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Wilderness Expedition Specialist

Provides adolescent counseling and treatment in a residential program with challenge wilderness components and maintains the safety of all students in the adolescent substance abuse program. This position is located in the Raven's Way Program, Community Health Services.
 
This position requires an increased understanding of working with adolescents in a substance abuse treatment program including basic interventions that are effective in treating this disease. This position also requires increased crisis intervention skills, and effective communication skills for leading educational groups with the clients. This position needs a working knowledge of how to respond to client who is in crisis, in regards to their mental and medical status.
 
Prolonged, sustained and extreme physical and mental effort: multiple consecutive days of expedition hiking, camping, kayaking. Activities include living in tents, rainy and cold weather and extended darkness, while maintaining positive therapeutic interaction with up to 12 clients who have history of substance abuse, behavior problems and co-occurring disorders. While on expedition, staff will have contact with clients 24 hours per day. Expeditions have no facilities or equipment other than what is carried, by the clients/staff or cached along the route.
 
This position requires frequent work in remote 24 hour wilderness settings as well as work in the Residential treatment facility. Because this is a substance abuse treatment program it is necessary for staff to model substance free behavior while on duty and at all times on remote locations; use or possession of alcohol, tobacco or any illegal drug is prohibited. The Staff Code of Ethics indicates staff agrees not to use illegal substances, and agree to use legal substances responsibly. This position is a covered position in accordance with the Indian Child Protection Act (ICPA)

  • Organize and co-lead wilderness expeditions for youth in the Raven's Way Adolescent Treatment Program, maintaining safety as the number one priority. Includes all aspects of organization from selecting safe equipment, to determining what supplies and food are needed, selecting safe routes and arranging transportation. Teach outdoor skills including: safe travel, fire building, shelter construction, weather protection, cooking, kayaking, backpacking and various other outdoor and safety skills while maintaining a treatment focus.
  • Participate in full scope of residential program component responsibilities. Participates and facilitate daily residential program components, including supervising daily living tasks, assisting with treatment objectives, participating in recreational events, leading various treatment activities (step study, talking circles, life histories, challenge course activities, teaching alcohol and drug educational classes, ect), and sharing in therapeutic group processes.
  • Carry out responsibilities of a staff primary including, attending treatment team meetings as required, attending weekly staff/student primary meetings, and being the primary advocate for the youth assigned.
  • Complete daily progress notes and log daily student activities as outlined in the program policies and procedures.
  • Provide Native cultural awareness opportunities for students.
  • Assume other duties and projects as assigned.
Education
  • Bachelor Degree preferred in Child and Youth Care, Social Services, or closely related degree, or equivalent experience.
Experience:
  • One year work experience with at-risk adolescents with at least 6 months demonstrated group leadership experience.
  • A minimum of 48 days with Raven’s Way expeditions or equivalent experience.
  • Emerging Behavioral Skills: Group Management, Communication Skills, Resource Management, Professionalism, Problem Solving skills. Emerging written documentation/reporting communication skills.
License/Certification/Other:
  • Wilderness First Responder or Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician certification
  • State Drug & Alcohol Counselor Technician certification or ability to attain certification within one year of hire
  • Level I Ropes Course Certification or ability to obtain within one year.
  • Cold water kayaking certification or ability to obtain within one year.
  • CPR
  • CPI
  • State Food Handlers permit
  • AK driver’s license preferred
  • Applicant needs to be 21 years or older
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
Knowledge
  • Knowledge, skill, aptitude and experience in child and youth care
  • Knowledge with substance abuse treatment modalities
  • Knowledge of substance abuse and its effects on the human body, mind, and social relationships and co-occurring disorders
  • Knowledge of CFR 42 Part 2 and HIPAA regulations regarding client confidentiality and protected health information laws and practices
Skills
  • Skill/competence in wilderness hiking, kayaking, camping, fire building, safety, shelters, camp fire cooking, and use of map and compass in an isolated rain forest/island environment .
  • Skills in adolescent behavioral intervention/counseling
  • Skill/competence in using/leading adventure challenge events to further substance abuse and co-occurring disorder treatment goals
Abilities
  • Ability to identify client treatment needs
  • Ability to empathize with clients , yet maintain professional boundaries at all times
  • Ability to understand and follow agencies policies and procedures