Youth Behavioral Health Program Specialist
Listed compensation
$25/hour
The week · per this posting
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.
Job Description
Benefits
- 401(k)
- Company car
- Dental insurance
- Free food & snacks
- Health insurance
- Vision insurance
Who We Are
We are a company that focuses on treating the whole person. Our work is grounded in understanding the emotional, psychological, social, and practical factors that impact an individual’s well being.
We believe effective care requires compassion, accountability, collaboration, and a commitment to meeting people where they are while supporting meaningful growth and long term stability.
Simple Solutions Psychotherapy focuses on treating the whole person through compassionate, accountable, collaborative, and person-centered services that prioritize dignity, respect, and quality care.
At Simple Solutions Psychotherapy we believe "It's SIMPLE people just make it complicated."
Job Summary
The Youth Behavioral Health Specialist provides creative, trauma-informed behavioral health support to youth in detention centers, schools, and office-based settings.
This role facilitates engaging, evidence-informed groups; supports youth with emotional and behavioral needs; provides case management and care coordination as needed; and delivers mental health and de-escalation training to correctional officers and school staff.
The position uses foundational knowledge of psychology, strong facilitation skills, and lived experience to build authentic connections and trust with youth.
Accountabilities
- Gain and maintain a thorough understanding of Simple Solutions Psychotherapy’s mission, values, Patient Promise, and program expectations.
- Deliver consistent, engaging, trauma-informed youth programming aligned with approved curricula, assigned responsibilities, and program requirements.
- Build respectful, culturally responsive relationships that promote youth participation, emotional safety, and strengths-based growth.
- Provide accurate, practical mental health and de-escalation education appropriate to the audience and the assigned training objectives.
- Maintain timely, accurate documentation and protect confidential information in accordance with company policies and program requirements.
- Communicate youth needs, safety concerns, service barriers, and progress to appropriate clinicians, supervisors, and program partners; follow established escalation procedures.
- Follow through on assigned care coordination activities and use feedback to improve group facilitation and training delivery.
*Accountabilities are subject to change*
Supervisory Responsibilities
- None.
Duties/Responsibilities
- Plan and facilitate innovative, evidence-informed mental health groups for youth using approved materials and age-appropriate activities.
- Engage youth through creative, strengths-based, trauma-informed approaches that support emotional awareness, coping skills, communication, and positive behavioral choices.
- Adapt group activities and facilitation methods to participants’ developmental needs, backgrounds, and the requirements of detention, school, and office-based settings.
- Provide case management and care coordination as needed, including connecting youth with appropriate services and following up on identified needs.
- Prepare and deliver mental health and de-escalation training for correctional officers, school staff, and other designated personnel.
- Collaborate with schools, detention staff, clinicians, and community partners to support coordinated services and continuity of care.
- Complete timely documentation of group services, care coordination, training activities, and relevant follow-up in accordance with program requirements.
- Follow site safety procedures and established processes for responding to behavioral escalation or other concerns; seek appropriate clinical or supervisory assistance as needed.
- Participate in program meetings, training, and feedback activities to support service quality and program compliance.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
*Duties/Responsibilities are subject to change*
Required Skills/Abilities
- Strong group facilitation, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Knowledge of adolescent development, trauma, and behavioral health.
- Ability to engage diverse youth populations with creativity, adaptability, confidence, and respect.
- Ability to build trust while maintaining professional boundaries and appropriate confidentiality.
- Ability to collaborate with clinical teams, schools, detention personnel, and community partners.
- Strong organization, follow-through, and documentation skills.
*Required Skills/Abilities are subject to change*
Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling, or a related field, or a minimum of two years of experience facilitating youth groups
- Strong group facilitation and presentation skills
- Experience working with youth in detention, school, or community based settings
- Lived experience navigating systems related to juvenile justice involvement, mental health, or similar challenges that supports authentic connection and trust with youth.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to facilitate groups and staff training, including periods of sitting, standing, and moving within service settings, with or without reasonable accommodation.
- Use of a computer and related equipment to prepare training materials and complete documentation.
- Ability to travel to assigned detention centers, schools, and office-based service locations.
*Physical Requirements are subject to change
Key Responsibilities
The Youth Behavioral Health Specialist facilitates trauma-informed group sessions and provides behavioral health support to youth in detention, school, and office settings. They also deliver de-escalation training to staff and manage care coordination to ensure continuity of services.
Requirements
Candidates must possess a bachelor's degree in a related field or at least two years of experience in youth group facilitation. Strong interpersonal, organizational, and documentation skills are required, along with the ability to build trust with diverse youth populations.
Qualifications
- Education
- Bachelor degree
Key Skills
Healthcare Administration Career Context
In California, the Healthcare Administration weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$82k (20 salary observations; 44 listings), vs ~$78k nationally (170 salary observations; 731 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-02-01 through 2026-09-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.
Healthcare Administration pay on WeekdayDoc is up 13.1% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).
The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$52k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $47k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
