Position Details

Applied Behavior Analyst

Full-time position (40 hours weekly)

We Value Our Employees By Offering:

  • Medical, Dental, Life, and Health Care Benefits (FT)
  • Up to 3 weeks of paid/sick time off plus 10 Holidays per year (FT) 

Polara Health, Serving on the front-lines of mental health treatment in Yavapai County since 1966, Polara Health (formerly West Yavapai Guidance Clinic) is uniquely positioned to improve access for people in need of high quality and affordable holistic care. We are a beacon of hope, help and healing for over 7,000 individual and families and 1,300 children annually.  Focused on addressing the whole person through a client centered approach, we offer holistic, transformative services that are tailored to address the unique needs of each client, address the social determinants of health and ensure coordination of care with loved ones and other integrated service providers. 

JOB DESCRIPTION

Board Certified Behavior Analyst


POSITION SUMMARY

The Board Certified Behavior Analyst will provide intensive treatment for children and adolescents, all of which have an Autism Spectrum Disorder. The majority of the services involve providing Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention for young children, but can also involve conducting Functional Behavior Assessments and developing Behavior Intervention Plans. Our ABA team is highly experienced and is committed to serving children and families with special needs.

ROLE

The Behavior Analyst will provide: supervision to Behavior Technicians and 1:1 behavioral intervention programs to children, in addition to developing programs, behavior intervention plans (as needed), and program monitoring of their caseload.

The BCBA position is to be considered a leadership role within DE. The ideal candidate will be able to develop client's treatment plans, as well as supervise Behavior Technicians to implement such plans. Behavior Technicians will rely on their BCBA to assist them in overcoming challenges and answer questions about their day to day client interactions. Solid communication skills and openness to feedback are necessary. The BCBA should be organized, and self-sufficient to successfully perform in this role.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES 

Responsibilities will include, but will not be limited to, the following:

  • Provide supervision of behavior technicians working with clients.
  • Implement :1 behavioral intervention programs to children
  • Participate in training activities as needed that provides instruction on Applied Behavior Analysis, discrete trail teaching techniques, management of challenging behaviors, child development and data collection techniques applicable to the client population. In addition to recording and reporting on the behavior of individual children as assigned
  • Assist with training and competency checklists for new and existing behavior technicians
  • Receive supervision from the Behavior Services Director for each client they work with on a monthly basis.
  • Communicate with supervisory staff
  • Prepare and conduct team meetings
  • Monthly graphing and progress reports
  • Introduce and train new client programs under guidance of Behavior Services Director
  • Manage and update client's program book
  • Conduct VB-MAPP, ABLLS-R, ALFS, or other curriculum assessments adopted by Harwood
  • Develop functional behavior assessment and behavior intervention plan under the supervision and guidance of the Behavior Services Director
  • Assist with daily changes and updates to schedule as children and/or staff are out due to illness, vacation, etc.
  • Prepare social skills, circle time, gross motor, natural environment teaching, etc.
  • Delegate stimuli prep to behavior technicians as time allows
  • Assess children using ABLLS, VB-MAPP, PEAK, Vineland and QABF, MAS, FAST and Functional Behavior Assessment as needed.
  • Maintain caseload of clients: Write comprehensive Individual Behavior Plan for each child assessed.
  • Develop and implement skills acquisition, social skills programs (FBAs and FAAs)
  • Develop and implement positive behavior plans and strategies (PBSP, PBIP)
  • Create recommendations for comprehensive services.
  • Provide consultation and training for parents, teachers, and community members.
  • Staff, train, coach and facilitate treatment teams; program monitoring, etc...
  • Collaborate with other treatment team members and members of the child's education environment regarding patients' progress through interdisciplinary team meetings, record review, and informal discussions as appropriate.
  • Ensure that medical record documentation protocols are complied with. Ensures that patients' progress notes are entered into the medical records on a timely basis and in accordance with established organizational procedures.
  • Provide training/supervision to interns as assigned.
  • Participate in education and training programs for patients, families, or community groups.
  • Provide consultation to professionals, hospitals, organizations, schools or agencies outside of this organization.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

  • A minimum of a master's degree in applied behavior analysis and hold an active status as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).
  • Must be currently certified as a BCBA with the Behavior Analytic Certification Board. Individuals who have recently competed their Master's Degree and are waiting to take the BACB exam will be considered on an individual basis.
  • Maintain CEU requirement and BCBA credential with Behavior Analytic Certification Board (BACB).
  • Obtain and maintain good standing certification commiserate with treatment provided.
  • Training and clinical experience in providing applied behavior analysis to children and families. Experience working with children with autism spectrum disorders preferred.
  • Analytical skills necessary in order to synthesize a variety of clinical and social data to determine appropriate diagnosis, treatment plan and monitor effectiveness of treatment programs.
  • Two years of postgraduate clinical experience preferred but not mandatory.

