CHAIL is a youth, family, and community focused 501(c)(3) organization with multiple locations and 450 staff, located in Peoria, IL. For over 160 years CHAIL has been helping the kids and families who need it most. Children’s Home Association of Illinois (CHAIL) is the largest social service agency for youth and families in downstate Illinois. The services we provide don’t just impact the individual child, they create positive ripple effects within their immediate family, neighborhood, community, and world by providing an opportunity to thrive.

Here at CHAIL, employees experience a “People First - Culture of Care” working atmosphere. From the most tenured staff to the newest team member, everyone is welcomed into a community that prioritizes diversity, equity, wellness, belonging, and good health. Starting with our CEO/President and migrating to every employee, this agency takes pride in taking care of each other. We believe if our employees are cared for, they can better live out the mission of the agency which is to help the kids and families who need it most. By putting our people first at CHAIL, they have the opportunity to share their expertise, talents, and passions with clients as they are changing the lives of the kids who will change the world. Our employees at CHAIL will tell you that they love working for the agency because they love what the agency does!

About Position:
The role of Program Coordinator exists to ensure youth in care receive services in an environment that is least restrictive and enhances the acquisition, improvement and retention of educational and life skills during their time in our residential programs. A Program Coordinator is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the program. They provide direct support to their staff through supervision, on-call, working on the unit for direct observation, coaching, and scheduling. While this position requires the ability to maintain ratios, licensing standards, and an accurate budget, the most important aspect of this role is the ability to lead a team of frontline staff in delivering therapeutic interventions. Having a basic understanding of trauma and its impact on the human brain is essential to the success of this role. Program Coordinators will be responsible for the team of frontline workers who provide therapeutic care to clients with extreme behavioral health needs. A basic understanding of behavioral health treatment is essential to this job.

The Program Coordinator supports and advocates for youth needs within an interdisciplinary team. The program coordinator also provides some direct care with the clients, requiring advanced childcare and behavioral health. The Program Coordinator is the primary contact person for the program unit, ensuring a team of frontline staff are providing the highest quality behavioral health care to youth in our program.

Job Function:
Managerial:

• Tracks clients’ progress toward treatment goals such that they move to the least restrictive environment as quickly as possible.
  • Maintains a schedule that achieves the DCFS staffing ratios and meets the needs of the youth served.
  • See to it that staff are facilitating youths’ engagement with families as permissible.
  • Provides support to staff during crisis/on-call situations, requiring 24-hour availability, and secures on-call back-up as needed.
• Show quantifiable progress on agency approved life skills education scale for each client.
  • Routinely lead trainings for frontline staff such that their interactions with youth are therapeutic in nature.
  • Provide on the job feedback to front line staff regarding their interactions with you in the topics of de-escalation, co-regulation, therapeutic crisis intervention, life skills education, etc.
• Understands the licensing and accreditation standards and enforces them.
• Reviews and approves the work done by the frontline staff. This includes oversight of all Medicaid billing notes, execution of treatment planning initiatives, communication logs and Significant Event Reports, etc.
• Evaluates the performance of staff in the areas of professionalism, therapeutic interactions, documentation (accuracy, timeliness, quality, etc.), life skills education, overall contributions to the clients’ progression to a less restrictive environment.
• Investigates and reports all incidents, including abuse and neglect, according to applicable policy and procedure; takes corrective action.
• Regularly provides report outs to Residential Director in the areas of treatment progress and case management, Significant Events on the unit, client and staff behavior management, length of stay, life skills progress, etc.
• Must be proficient in the ability to cascade information upward and down the chain of command such that Director and above are kept aware of unit’s current state, and frontline staff have a clear understanding of leadership priorities and expectations.
• Routinely provide onsite evaluation and observation of frontline staff when executing treatment plans.

Day to day expectations:

• Oversees staff in areas of home cleanliness and maintenance indoors and outdoors.
  • Attends a variety of meetings including program leadership meeting, team meeting, planning meeting, school meetings, staffing and child and family team meetings and participates both in areas of collecting information for self/staff and contributing ideas and information.
  • Provide on the job observation of frontline staff to ensure the quality of their interactions is up to agency expectations.
  • Provides support and training to staff to increase employee satisfaction.
  • Participate and collaborate in transition planning when appropriate.
• Maintains confidentiality of clients and agency information.
  • Manage logistics of a team of 12-15 frontline staff including time off, pay.
• Ensures that the youth served receive individualized active treatment.
• Schedules and/or facilitates appointments for the youth served as required.
• Identifies staff strengths and weaknesses and recommends opportunities of professional development and growth.

Qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, management, or equivalent field preferred (or associate degree, equivalent of 60 hours).
• Two years (three preferred) experience working with youth or childcare at a children’s behavioral health treatment agency.
• Preferred experience working with developmentally delayed youth, as well as children who have experienced significant trauma in the form of abuse, neglect, and violence.
• Desire to be innovative and think differently about ways in which youth in care receive educational and skills building supports.
• Reasoning abilities including problem solving and making decisions in a variety of situations and to direct others to carry out those determinations.
• High level of professional skills in group living management, behavioral health management skills and experience, residential treatment skills, childcare skills, and interpersonal relationships.
• Good oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to lead and work effectively within a treatment team.
• Dependability.
• Demonstrated maturity.
• Demonstrated sensitivity to cultural and individual differences in children and families served.
• Ability to handle job related matters in a professional, diplomatic and confidential manner.
• At least 25 years of age to meet DCFS requirements.
• Vision, hearing, and speaking ability which allows for effective communication of information.
• Ability to transport self and clients to various locations.
• Ability to pass DCFS driving requirements.
• Ability to physically restrain clients.
• Physical and emotional stamina to effectively handle job related stress.

Benefits:

• PTO (paid-time-off) accrual 3 weeks first year (full-time)
• 9 paid holidays
• 1 floating holiday
• Sick Leave accrual 12 days per year (full-time)
• Medical, vision, and dental insurance
• Flexible Spending Account
• 401K with company match
• Company paid life insurance, STD and LTD
• Supplemental life insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Referral Program