Careers & Internships

Prevention Specialist Position Summary

The Prevention Specialist provides prevention education and awareness services to the public in the form of educational presentations, trainings, and outreach on youth related issues. This position supports the larger mission of Teen Lifeline by teaching and empowering teens to be more resilient. They are a key representative promoting Teen Lifeline’s services in the community and raising awareness about suicide, protective factors, and other mental health related issues.

Through prevention education, the Prevention Specialist provides teens and adults with the skills to identify friends and family in need of support. They also provide crisis intervention, debriefings, and counseling to teens, parents, school personnel, and others as required. They are Teen Lifeline’s primary liaison for fostering supportive community engagement with outside agencies, schools, and community groups and promotes the interest for teens to become volunteer Peer Counselors.

This position reports to the Prevention Coordinator and requires interaction and cooperation with other program personnel and teen volunteers. They must also be a flexible, independent, results-driven individual that has a willingness to listen and learn both from their colleagues and the community members they support.

Duties & Responsibilities

Prevention Education & Outreach

• Advocates, consults, and builds strong relationships with the community at large on suicide pre/inter/postvention activities.
• Provides education and trainings to adolescents, parents, community agencies, schools, and teachers on relevant topics including, but not limited to, Stress & Coping, Suicide Prevention, Grief & Loss, Conflict Resolution, and Postvention.
• Works to identify and then refer any at-risk youth to an appropriate adult (teacher, school counselor, parent, etc.).
• Ensures we are reaching and sustaining participants in community trainings, education, and prevention based on strategic planning goals.
• Is able to conduct safeTALK, ASIST, Youth Mental Health First Aid, and/or More Than Sad trainings.
• Creates and updates evidence-based prevention workshops and curriculum geared to middle and high school students, teachers, and community at large on current issues and incorporates best practice models.
• Promotes Teen Lifeline program services to schools, community, and youth to increase awareness.
• Participates in the execution of Teen Suicide Prevention Awareness Month annually.
• Recruits interested teens to become volunteer Peer Counselors and facilitates application process based on strategic planning goals.
• Disseminates program related materials to communities across Arizona and delivers prevention services to contracted communities and organizations.
• Responsible for maintaining and communicating with statewide community, schools, teens, tribal, and mental health agencies.

Clinical Services

• Coverage of at least one hotline shift (3:00-9:00 pm) per week with additional shift coverage as needed.
• Supports, engages with, and supervises teen Peer Counselor volunteers.
• Provides suicide assessment, treatment planning, and appropriate referrals in addition to intervention and postvention services as needed.
• Consults with and supports staff as needed including being available for staff/volunteers to debrief about difficult situations.
• Provides back-up clinical care to clients and peers when assigned staff are unavailable including assistance with hotline and textline coverage.
• Updates agency referrals on a quarterly basis.
• Assists with and co-facilitates the Life Skills Training of teen Peer Counselor volunteers and interns through all training phases. This includes the organization and facilitation of Phase I and Phase III trainings as needed.
• Ensures that clinical records are accurate, current, and meet best practice regulations.
• Uses good judgment and maintains effective boundaries when sharing information about the organization with volunteers, staff, other providers, and members of the community.

Administrative & Fundraising

• Assists in Teen Lifeline policy development and stays up to date with current research advancements.
• Provides documentation of activities including conducting evaluations of prevention and education services.
• Compiles, organizes, and documents information to ensure strategic planning and grant requirement goals are met.
• Participates in internal and external committees and team meetings.
• Ensures the building and property is clean and well maintained.
• Assists with organizational fundraising activities and events.
• Other duties as needed and assigned.

Qualifications

Academic/Work Experience

• Master’s degree in Social Behavioral Science or related field with an eligibility for licensure through the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health preferred.
• Minimum of two years related experience in crisis intervention/telephone work, suicide prevention, and working with adolescents in crisis.
• Understanding and knowledge of crisis and behavioral health care systems and is comfortable navigating a school environment.
• Has a working knowledge of mandated reporting procedures within schools and the community as well as understands best practice and evidence-based concepts.

Skills

• Possess strong communication and public speaking skills with the ability to train and support various diverse demographic groups in all areas of crisis programs.
• Must be a good listener and observer and can empathize and show compassion for others especially with adolescents.
• Creative, driven, and dependable individual who brings an ethical approach to solving problems with the ability to either take direction or work independently as the situation requires.
• Working knowledge of computer systems and applications are essential.
• Flexibility to plan schedule around hotline and community/school needs.
• Ability to respectfully ask questions, challenge, and communicate both positive and difficult messages to subordinates, superiors, peers, and youth while also using sound judgment regarding the appropriateness of guarding confidentiality to protect the privacy rights of colleagues or youth.
• Leads by example, displaying behavior that respects the mission, youth, and Teen Lifeline.

Cultural Competencies

• Model a responsibility to self-awareness and awareness of others to recognize that individuals bring unique backgrounds, beliefs, values, and worldviews. View racial and cultural differences as assets to the organization.
• Committed to Teen Lifeline’s dedication to thread accountability across all efforts to support and sustain a racially equitable organization. Promotes processes and communication that encourage organizational cultural competence and inclusion.

Working Conditions

• Must be available for occasional evening and weekend work and travel as needed, proof of liability and property damage insurance on vehicle used is required.
• Ability to successfully pass a Background Check and/or obtain an Arizona Fingerprint Card.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to be stationary and speak in front of groups of people for extended periods of time. Requires long periods of computer usage as well as the use of other office equipment. The employee may frequently be required by this job to use hands and fingers to handle objects; to talk and hear; and to have specific vision abilities including close vision, distance vision, and depth perception. The employee must occasionally move equipment up to 50 pounds. Ability and means to navigate independently throughout the facility.

Salary & Compensation

Salary dependent on experience ($45,000-50,000). Teen Lifeline offers an excellent benefits package that includes:

• 11 paid holidays per year.
• Generous paid vacation and sick time.
• Medical insurance (90% employer paid).
• Life and short-term disability insurance (100% employer paid).
• Dental and Vision insurance (employer-sponsored)
• Employer-matched Simple IRA retirement plan.
• Professional development (trainings, conferences, paid licensure fees, professional liability insurance, etc.).
• Travel/Mileage reimbursement.
• Bonuses and other employee incentives.

Teen Lifeline is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion or creed, sex, national origin, citizenship status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other condition protected by applicable law. This non-discrimination policy applies to all aspects of employment and extends to our employees, volunteers, Board members and any other person directly associated with our organization.

To apply for the position, please send a cover letter and resume to jobs@teenlifeline.org.