State of Maryland

A Residential Child and Youth Care Practitioner (RCYCP) Supervisor is the supervisory level of work over those providing guidance to deaf and hard of hearing students by serving as a mentor and role model, offering advice and assistance with everyday life skills and providing referrals as appropriate to other staff at the Maryland School for the Deaf.   Employees in this classification are responsible for creating work schedules for staff, reviewing and approving time sheets and overtime requests.  Employees in this classification act as liaisons between the school and parents/guardians and work with the school specialists with regards to student’s physical or emotional needs.  Employees in this classification working in a residential child care program licensed by the Maryland Department of Human Services and/ or the Maryland Department of Health are required to become certified as a Residential Child and Youth Care Practitioner (RCYCP).  Employees in this classification supervise lower-level RCYCPs and residential program employees.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a designated administrator.  Employees will need to meet the minimum qualifications for the RCYCP certification or they will be required to pass the State Standard Examination.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The RCYCP Supervisor is differentiated from the RCYCP in that the RCYCP Supervisor has supervisory responsibility for lower-level RCYCPs and residential program employees while the RCYCP performs the full range of duties under general supervision.

Communicates with staff and students to discuss their problems and offer them guidance, and serves as a mentor and role model for their assimilation into the deaf culture;

Monitors employees in helping students comply with daily and weekly schedules of attending classes, completing homework, sleeping, eating and performing personal hygiene;

Observes and interacts with employees for guidance purposes and for performance evaluations;

Develop schedules for special events such as weekend tournaments or snow days, coordinating field trips, vehicle reservations and food service requests;

Conducts building inspections and reporting maintenance issues as well as maintains inventory records;

Creates, executes and maintains documentation of training for staff development on a regular basis to meet DHS and MDH requirements;

Assesses emergency and crisis situations, makes appropriate contacts and referrals, and provides interim emergency medical and other assistance until specialized assistance is available;

Performs other related duties as assigned by the Residential Program Administrator.

Knowledge of the child and adolescent developmental process;

Knowledge of the physical, emotional and social aspects of deafness;

Knowledge of Life Skills Development and Standards of Health and Safety Understanding of Legal and Ethical Issues in Residential Care;

Skill in American Sign Language sufficient to permit fluent and accurate communication with students and parents;

Skill in written English sufficient to permit fluent and accurate communication with students and parents who are not proficient in American Sign Language;

Ability to learn emergency medical procedures;

Ability to implement student behavior modification and education plans;

Ability to organize and maintain a dormitory environment conducive to positive student development;

Ability to plan, coordinate and oversee educational and recreational student activities;

Ability to work harmoniously with students and with other employees.

Experience:  Eight years of experience, four years of experience providing guidance to deaf and hard of hearing youth and assisting them with everyday life skills in a residential setting, one year must have been of supervisory experience, and an additional four years of experience working in a residential program.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Deaf Education, Special Education or the Human Science field and four years of experience providing guidance to deaf and hard of hearing youth and assisting them with everyday life skills in a residential setting for the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute additional education at an accredited college or university at the rate of sixty credit hours for each year of experience for up to two years of the required experience.

1. Employees in this classification will be required to obtain and maintain RCYCP certification.

2. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle.  Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

3. Employees in this classification will be trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first-aid training leading to certification. These certifications must be kept current as a requirement of residential child care licensure by the Maryland Department of Human Services.

1. Employees in this classification are required to be proficient in American Sign Language and in written English.

2. Employees in this classification will be required to pass a medical examination and an annual screening for tuberculosis as a requirement of residential child care licensure by the Maryland Department of Human Services.

3. Employees in this classification are subject to substance abuse testing in accordance with Code of Maryland Regulations 17.04.09, Testing for Illegal Use of Drugs.

4. Employees in this classification will be required to apply for a criminal background check as a requirement of the Family Law Article, Section 5-551, Annotated Code of Maryland.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Professional Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Professional Service positions.  Some positions in Professional Service classifications may be designated as Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.