Youth Mental Health Specialist

The Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos (BGCSM) is a well-established nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youth and teens by providing them with a safe, supportive environment that promotes positive emotional, social, and behavioral development. Serving multiple site locations across the San Marcos community, BGCSM is committed to enhancing the lives of young people by integrating social emotional and behavioral health supports within its programs. The organization's mission centers on fostering resilience, self-confidence, and positive relationships through a trauma-informed approach that recognizes the unique challenges faced by youth today. BGCSM values community collaboration, family engagement, and evidence-based practices to achieve its goals. BGCSM offers a dynamic work environment where staff are encouraged to grow professionally while making a meaningful impact in the lives of children and adolescents.

The Youth Mental Health Specialist, also commonly known as a Behavior Support Specialist, plays a vital role in achieving BGCSM's mission by assisting in the integration of trauma-informed youth development strategies across multiple sites. Reporting to the Wellness Program Director, this part-time position (20-29 hours per week) offers an hourly wage of $24 and focuses on improving youth mental health outcomes through direct intervention and staff training. The specialist is responsible for providing one-on-one and group counseling to members who require enhanced support for social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. This position involves conducting behavior observations, developing individualized behavior support plans, and facilitating coping strategies such as calm down corners and safe places. The role is designed to help youth learn adaptive skills to replace challenging behaviors and to de-escalate crisis situations effectively.

In addition to direct service delivery, the Youth Mental Health Specialist collaborates closely with club directors, staff, caregivers, and external partners such as school personnel to ensure consistent application of positive behavior management techniques. The specialist plays a key role in building staff capacity by developing and facilitating training programs focused on social emotional learning and behavioral management. Furthermore, the role includes comprehensive documentation of interventions, participation in program evaluation activities including data collection related to contract and grant requirements, and sharing program impact stories with the administrative team. Maintaining confidentiality and adhering to the highest ethical standards are fundamental to this position. The Youth Mental Health Specialist also participates in ongoing professional development to stay current with best practices in counseling and wellness.

This position demands a high-energy individual capable of maintaining calm during stressful situations, demonstrating empathy and emotional intelligence in interactions, and effectively managing multiple tasks and priorities. The successful candidate will have knowledge and experience applying trauma-informed care principles, especially when working with youth who have experienced trauma or developmental challenges. Reliable transportation is required due to servicing multiple sites throughout San Marcos. The Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos offers part-time employees a competitive compensation package with benefits including paid holidays, personal days, paid vacation, and professional development opportunities. BGCSM promotes an inclusive work culture and is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.