CHILD LIFE SPECIALIST

Position/Program Information

FIRST DAY OF FILING:


May 15, 2024 at 8:00 A.M. (PDT)

Until the needs of the services are met and is subject to closure without prior notice.

EXAM NUMBER:
Y5879A

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT:
OPEN COMPETITIVE JOB OPPORTUNITY

NO OUT-OF-CLASS EXPERIENCE OR WITHHOLDS ARE ALLOWED FOR THIS EXAMINATION.


ABOUT LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES: The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) is the second largest municipal health system in the nation. Through its integrated system of 25 health centers, four acute hospitals and expanded network of community partner clinics - DHS annually provides direct care for 600,000 unique patients, employs over 23,000 staff, and has an annual budget of over $6.9 billion. For additional information regarding DHS please visit www.dhs.lacounty.gov

Through academic affiliations with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Southern California (USC), and the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Sciences (CDU), DHS hospitals are training sites for physicians completing their Graduate Medical Education in nearly every medical specialty and subspecialty. In addition to its direct clinical services, DHS also runs the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency and the County's 911 emergency response system, as well as Housing for Health and the Office of Diversion and Re-entry, each with a critical role in connecting vulnerable populations, including those released from correctional and institutional settings, to supportive housing.

MISSION:

To advance the health of our patients and our communities by providing extraordinary care.

DEFINITION:
Provides professional therapeutic intervention and appropriate psychosocial/developmental care services for pediatric patients and families.

Essential Job Functions

Identifies specific educational and therapeutic interventions to increase understanding in patients, siblings and families regarding new diagnosis, trauma, death, and other crisis situations.

Prepares patients, their siblings, and families for inpatient and outpatient medical procedures such as I.V. starts, MRI's, CT scans, lumbar punctures, pelvic examinations, casts, and sutures to reduce potential stress and anxiety.

Accompanies pediatric patients and families to medical procedures, applying educational and diversional coping techniques.

Provides grief and loss support to patients and families

Provides emotional support, information and role modeling to patients and family members during identified stress points

Develops, implements, and evaluates individual child life care plans in conjunction with other medical team members which include psychological preparation and assessment of coping skills and available social supports.

Provides opportunities for and facilitates a variety of medical/developmental play activities and interactions to address patients' concerns, stressors, and vulnerability potential related to illness, injury and health care.

Provides a safe and therapeutic environment for patients and families through ongoing assessment of patient care areas and developmentally appropriate materials such as books, educational materials, crafts, and games.

Coordinates patient interactions and activities with available volunteers, students and interns.

Provides training for volunteers, students, interns, and medical staff regarding developmentally appropriate interactions with patients and families.

Participates in interdisciplinary rounds and evaluations as a member of the interdisciplinary team.

Documents assessments and implementation of Child Life care plan in the patient's interdisciplinary chart.

Participates in continuing education programs and remains abreast of advances in child life/development and the impact of illness, injury and health care on patients and families.

Requirements

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
Graduation from an accredited college/university with a Bachelor's degree in Child Life, Child Growth/Development* or a closely related field** - AND - One (1) year of paid or unpaid experience totaling a minimum of 1,000 hours working with pediatric patients in a medical setting***.

LICENSE:
A valid and current professional certification or proof of eligibility for professional certification as a Certified Child Life Specialist by the Child Life Certifying Commission****.

A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Additional points will be awarded for experience in excess of the Minimum Requirements.

PHYSICAL CLASS II - Light: This class includes administrative and clerical positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10-pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION:

* In order to receive the credit for possessing the Bachelor's degree in Child Life, Child Growth/Development or closely related field** applicants must attach a valid legible copy of their degree or official transcripts to their application at the time of filing or email the required documents to the exam analyst at mrivas2@dhs.lacounty.gov within seven (7) calendar days from the date of filing the online application. When emailing documents, please include the exam number and exam title. Applications without the required degree will be considered incomplete, and subject to disqualification.
** Closely related field in Bachelor degree that will be accepted:

• Psychology
• Early Child education Intervention/Education
• Social Work

*** A certified letter on a legible letterhead from the accredited institution verifying your experience totaling a minimum of 1,000 hours working with pediatric patients in a medical setting must be attached to your application or emailed to the exam analyst within seven (7) calendar days from the date of filing your application online. When emailing documents, please include the exam number and exam title. Applications without the required verification letter will be considered incomplete, and subject to disqualification.