Management and Mentorship

  •   Create a work climate that emphasizes collective team performance and demonstrates Polara Health's core competencies
  •   Establish staffing requirements for recruitment, selection and placement of personnel
  •   Evaluate performance and competency of assigned staff within required and assigned time frames and standards
  •   Coach employees on assigned areas of responsibility
  •   Ensure staff compliance with policies and procedures through utilization of training resources and disciplinary processes
  •   Monitor and positively affect employee morale
  •   Implement progressive discipline up to and including termination of assigned employees
  •   Coordinate and lead regular staff meetings
  •   Evaluate progress toward meeting team/program goals

Coordination and Communication

  • Represent Polara Health at the community level by attending networking and educational opportunities and promoting the positive reputation of the program
  • Direct, coordinate and maximize the integration and cooperation of Polara Health programs with other County services and local community resources within an assigned region or service area by facilitating collaborations and partnerships between representatives of the County, contract providers, and nonprofit agencies
  • Build and maintain a strong network of external relationships with referral sources
  • Build and maintain strong working relationships with Polara Health staff and supervisors, as well as external contacts
  • Serve on various staff and board committees, as assigned
  • Maintain active community involvement; serve as Polara Health's representative to assigned community groups, as needed
  • Interface with and support other Polara Health Services

Reporting and Documentation

  • Address the requirements of DMHA, Medicaid, Medicare, Joint Commission, etc., as applicable to management position
  • Timely completion and maintenance of case and agency paperwork according to Polara Health standards and as required by external agencies (C/ANSA, BPHC, payee, etc), as well as internal unit and organizational reports and documentation
  • Timely completion of all required unit and/or organizational reports and/or documentation according to policies and procedures (e.g. PTO requests, expense sheets, training requests, TB documentation, car insurance, etc.)

Professional Development

  • Complete and maintain compliance with required trainings and education required for the position
  • Participate in continuing education opportunities to enhance professional and job-related skills
  • Attend community education events/seminars to continue developing expertise in the field and improve important professional relationships
  • Successfully acquire and maintain ANSA and/or CANS certification(s), per position requirements
  • Participate in appropriate team and/or administrative meetings, assigned committees, in services, and other continuing education/training
  • Proactively create and execute a professional development plan to stay current within field
  • Participate in preparation and monitoring of an annual budget and development of the Annual Plan for Services, as applicable

COMPETENCIES

Core Competencies 

  •   People Passionately believes in people and embraces diversity
  •   Integrity Does the right thing even when no one is looking
  •   Learning Challenges old paradigms with critical thinking, curiosity and creativity
  •   Accountability Sets an intentional culture of personal responsibility; believes everyone carries the load
  •   Relationships  Serves colleagues and consumers with love, empathy and compassion

Critical Relationships

  The ability to work effectively/positively with parents to improve the quality of life of their children

  The ability to have a positive relationship with families, children, staff and others from diverse backgrounds

  the ability to give and receive feedback from peers and supervisory staff

Position-specific Competencies 

  • Delegation/Leadership - Leads multidisciplinary teams across multiple service areas and facilities and delegates as necessary, with follow up on timeliness, detail and quality
  • Results-driven Thinks strategically and demonstrates understanding of big picture in order to plan and achieve desired results toward Polara Health's mission and vision (strategic business development)
  • Decisive Demonstrates confidence, initiative and sense of urgency in making decisions on behalf of team and takes responsibility for those decisions
  • Problem-solver  A systems approach to critical, creative thinking in solving problems and reaching goals, as well as consensus building and process improvement
  • Motivating Fosters an engaged and supportive work environment in which employees are at their best; establishes him/herself as an effective leader and role model to the team
  • Effective communicator Uses 2-way communication that demonstrates warmth, clarity, and professional consideration for consumer and staff beliefs, values and judgments.  Demonstrates good written and verbal communication skills.

