Healthy Families Family Support Specialist

POSITION: Healthy Families Family Support Specialist

JOB CLASS/GRADE: Specialist 1 / Grade 8

WAGE: Starting at $48600 per year

FLSA; EEO; WC: Non-Exempt; Professional; 8864

LOCATIONS: IRCO Eastern Oregon 723 S. Oregon St Ontario OR 97914 (In-Person on Site)

FTE; FT/PT; STATUS: 1.0 FTE; Full-Time with Benefits; Regular

NUMBER OF POSITIONS: (1)

APPLY AT:

STATUS: Full-Time with Benefits

PROGRAM(S): Healthy Families Eastern Oregon

SECTOR: Early Learning/Home Visiting

REQUIREMENTS: High School Diploma/GED required Bilingual Spanish Preferred

This job announcement is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed in this job. This is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities duties and skills required.

Program Summary
Healthy Families Eastern Oregon is a home visiting program focused on early childhood relational health partnering with families to help the children thrive. Healthy Families Eastern Oregon Program is a free voluntary home-visiting service to support families with young children especially newborns. It promotes healthy child development and strengthens family bonds. The program is part of the larger Healthy Families America model which provides evidence-based services to families nationwide.

Key components of the HFO Program include:

• Home Visits: Trained family support professionals visit families regularly to offer parenting guidance child development tips and emotional support.
• Family-Centered Support: The program helps families build skills and confidence in raising children in a healthy and nurturing environment.
• Connection to Resources: Families receive referrals to local resources like healthcare childcare and connection to community activities depending on their needs.

Healthy Families target expectant parents and families with newborns offering them support in the crucial early years of a childs life.

Position Summary
IRCO is seeking a Healthy Families Family Support Specialist (FSS) to match the needs of the priorities set forth by the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) Healthy Families Oregon (HFO) Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and Maternal Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MEICHV). This position will provide parental support and education through the early years of a childs life so they can grow up emotionally secure safe healthy and more school-ready using the Healthy Families Home Visiting Model. The FSS is responsible for initiating and maintaining regular and long-term (up to three years) contact/support with families. This activity will occur primarily weekly within the familys home. The interventions should be family-centered strength-based and directed at establishing a trusting relationship; assisting in strengthening the parent-child relationship; assisting parents in improving their skills to optimize the home environment; improving the family support system; and increasing the familys ability to solve problems and assume the role of advocate for themselves and their children. The activities may also include identifying and referring for contact/appointments at other supportive agencies including health care appointments. The FSS will also be responsible for assisting the family in establishing goals and a plan for accomplishing those goals as well as assessing the normal growth and development of the focus child.

Essential Functions

Home Visits (53%):

• Apply working knowledge of parent-child interaction child development and the dynamics of child abuse/neglect to help families improve parenting skills reduce stress and meet family needs
• Teach and model problem-solving and coping skills by providing support and education and/or by referring them to appropriate community agencies
• Assist parents in making and attending medical and social service agency appointments
• Teach model and encourage appropriate parent-child activities often involving floor play
• Perform regular developmental assessments (including mild age-appropriate interactive floor activities)
• Assist clients with applications for other programs/resources such as medical or financial assistance

HV Preparation Follow-up Documentation and Travel (35%):

• Establish case plans with goals objectives and activities to meet individual families needs
• Prepare curriculum activities referrals etc. for the next home visit
• Record weekly client observations activities data tracking and case management in the Database
• Act as a liaison and advocate between families and other community agencies
• Complete monthly reports and complete and submit data as requested

Supervision and Training (12%):

• Participate in 1.5 - 2 hours per week of reflective supervision with Supervisor
• Attend regular staff meetings team meetings training and other meetings as required by program and organization
• Participate in monthly and yearly training as required by program and organization

Secondary Functions
Ability to meet prescriptive programing guidelines:

• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality
• Attending community Meeting/Events as a program representative and outreach
• Special projects as assigned by the Healthy Families Program Manager Healthy Families Supervisor and IRCO Early Learning Managers
• Maintain regular communications with program team and site/agency staff

Education & Experience

Any combination of education and experience demonstrate the ability to perform the positions duties is qualifying. This would typically include:

• High School Diploma/GED required
• 1-2 years experience in the following
  • Knowledge of parenting education and assessment infant and child development nutrition preventive health care home visit techniques and community resources and partners
  • An ability to engage with challenging families build trust and use a strength-based approach
  • Acceptance of individual differences with co-workers and families
  • Willing to engage in building reflective capacity (e.g. capacity for introspection communicating awareness of self-concerning others recognizing the value of supervision etc.)
  • Experience in working with or providing services to children and families
  • An ability to establish trusting relationships
  • Experience and humility to work with culturally diverse families
• Project a professional company image through in-person phone and in the community.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs
• Work as part of a team environment by developing effective relationships with diverse personalities to collaborate and share
• An ability to establish trusting relationships
• Experience and humility to work with culturally diverse families
• Infant mental health endorsement preferred

Physical Mental & Environmental Requirements

• In Person Position
• Communication: Regular communication inside and outside the organization to exchange ideas and gather information
• Creativity: Regular need for redesigning a single focus process or procedure is needed
• Mental: There is regular variation in tasks and the job holder must decide which tasks to complete as well as the order in which tasks are completed
• Physical: Positions at this level require some physical effort or manual labor such as lifting carrying or constant movement. Positions with regular responsibility for driving are to be placed at least at this level.
• Impact and Influence: Positions at this level have some need or ability to analyze problems or concepts or make decisions on the information. Positions at this level have some impact to and influence on organization operations programs expenses or budgetary outcomes.
• Work Independence: Positions at this level are expected to work under minimal supervision. Positions regularly contribute ideas but decisions or actions that commit the organization or which are outside established policy/procedure are expected to be referred to others
• Planning: Positions at this level have on-going planning and goal-setting responsibilities Planning processes typically impact more than one function or work unit. Planning is made more difficult because of the number of alternatives or obstacles
• Environment: There is a moderately low level of personal risk encountered. Job conditions are occasionally uncomfortable relative to noise temperature inside/outside work or interactions with people experiencing crisis
• Schedule: The work schedule occasionally fluctuates based on organization or customer needs. This fluctuation may occur with or without prior notice.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Positions at this level are not responsible for any supervisory functions or responsibilities but may occasionally be asked to orient and/or train new employees or volunteers.

What We Offer

IRCO is a very employee-friendly workplace and offers great benefit packages to our staff:

• Many flexible working arrangements and schedule
• Amazing opportunity to work with people who come from all over the world
• Work that helps your community
• 3 to 6 weeks of PTO per year
• 401k match of over 100% on first 5% immediate vesting
• 3% match for student loans or college savings
• 12 Paid Holidays and 1 Floating Holiday
• Medical & Dental insurance options with 90% coverage for employee AND Families no deductibles
• Employer Paid Life Short term and Long-term Disability Insurance
• Flexible spending accounts

Required Engagement

Engage fully in recommended professional development as well as other assigned or required training activities. This engagement can also include participation in optional activities that embrace IRCOs mission vision and values-based initiatives.

How To Apply

1. Complete the IRCO application in our Careers Portal: IRCO Application for Employment.
2. Upload your resume and cover letter addressing your qualifications for this position IRCO Careers.
3. For questions about this position please email

Please note that physical applications are accessible from IRCOs main office 10301 NE Glisan Portland OR 97220. Due to the high volume of applications received we will not be able to contact applicants or return calls regarding applications. Complete applications should include a cover letter resume and IRCO application.

IRCO is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex sexual orientation gender identity or expression pregnancy age national origin disability status genetic information protected veteran status or any characteristics protected by law. We will make reasonable accommodations to meet our obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and state disability laws.