**** A valid and current professional certification or proof of eligibility for professional certification as a Certified Child Life Specialist by the Child Life Certifying Commission must be attached to your application or emailed to the exam analyst within seven (7) calendar days from the date of filing your application online. When emailing documents, please include the exam number and exam title. Applications without the required certification will be considered incomplete, and subject to disqualification.

The original documents must be presented during the selection process and prior to appointment.

Additional Information

EXAMINATION CONTENT:

This examination will consist of an evaluation of education, experience, and desirable qualifications based upon your application information, weighted 100%

Candidates must achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on the examination in order to be placed on the eligible register.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION:
Applications will be processed on an "as-received" basis and those receiving a passing score will be promulgated to the eligible register accordingly.

The names of candidates receiving a passing score in the examination will be placed on the eligible register in the order of their score group for a period of twelve (12) months following the date of promulgation.

No person may compete in this examination more than once every twelve (12) months.

VACANCY INFORMATION:
The eligible register for this examination will be used to fill vacancies throughout the Department of Health Services as they occur.

SPECIAL INFORMATION:
Appointees may be required to work any shift, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.

APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION:

APPLICATIONS MUST BE FILED ONLINE ONLY. APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED BY U.S. MAIL, FAX OR IN PERSON WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Apply online by clicking on the green "Apply" button at the top right of this posting. You can also track the status of your application using this website.

All information is subject to verification. We may reject your application at any time during the examination and hiring process, including after appointment has been made. Falsification of any information may result in disqualification or rescission of appointment.

Utilizing VERBIAGE from Class Specification and Selection Requirements serving as your description of duties WILL NOT be sufficient to demonstrate that you meet the requirements. Doing so may result in an INCOMPLETE APPLICATION and you may be DISQUALIFIED.

This examination will remain open until the needs of the service are met. Application filing may be suspended at any time with or without advance notice.

Notification Letters and other correspondences will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application. It is important that applicants provide a valid email address. Please add mrivas2@dhs.lacounty.gov and info@governmentjobs.com to your email address book and to the list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as SPAM/JUNK mail.

Applicants have the ability to opt out of emails from Los Angeles County. If you unsubscribe, you will not receive any email notification for any examination for which you apply with Los Angeles County. Regardless of whether you choose to unsubscribe, you can always check for notifications by logging into governmentjobs.com and viewing your profile inbox, which saves a copy of all emailed notices.

Fill out your application completely. The acceptance of your application depends on whether you have clearly shown that you meet the REQUIREMENTS. Provide any relevant education, training, and experience in the spaces provided so we can evaluate your qualifications for the job. For each job held, give the name and address of your employer, your job title, beginning and ending dates, number of hours worked per week, description of work performed. If your application is incomplete, it will be rejected.

Applications electronically received after 5:00 p.m., PDT, on the last day of filing will not be accepted.

NOTE: If you are unable to attach required documents, you must e-mail the documents to cramirez4@dhs.lacounty.gov, within 7 calendar days of filing online. Please include the exam number and the exam title.

FAIR CHANCE INITIATIVE:
The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except for a very limited number of positions, you will not be asked to provide information about a conviction history unless you receive a contingent offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and consider potential mitigating factors, including, but not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, regency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about a conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed.

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER:
Please include your Social Security Number for record control purposes. Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number.

COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES:
For candidates who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County.

NO SHARING USER ID AND PASSWORD:
All applicants must file their applications online using their own user ID and password. Using a family member or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.

ADA COORDINATOR:
(323) 914-6365

CALIFORNIA RELAY SERVICES PHONE:
(800) 735-2922

Teletype Phone:
(800) 899-4099

DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
Michelle Rivas, Exam Analyst
HR ESC telephone: (213) 288-7000
mrivas2@dhs.lacounty.gov

For detailed information, please click here

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• Los Angeles County

• (800) 970-5478

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