JYS is a Great Place to Work
Culture
Communication
JYS is a highly collaborative, team-centered and fast-paced work environment. We value learning. We’re committed to providing a safe environment for everyone including the people we serve, their families, visitors and each other. We rely on honesty, transparency, feedback and strong interpersonal communication skills.
Employees frequently provide feedback to young people and families. Supervisors are highly engaged, providing feedback as employees learn about the Teaching Family Model, Mii Wrap approach to case management and pursue certification in Attachment Based Family Therapy.
JYS leadership also seeks feedback from their employees. They attend staff meetings, send out surveys and reach out personally. We have weekly check-ins, staff meetings, regular one-on-ones and monthly all-staff meetings.
Participation
Staff members collaborate with treatment teams including JYS staff members, parents, teachers, probation officers, OCS workers and more. We also support direct care staff as they interact with administrative staff like HR, billing and accounting.
Values
We hire people who share our values that include:
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Caring
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We demonstrate caring for the people we serve by showing up. We come to work when scheduled and we spend most of our time at work with the people we serve.
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We care for each other by being attuned to our colleagues. When they have hard days, at work or outside of work, we listen to them and comfort them.
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Self-determination.
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We share a belief that the people we serve make their own decisions. We provide feedback to young people and families regarding potential outcomes of their decisions, but we don’t decide for anyone how they should live.
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Compassionate equity
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We recognize everyone’s human potential and needs by getting to know the individual. We find ways to work together in a way that works for everyone.
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Children and youth
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We enjoy working with children and youth. We value the limited time in a life known as “childhood” and “adolescence.” We do everything we can to make that time safe, unique, enriching and enjoyable.
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Community
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We are active community members, playing our part to make Juneau and Alaska a great place to live.
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Resilience
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Juneau Youth Services has been serving young people and families since 1961. When we experience setbacks, like a pandemic, we work together and find solutions so we can keep pursuing our mission.
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Honesty
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We operate under the highest levels of integrity and corporate responsibility. We frequently conduct self-audits and correct our mistakes. We see errors as learning opportunities.
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We’re learners, not experts
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We always want to know more. We seek to learn from formal training programs, conversations with colleagues within and outside of JYS, professional associations, books and publications, and from the people we serve.
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Environment
Challenge
Everyone experiences emotional triggers when working with challenged youth and families. “Triggers” are what we call intense emotions based on being reminded of uncomfortable or traumatic times in your own life. Regular supervision is provided to assist our staff in managing these triggers. We also provide an Employee Assistance Program to help staff manage triggers experienced at work, as well as at home.
Everyone participates in a Teaching Family Pre-Service Workshop. Case Managers also learn Mii Wrap. Clinicians take about one year to become ABFT certified through Drexel University.
Autonomy
JYS provides intensive certification training and expects staff to work with a high degree of autonomy. While supervisors are present during business hours, and are often observing staff, they do not take a lead role themselves in interacting with the youth and families, but support staff in those interactions. After-hours consultation is available and considered a learning opportunity for direct care staff.
In administrative positions, there is also a high degree of autonomy matched with a high degree of communication and guidance. Employees requiring a high degree of consistent, explicit direction, especially after becoming certified, may not be the right fit at JYS.
Quality of Management
We believe quality management lies in quality relationships. We are foremost interested in the person we are supervising including their skills, passions and motivations. We work to unblock barriers to support success in their jobs and make work-life feel valuable beyond a paycheck.
Life-Work Balance
There’s more to life than work. When employees have time to enjoy their families, hobbies and attend to the “work” outside of life, they thrive on the job. We provide five weeks off per year. We encourage teams to work together when scheduling time off, to make sure no one is taking the brunt of the work when others take time away.
Compensation & Benefits
JYS is committed to providing a competitive and livable wage. We analyze our salaries on a regular basis and adjust it to Juneau’s higher cost of living. We provide generous stay-on bonuses and performance-based bonuses.
We provide health care, dental and vision care insurances, along with life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment, and worker’s compensation.
Our retirement plan includes a 3% match, with annual increases of up to 6%.
We provide nine paid holidays and five weeks of paid time off in the first year of employment.
