The Family Support Specialist is responsible for identifying new birth families that will benefit from Healthy Families services through initial screening and stress assessment interviews and will provide intensive weekly home visiting services to new birth families identified through this process.  Position involves interfacing with high-need families, healthcare providers, community resources, and social service agencies.  Work activities support program goals to promote healthy thriving children and strong, nurturing families, and to prevent child abuse and neglect.

POSITION TITLE: Family Support Specialist (Bilingual preferred)

DEPARTMENT:  Human Investment

POSITION REPORTS TO:   Healthy Families Supervisor

FTE:   100%

POSITIONS SUPERVISED:   None

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Child-Application-Non-fillable

QUALIFICATIONS:

  1. Preferred: AA/AS in Early Childhood Education, Family & Life, Social Sciences or related field and 2 years relevant experience, or minimum of High School diploma with 3 years of relevant experience in Infant/Early Childhood Education.
  2. Ability to communicate in a professional manner with children, adults and co-workers in both verbal and written format.
  3. Evidence of ability to work in a cooperative team manner and to follow directions and program policies.
  4. Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
  5. Knowledge of infant/toddler/child development, family dynamics, family problems, stresses of parenting, positive and appropriate approaches to guiding children’s behavior.
  6. Skill in supporting families, active listening, and teaching positive parent-child interaction skills; crisis intervention.
  7. Experience in working/engaging with reflective capacity including capacity for introspection, communicates awareness of self in relation to others and recognized value of supervision.
  8. Infant mental health endorsement level 1 or 11 preferred.
  9. Experience and humility to work with the culturally diverse populations that are present among the site’s target population. Including acceptance of individual differences.
  10. Willing and acceptance of individual differences using reflective capacity.
  11. An ability to establish trusting relationships and keep the program/family confidently.
  12. Experience in working with or providing home visiting services to infant/children and families.
  13. Must have dependable transportation and/or valid driver’s license and auto insurance.
  14. Ability to work with low-income and/or special needs families, including
    families from a diverse population.
  15. Must have basic computer skills and knowledge in word processing, spreadsheet, and database.
  16. Must have current pediatric and adult First Aid/CPR cards.
  17. Must be on the Central Background Registry and pass a pre-employment drug screening.
  18. Must be willing and available to work flexible hours.
  19. Must be able to attend meetings and trainings that may require out-of-
    town travel and overnight stays.
  20. Ability to occasionally lift up to 50 lbs.
  21. Ability to participate in regular kneeling, stooping, bending, sitting on the floor and standing for long periods of time.
  22. Bilingual skills preferred.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

  1. Must maintain program client confidentiality policies.
  2. Must maintain working knowledge of Healthy Families Best Practice Standards, program plans, policies and Oregon Performance Standards/Indictors.
  3. Conducts assessment screens on families and Healthy Families screening with families during pre- and post-natal period.
  4. Establishes and maintains a trusting relationship with at-risk families by providing regular client contact through home visits.
  5. Applies working knowledge of parent-child interaction, child development, and the dynamics of child abuse and neglect to teach positive parenting skills, positive and appropriate approaches to guiding children’s behavior, management techniques, reduce family stress, and meet dependency needs of parents. Helps parents learn problem solving and coping skills by providing active listening and/or by referring them to appropriate community agencies.
  6. Establishes an individualized family service plan with goals, objectives, and activities to meet client needs. Meets with supervisor regularly to evaluate client status.
  7. Maintains familiarity and knowledge of community resources and uses them appropriately to meet client needs.
  8. Assesses and monitors home learning environment and records client observations and activities.
  9. Performs ASQ and ASQ-SE on all enrolled children.
  10. Completes evaluation data on all families and submits data to NPC in a timely manner.
  11. Assists clients with paperwork needed in application for programs such as housing, medical or financial assistance.
  12. Participates in regular staff meetings, case conferences with Healthy Families Supervisor, in-service training, formal training, and other meetings.
  13. Collaborates with hospitals, doctor’s offices, county health departments, and other medical and social service agencies and promotes interagency coordination to and from partner agencies.
  14. Track and document families and the child’s development including immunizations records following HIPPA guidelines.
  15. Develops and provides presentations to other organizations about the Healthy Families Program including area hospitals.
  16. Maintains professionalism in accordance with C.A.T. policy.
  17. Promotes the C.A.T. agency mission.
  18. Other duties as assigned by supervisor.