Family Support Specialist

General Summary: A Family Support Specialist works with families to provide resources, advocacy, and guidance to help them navigate challenges such as parenting, education, healthcare, and social services. The primary goal of the Family Support Specialist is to strengthen the families’ caregivers and guardians by providing support services, emotional support and practical assistance to improve overall well-being of the family unit.

The Family Support Specialist is responsible for meeting their clients where they are in the home and community, helping to support individuals in developing positive behavioral strategies to improve their social, emotional success. This role involves working with children, their families and CFT teams to create and implement individualized support services for the caregivers and guardians.

Manage client caseload, review individualized service plans and maintain chart compliance for all clients.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

Provide support to enrolled children and families as outlined by the Child and Family Team service plan.

Develop and implement individualized behavior intervention plans, support plans education and interventions for assigned children and families, based on assessments, data analysis and goals created in the Child and Family Team.

Provide assistance to children and families by identifying strengths and needs, accessing support, and collaborating with other departments and also partnering with other professional agencies.

Driving is required in order to be assessable to meet clients where they are in the community and adhere to client’s availability hours.

Actively participates with child and family team members and agency staff in identifying and removing barriers that get in the way of family-driven, family-centered, strengths-based, community-based and culturally competent services.

Offer emotional support and crisis intervention to families facing challenges.

Connect families with community resources, including healthcare, housing, education, and employment services.

Educate parents and caregivers on effective parenting techniques and child development.

Advocate for families when interacting with schools, social services, and healthcare providers.

Facilitate support groups, workshops, and training sessions on family-related topics.

Conduct home visits to assess the family environment and provide in-home support.

Collaborate with social workers, counselors, and other professionals to coordinate comprehensive care.

Teach the child and their family living skills, social skills, communication skills, self-care skills, and household management skills as it relates to the service plan.

Assist and support family members in developing social and natural support networks by utilizing community resources.

Provide a minimum of 30 hours of face-to-face direct support services to enrolled clients.

Manage client caseload review service plans and out of compliance clients.

Assist and support the family in developing social and natural support networks by utilizing community resources.

Introduce parents to alternative parenting techniques (positive behavioral support).

Provide feedback to the Child and Family Teams on progress and the interventions being utilized, or on barriers impeding progress.

Provide transportation to children and family as determined by the family’s Child and Family Team and service plan.

Provide crisis intervention and stabilization support as needed.

Attend scheduled department and agency meetings.

Attend all agencies required training and 1:1 coaching supervision, as assigned by supervisor.

Adhere to the agency’s approved administrative time requirements.

Assist in actively assessing work area for non-compliance issues and notify supervisor in a timely manner to ensure follow up.

Complete all required documentation and billing requirements accurately and in the assigned time frames.

Provide weekly updates and new interventions regarding client status to guardians.

Complete monthly reports and distribute them to the CFT team.

Conduct observations and assessments to identify behavioral challenges and track progress over time.

Serve as a liaison between schools, families, and external support services to ensure coordinated care.

Participate in meetings and committees for continuous quality improvement, as needed.

Maintain community resource guide for families.

Assist to provide support to families in understanding the RBHA system, as clinically indicated.

Provide on-call coverage and crisis intervention/stabilization when needed.

All other duties as assigned by supervisor.

QUALIFICATIONS

High school diploma or GED with 4 years of experience working with children with a mental diagnosis

Associate’s degree with 2 years of experience working with children with a mental health diagnosis,

Bachelor’s degree or higher with 1 or more years of experience working with children with a mental health diagnosis,

Bachelor’s degree in behavioral health related field (i.e., Psychology, family studies, human development, sociology, etc.) Some experience with mental health preferred.

REGULATORY:

Must be 21 years of age.

Possess an Arizona driver’s license and state mandated auto insurance.

Possess or be able to obtain a Level One Fingerprint Clearance Card.

Must be able to pass a 5-panel drug screen.

Questions about this position? Contact us at HR@ichd.net.