Hiring: Family Support Specialist – Columbia County

Qualifications

• Preferred: AA/AS in Early Childhood Education, Family & Life, Social Sciences or related field and 2 years’ relevant experience, or High School diploma with 3 years of relevant experience in Early Childhood Education.
• Ability to communicate in a professional manner with children, adults, and co-workers in both verbal and written formats.
• Evidence of ability to work in a cooperative team manner and follow directions and program policies.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Knowledge of infant/toddler/child development, family dynamics, family problems, stresses of parenting, and positive and appropriate approaches to guiding children’s behavior.
• Skill in supporting families, active listening, and teaching positive parent-child interaction skills; crisis intervention.
• Experience working with reflective practice, including capacity for introspection, communicating awareness of self in relation to others, and recognizing the value of supervision.
• Infant mental health endorsement Level I or II preferred.
• Experience and willingness to work with culturally diverse populations.
• Willingness to accept individual differences using reflective capacity.
• Ability to establish trusting relationships and maintain program/family confidentiality.
• Experience providing home-visiting services to children and families.
• Dependable transportation and valid driver’s license and auto insurance.
• Ability to work with low-income and/or special-needs families from diverse populations.
• Basic computer skills and knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, and database software.
• Current pediatric and adult First Aid/CPR certification.
• Must be on the Central Background Registry and pass pre-employment drug screening.
• Willingness and availability to work flexible hours.
• Ability to attend meetings and trainings requiring out-of-town travel and overnight stays.
• Ability to occasionally lift up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to participate in regular kneeling, stooping, bending, sitting on the floor, and standing for extended periods.
• Bilingual skills preferred.

Duties and Responsibilities

• DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Maintain program client confidentiality policies.
• Maintain working knowledge of Healthy Families Best Practice Standards, program plans, policies, and Oregon Performance Standards/Indicators.
• Conduct assessment screenings on families during pre- and post-natal periods.
• Establish and maintain trusting relationships with at-risk families through regular home visits.
• Apply knowledge of parent-child interaction, child development, and dynamics of child abuse and neglect to teach positive parenting skills, appropriate behavior management techniques, reduce family stress, and meet dependency needs of parents.
• Help parents learn problem-solving and coping skills through active listening or referrals to appropriate community agencies.
• Establish individualized family service plans with goals, objectives, and activities; regularly evaluate client status with supervisor.
• Maintain familiarity with community resources and utilize them appropriately.
• Assess and monitor home learning environments; record client observations and activities.
• Perform ASQ and ASQ-SE screenings on enrolled children.
• Complete evaluation data on families and submit data to NPC promptly.
• Assist clients with paperwork for housing, medical, or financial assistance applications.
• Participate in regular staff meetings, case conferences, in-service training, formal training, and other required meetings.
• Collaborate with hospitals, doctor’s offices, county health departments, and other medical and social service agencies; promote interagency coordination.
• Track and document family and child development records, including immunizations, following HIPAA guidelines.
• Develop and deliver presentations about the Healthy Families Program to organizations, including hospitals.
• Maintain professionalism according to C.A.T. policy.
• Promote the C.A.T. agency mission.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor.