role is expected to be familiar with needs of the residents and be capable of identifying cues and behaviors that may indicate a change in residents’ status or condition. They are responsible for documenting in the resident record, communicating with nurses, psychotherapists and physicians and being available to assist the residents’ families or guardians with their needs. Position oversees the health and welfare of a variety of farm animals and is responsible for the daily care of animals including feeding, turn out, preparation and assistance with animals during animal assisted therapy sessions, grooming, cleaning of stalls, aisles, water troughs, and administering medications.

Relationships and Contacts

Within the organization: Initiates and maintains strong professional relationships with peers, immediate supervisor, and leadership throughout the organization.

Outside the organization: Initiates and maintains strong professional relationships with clients and families, clinical providers, referral partners and vendors, as needed.

Essential Responsibilities

• Supervision and Staffing
• Participate in the hiring, training and supervision all Behavioral Autism.
• Provides, structures, and maintains a therapeutic environment in collaboration with other staff.
• Participate in the oversight of payroll for the shift assigned i.e. approve timecards for processing, address punch change requests, missing punch requests, P.T.O. requests.
• Client interactions and engagement
• Selects appropriate interventions to meet the clinical needs of individual residents.
• Implement interventions to address resident/family concerns
• Actively participates and engages clients in the milieu and outside activities throughout the workday, often in a variety of group settings.
• Prompts clients to complete ADLs, including clean room, hygiene, laundry, etc., and completes regular room hygiene checks.
• Prompts clients to attend all meals in a timely manner and provides supervision and structure at mealtimes as appropriate.
• Therapeutically interacts with the resident in one-to-one situations, community, and group meetings, maintaining appropriate boundaries and modeling appropriate social behavior.  Reacts therapeutically in crisis situations.
• Recognizes resident’s level of psychosocial and psychosexual development and modifies approaches accordingly to include recognizing mood changes and developing coping skills.
• Maintains therapeutic relationship with residents using praise and other reinforcers to encourage appropriate behaviors and attitudes, setting limits in a kind and firm manner.
• Documents in accordance with policies and procedures services provided, incident reports, shift reports, or department reports in a timely and accurate manner.
• Demonstrates effective verbal intervention skills in managing escalating residents and involving other staff as needed. Adheres to CPI criteria.
• Supports residents in effectively managing leisure time, including joining in activities with residents.
• Follows through with clinical precautions effectively, including Q15s and visuals.
• Transport residents to appointments, supporting resident while regulating in community.
• Identifies and recognizes triggers for escalation with each resident, and utilize de-escalation techniques, focusing on prevention of crisis.
• Gathers residents for and facilitates outings and groups to promote program engagement.
• Schedule resident medical appointments, as needed.
• Maintain daily transportation schedule.
• Order and maintain office supplies.
• Facilitate after hours admissions, as needed.

ISJP123

Qualifications

What We're Seeking:

• High school graduate or equivalent. Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 3-5 experience in a direct care role in a behavioral healthcare setting working with adults.
• Minimum of 1-2 years in a supervisory/managerial role.
• Requires valid State Driver’s License and current CPR certification.

Pasadena Villa provides equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, gender identity, genetic information, service in the military, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Equal employment opportunity applies to all terms and conditions of employment. Pasadena Villa reserves the rights to modify, interpret, or apply this job description in any way the organization desires.  This job description in no way implies that these are the only duties, including essential duties, to be performed by the employee occupying this position.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities. This job description is not an employment contract, implied or otherwise.  The employment relationship remains “At-Will.”