Child Life Specialist

Responsible for assessing patients' developmental needs, temperament, coping style and adjustment using knowledge of child development and behavior, disease/injury, treatment, healthcare stressors, cultural and family systems. The Child Life Specialist will be required to evaluate patients' needs, plan, implement, and organize stress reduction techniques and services accordingly. The Child Life specialist will be responsible for communicating goals of care plan to interdisciplinary team members based on knowledge of the variables affecting patients coping. Provide direct clinical care to children with complex medical and neurodevelopmental conditions, as well as provide family support and occasional crisis response. Collaborate with division members and senior leadership to evaluate needs and broaden the range of services we provide. Support the mission to provide the highest quality care by complying with regulatory guidelines, meeting facility standards, and assuring that all services are provided within a framework of Patient & Family Centered Care.

JOB DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Assess patients' development, temperament, coping style and adjustment using knowledge of child development and behavior, disease/injury, treatment, healthcare stressors, cultural and family systems.

• Track and report on services provided and identify any unmet needs that may require outside consultation.

• Provide direct consultation-liaison services, diagnostic assessment, functional behavioral assessment, and standardized psychological assessment, as well as short- and longer-term interventions, parent training, and co-treatment services with healthcare providers.

• Demonstrate expertise in stress reduction techniques before, during, and/or after stressful experiences to facilitate adaptive coping in consideration of developmental, emotional, situational, and behavioral factors

• Demonstrate understanding of trauma informed care and ability to make recommendations to enhance resilience and provide support as needed.

• Provide leadership in quality improvement projects.

• Active participation in interdisciplinary team rounds and care planning, family meetings, as well as, division and assigned committee meetings.

• Provide education to rotating medical students/ fellows and social work graduate students. Evaluate for potential development of psychology practicum program.

• Attend and participate in weekly unit care rounds as a PFS representative and advocate for stress reduction techniques to be utilized during treatments as needed.

• Attend and participate in Family Care Planning meetings as indicated.

• Train interdisciplinary staff to implement behavioral principles supporting identified behavioral treatment plan.

• Facilitates positive relationships with family members, using knowledge and resources to accommodate cultural needs and to bridge differences.

• Ensure involvement and support of family members in their child's life and health care team goals, matching expectations with family needs and values.

• Provide and facilitate a variety of group and/or individual recreational and play activities that promote normalization, development, learning, self-expression, and coping.

• Document all provision of care in the medical record.

• Conduct appropriate programmatic data tracking and provide reports, as needed.

• Administer and interpret standardized assessment techniques as appropriate.

Formal education required:

Masters Degree in Child Life, Early Education or a closely related field.

Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) Certification issued by the Child Life Certification Commission (CLCC)

Previous experience required:

Minimum three to five-year's experience in pediatric medical setting preferred.