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The Care Specialist position is a unique live-in position focused on addressing resident needs related to critical issues that may present barriers to their personal and academic success. The Care Specialists are part of the Residence Life professional staff team and work collaboratively with housing staff and campus partners to successfully meet the needs of residents. The Care Specialist seeks to facilitate wellness in the residence halls through preventative and responsive initiatives and establishing a visible presence within the residential communities The Care Specialists provide critical support, case management, intentional referrals, education and consultation support. This position will report to the Assistant Director for Residence Life, Care and Conduct.

Position Responsibilities: As part of the Care Specialist team, the Care Specialist will:

• Provide case management to help individual residents develop immediate and ongoing action plans that are culturally and developmentally appropriate
• Provide support during crisis situations involving residents (during regular work hours and as part of on-call rotation)
• Provide intentional referrals and/or facilitate connecting residents to campus and community resources
• Provide education and consultation support to Residence Life and University Residences staff
• Serve in a collaborative capacity with critical campus partners (ad hoc and on-going basis)

This position works a Monday through Friday schedule with shortened business hours to allow flexibility in response to after-hours coverage needs. This position requires significant evening and weekend commitments throughout the year, and extended hours during peak times of the academic year (move-in).

45% Case Management:  

• With oversight from Assistant Director for Residence Life, Care and Conduct, process and assign care cases and assist in tracking and follow up for residence life care cases 

• Facilitates care meetings with residents to provide support and follow up across the spectrum of developmental and mental health issues.

• Supports resolution of resident concerns utilizing a variety of interventions, referrals, and follow-up services in collaboration with other University offices/resources. 

• Active member of campus student care/concern team (meets weekly) 

• Provides consultation support for Residential Life staff regarding care cases and students of concern 

• Monitors and encourages completion of care follow up measures (i.e. appointments, consultations, referrals)

• Completes regular assessment (care case statistics, program effectiveness, etc.) as directed by the Assistant Director for Residence Life, Care and Conduct.

20% Campus-Wide, 24-Hour “On-Call” Responsibilities:  

• Participate in a rotating Care Specialist on-call system composed of 2 Care Specialists, which includes providing: 

• Care consultation for professional staff on-call 

• Care process introductions via phone with residents receiving after-hours care referrals 

• On-site, in-person response to significant resident crises when requested by AD/Director-level staff.

• Consult as needed with University Residences staff on policies, protocols, and procedures regarding on call response and support of residents

• Provide timely and accurate communications and follow-up to impacted staff and residents for care-related situations responded to while on call

15% Resident and Staff Education, Prevention, and Outreach:

• Increase awareness and understanding of general counseling issues and identify appropriate responses to mental health needs within the University setting, specifically, within University Residences. 

• Implement promotion and outreach efforts for the Care Specialist program to increase resident and campus partner awareness of care resources. 

• Providing care-related trainings for residence life staff and student staff within the residence life training program (professional staff training, student staff training, all-staff meetings, in-services, etc.). Topics may cover areas such as communication, wellness, and crisis intervention. 

• Participate in annual University Residences events/activities with high resident, staff, and stakeholder contact (staff trainings, move-in, student staff selection, orientations, student recruitment events, etc.)

20% Administration 

• Meet with residence life staff regularly to maintain consistent communication and assess staff and student staff needs related to care

• Meet weekly with the Assistant Director for Residence Life, Care and Conduct. 

• Maintain accurate and timely case documentation using the Advocate database. 

• Communicate procedural and database efficiency and critical issues to supervisor.

• When appropriate, communicate with stakeholders (university staff, partners, families, etc.) related to care cases and crisis management. 

• Provide regular and annual reporting in relation to care cases and Care Specialist actions. 

• Analyze the student of concern data to assess educational and outreach needs and determine appropriate next steps. 

• Participate in residence life committees and campus committees when applicable/when directly related to residence life care efforts. 

• Assists Residential Life leadership team with special projects as assigned. 

• Be knowledgeable of and informed by the Okanagan Charter. 

Other duties as assigned

Position Assignment: The Care Specialist will be provided with a two-bedroom apartment in one of the communities on campus. The apartment is fully furnished, and utilities are included. On campus parking permits are available for purchase. 

This is an 11-month permanent cyclic position. (August - July).