Subsidized gym membership.
Opportunity for tuition reimbursement.
Career Growth Potential
Behavioral Health Associates
BHAs have two avenues for training leading to career growth. Both are available to all behavioral health associates. All BHAs are required to become Teaching Family Model Certified and can choose at any time if they’d like to pursue an Occupational Endorsement.
Teaching Family Model Certification: All Behavioral Health Associates participate in Teaching Family Model Pre-Service Training and consultation leading to certification. It takes approximately one year to achieve Teaching Family Model Certification. Following certification, there are numerous opportunities to pursue. Teaching Family Model is internationally recognized, and Certified BHAs can be considered for employment at any Teaching Family Association Accredited organization in the US or internationally.
TFM Certified BHAs are eligible for the following positions at JYS:
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Training: TFM Certified BHAs are eligible to pursue training and certification as a trainer.
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Advanced Behavioral Health Associate: ABHAs are eligible for additional supervisory responsibilities and a pay increase.
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Residential Case Coordinator: Case coordinators engage treatment teams to ensure all aspects of a young person’s treatment are moving ahead as planned.
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Residential Supervisor
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Supervisors demonstrating an ability to help other BHAs become certified are eligible to apply for manager positions within JYS. As such, they begin to engage in the Teaching Family Model Evaluation system, and learn more about the Facilitated Administration system, helping them become ready for leadership positions.
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Managers demonstrating capacity for program evaluation and quality improvement, as well as policy and budget management are eligible to apply for the director or other leadership positions at JYS.
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Occupational Endorsement: Through a Memorandum of Agreement with the University of Alaska at Anchorage, JYS supports BHAs in earning an Occupational Endorsement in Children’s Behavioral Health. Participants in this program are eligible for a scholarship covering tuition for 12 college credits at UAA (four classes). Participants also receive a stipend of $500 per month to pay for the time spent taking the classes, which are provided through Zoom (or similar online platform). Then hours per week of on-the-job training are required and are part of the regular 40 hours per week required as a full-time employee at JYS. Additional assistance is provided by the UAA. While an Occupational Endorsement is not required to be employed as a BHA, this recognition will assist in the future of anyone with the Endorsement in their career in behavioral health. Credits earned can also be applied to a later degree should the BHA choose to go further in their education.
Case Managers
Case managers are required to have a bachelor’s degree or higher. Case managers are trained by JYS in Motivational Interviewing Inspired Wraparound Case Management (Mii Wrap) and Teaching Family Model. They are expected to be TFM certified in approximately 18 months. Case managers are eligible to further their JYS with opportunities in:
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Training
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Supervision of Case Managers or BHAs in Community Based or Residential Programs
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Management and leadership in Community Based or Residential Programs
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Administrative positions such as admissions, auditing, etc.
Clinicians
Clinicians are required to have a master’s degree or higher and are trained in Teaching Family Model. JYS pays for all Clinicians to get trained and certified in Attachment Based Family Therapy through Drexel University, which takes approximately 12 – 18 months. Clinicians who obtain a credential in clinical supervision are eligible for positions as clinical supervisors. JYS supports clinicians who wish to move into management and leadership positions by providing them with training for leadership in Teaching Family Model and Mii Wrap models. Possible positions include program manager, program director, various administrative leadership roles in quality and/or compliance (with additional, appropriate training) and executive roles, including executive director
Therapeutic Foster Care
Therapeutic foster care parents are contract staff at JYS. However, therapeutic foster care parents who wish to pursue a career with JYS may choose to participate in consultation training and become consultants. As consultants, they assist in recruiting and supporting other therapeutic foster care parents, which is a paid and benefited position at JYS. These parents are also eligible to pursue opportunities in training, management and leadership as they become available.
Administration
Administrative staff are required to participate in Teaching Family Model Pre-Service Workshop. Manyuch administrative staff enjoys picking up shifts in residential units and may choose to pursue a career in direct care. Administrative staffThey are not required to become certified in the model unless or until they decide on athat career path in direct care. Opportunities for growth in administration at JYS include potential positions in IT, QI/Compliance, billings, facilities, accounting, reception and medical records.