Family Support Specialist

Full Time Position

M-F 40 hours a week

General Description:

The Family Support Specialist (FSS) is responsible for initiating and maintaining regular and long-term (up to four years) contact and support with families according to the critical elements of the program model. Contact will occur primarily within the familys home with visits lasting at least one hour. The interventions should be family-centered strength-based and directed at establishing a trusting relationship; strengthening the parent-child relationship; promoting healthy childhood growth and development; and enhancing family well-being by reducing risk and building protective factors. The FSS partners with families and honors diverse family structures and parenting practices. Activities may also include but are not limited to: administering the Family Resilience and Opportunities for Growth Scale (FROG) Scale; administering screening tools such as the ASQ ASQ-SE Depression Screens etc.; identifying and referring families for other supportive services including health care services. The FSS will also be responsible for assisting the family in establishing goals and supporting them throughout this process and is responsible for implementing activities outlined on the Family Service Plan to address areas of concern that were identified on the FROG scale. The Family Support Specialist must have good communication and writing skills and knowledgeable of community resources to offer referrals to the appropriate community-based agencies depending on the familys needs.

The Family Support Specialist will report to the Clinical Supervisor.

This is a grant-based position and dependent on funding availability.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Participate in the enrollment of a new family in the program and completing the intake process
• Build trusting relationships with families to engage and retain families in the program
• Visit and make contact with family as prescribed by the program parameters
• Complete the validated Family Resilience and Opportunities for Growth (FROG) Scale with families to identify family strengths and areas to address at the start of services with parents
• Maintain accurate and complete documentation on each family
• Complete timely and accurate data entry and reports as required
• Assisting the family in establishing goals and making a plan for the accomplishment of those goals
• Utilizing the ASQ-3 and ASQ-SE developmental screening to regularly assess the growth and development of the child
• Administering other screening tools such as the depression screen intimate partner violence screen and parent-child interaction screen as required by program
• Participate in individual weekly reflective supervision with immediate supervisor (minimum 1 hour)
• Provide information on child development and parent/child attachment utilizing appropriate curriculum. Encourage and provide opportunities for positive parent/child interactions
• Assess and provide guidance related to child safety
• Track child immunizations and encourage regularly scheduled well child visits
• Makes appropriate referrals to community resources if needed
• Participate in staff meetings and other events as required
• Attend workshops conferences and other trainings to enhance professional development and to keep updated on new development in the field

Reporting Relationships:

Responsible to:

• Directly supervised by the Healthy Families America Clinical Supervisor

Workers supervised:

• None

Interrelationships:

• Works in cooperation with staff and effectively serves clients

This job description is not designed to cover or contain an exhaustive listing of activities duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Requirements:

All employees of Carolina Health Centers Inc. are expected to perform the duties of their job and behave in a manner consistent with the Corporate Philosophy which supports the values of: honesty integrity openness the pursuit of individual and collective excellence and unwavering mutual respect and appreciation.

In addition this position requires:

Education:

• Bachelors degree in Social Work Human Services Psychology or related field; or Bachelors degree with advanced training or education in child development family studies nursing infant mental health or related field.
• Work Experience:
• Experience in working with or providing services to children and their families.
• Experience in human service programs and home visitation
• Experience working with culturally diverse communities/families
• Licensure and Certification:
• Infant Mental Health Endorsement preferred

Skills:

• Able to read write and communicate effectively orally and in writing
• Proficient use of computers word processing and other software programs
• Ability to complete project/task with a specified deadline
• Demonstrates excellent writing and organizational skills
• Possess excellent interpersonal skills and have acceptance for individual differences
• Ability to establish trusting relationships
• Knowledge of HIPAA and ability to maintain confidentiality
• Experience working with or providing services to children and family member participants
• Knowledge of infant and child development case management and health and community resources
• Ability to provide services that are strength-based and family centered even in a chaotic and stressful environment
• Experience and humility to work with culturally diverse populations
• Willing to engage in building reflective capacity (e.g. capacity for introspection communicating awareness of self in relation to others recognizing value of supervision etc.)
• Must have valid drivers license proof of auto insurance and a safe driving record
• Must be able to work overtime and flexible hours as needed
• Bilingual in English and Spanish is preferred but not required
• Pass a background check

Physical Abilities:

• Sit or stand for extended periods of time
• Able to push pull and reach sit stoop and stretch
• Have full range of body motion
• Have the hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity needed to operate a computer telephone copier and medical equipment
• Required to talk and hear
• Vision abilities required for this job include close vision distance vision color vision peripheral vision depth perception and ability to adjust focus