CRITICAL FUNCTIONAL SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

Education

A minimum of a master's degree in applied behavior analysis and hold an active status as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).

Experience/Licensure

Recognized as a Licensed Psychologist with HSPP designation or a Licensed Clinical Social Worker,

Licensed Mental Health Counselor or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist by the State of Arizona

Other 

  • Good organization and time management skills
  • The ability to follow through on given directions in a timely manner
  • The ability to interact well with children
  • Patience
  • Strong ability to maintain strict confidentiality and handle highly confidential information with professionalism
  • Must be able to work independently as well as collaboratively within a team setting
  • Must have excellent supervisory skills, and exceptional soft skills, such as relationship-building, communications, listening, negotiation and diplomacy
  • Must have strong interpersonal communication, problem solving, and team-building skills
  • Must be detail oriented, have excellent organizational skills and be flexible
  • Ability to conceptualize from a systems perspective
  • Must demonstrate clinical competencies essential to effective job performance, as identified by Professional Advisory Committee (PAC)
  • Actively participates in performance management and coaching
  • Demonstrates respect for consumer confidentiality practices
  • Must possess the ability to learn and/or operate relevant computer operating system environments, and the ability to operate a variety of office equipment (fax machine, copier, scanner, computer, telephone system, postage meter, etc.)
  • Ability to work well under pressure in a fast-paced, time sensitive environment with shifting priorities and multiple deadlines
  • Show appreciation for and ability to respond to cultural differences, and adjust communication practices accordingly in order to minimize cross-cultural misunderstandings
  • Consistent work attendance and compliance with scheduled work hours (excludes approved FMLA absences)
  • Responsible for complying with Polara Health's Corporate Compliance Program as it applies to individual job duties, the department, and the company
  • Must comply with all Polara Health policies and procedures
  • Exercise due diligence to prevent, detect, and report unlawful and/or unethical conduct by fellow co-workers, professional affiliates and/or agents
  • Must possess/maintain a valid driver's license, current automobile insurance and a driving record that meets the guidelines and requirements of the organization
  • Must have reliable transportation to oversee programming and/or attend trainings and/or meetings
  • Display a positive work ethic

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORKING CONDITIONS 

The nature of work may generate considerable physical (transporting, moving, assisting clients, etc), mental and visual demands.  The physical and working demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

  • Office environment, travel within the community, as needed
  • Heavy exposure/use of computers, cell phones, office phones, etc.
  • Daily, weekly, monthly and annual deadlines
  • Specific vision abilities require close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus; must also have adequate vision to read correspondence(s), computer screen(s), form(s), etc.
  • Manual dexterity sufficient to operate keyboard, copier, telephone, calculator, and the ability to write and/or type
  • Ability to be physically mobile (stand, walk, reach, climb, bend) and also the ability to sit for prolonged periods throughout work hours
  • The employee must have the ability to move quickly to keep pace with toddlers and have the stamina to remain alert and energetic during therapy sessions.
  • Must be able to occasionally lift and/or move 25 or more pounds
  • Must be able to respond appropriately and effectively in crisis situations by using good judgment and following West Yavapai Guidance Clinic protocols

Background Checks

Employment is contingent on background checks as required by Polara Health's policies which may include:

Drug Test, Criminal History, Driving History Record, Sex Offender Registry Search, Department of Child

Services, State Central Registry Check, Employment Verification, Education Verification, and Professional References

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position has supervisory responsibilities

Work Hazard Category

Category II - Tasks that may involve exposure or potential exposure to blood, body fluids or tissues. Appropriate protective equipment will be readily available to every employee engaged in Category II tasks.

This position is considered Safety-Sensitive by Polara health.

EOE/Non-smoking facility. Pre-employment drug screening/background check required. ** All candidates must be able to obtain a DPS Fingerprint Clearance card.

It is the policy of Polara Health not to discriminate against any employee or any applicant for employment because of age, race, religion, color, handicap, sex, physical condition, disability, sexual orientation, protected veteran status or national origin.  This policy shall include, but not be limited to, the following:  recruitment and employment, promotion, demotion, transfer, compensation, selection for training including apprenticeship, layoff and termination. PH further agrees to take affirmative action to ensure equal employment opportunities.