Parent Support Specialist - Community Based Services

Pay is commensurate with experience within a range of $18.75 - $22.50 per hour. Full time, non-exempt, benefits eligible. Bert Nash offers excellent benefits which include medical, dental, vision, KPERS retirement, life insurance, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) providing free counseling and resources, and generous PTO.

Caring. Hope. Giving back. Our mission at the Bert Nash Center as the Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) of Douglas County is to advance the health of the community through comprehensive behavioral health services responsive to evolving needs and changing environments. We accomplish this by believing in our team. Each person that works for the Bert Nash Center contributes directly to the success of our clients, organization, and community. Our values of compassion, integrity, equity and hope reflect in everything we do.

Responsibilities: The primary responsibility of the Parent Support Specialist will be to perform support and outreach activities to families and children who are accessing services in the broad system of care of Douglas County. The purpose of this position is to provide an integrated, comprehensive system of care for children with severe emotional disorders and their families, utilizing an early intervention approach. Some position activities will include working with both Bert Nash staff and staff from existing programs with the participating agencies. Specific duties include but not limited to:

• maintaining status as an integral member of the Access Center team and Child and Family clinical teams;
• identifying ways the system of care can be useful and supportive to families;
• identifying families who may benefit from system of care;
• providing support and referral information for families with children with severe emotional disturbance who may need support or services;
• strengthening the connection between the system of care teams and the families being served as well as assisting families in negotiating the system of care;
• consulting with appropriate Center staff on clinical issues and participating in supervision with clinical Team Leaders and/or the Director of Youth Community Services;
• training families in participating fully in the development of plans of care, service design, resource acquisition, and ongoing monitoring to encourage the family to maintain care of the child in the home and community;
• regular and predictable attendance is an essential function of the job; and
• additional responsibilities assigned as circumstances warrant.

Qualifications: The Parent Support Specialist position requires but not limited to:

• parent with knowledge of the needs of the children and families accessing services in system of care; preference for parent raising or who has raised a child with severe emotional disturbance;
• be at least 21 years of age;
• high school diploma or equivalent; and,
• previous work or personal experience working with children particularly those with severe emotional disturbance