Family Support Specialist

Starting Wage Range: $24.60/hr. - $31.84/hr.

Job Summary:

Provides home visiting prevention and interventional services to children and their families within Tribal community through an evidence-based home visiting program. Services are 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; improve the family support system; and increasing the family’s ability to problem solve and assume the role of advocate for themselves and their children. The purpose of this program is to promote improved health, developmental, and emotional outcomes in maternal, infant, child, and family populations served at the GRHWC.

Essential Functions:

• Assists in developing and implementing the maternal, infant, and early childhood program within the community.
• Assists with grant functions, including reporting.
• Attends weekly, monthly, and yearly grantee meetings.
• Participates on external committees, workgroups, task forces, and other forums to improve GRHWC representation and Public Health input.
• Coordinates with the primary care/OBGYN provider teams to coordinate care, ensure consistent communication concerning patient health status, care plans, and outcomes of interventions.
• Maintains certifications in an evidence-based home visiting curriculum and follows GRHWC Home Visiting Policy and Procedures.
• Works closely with project evaluators to assure grant data collection and reporting requirements are to highest professional standards.
• Maintains an active support role within wrap-around systems to collaborate service delivery.
• Assists with developing and implementing program policies and procedures.
• Schedules and coordinates home visits, including visit planning.
• Assists families in obtaining recommended medical care, including transportation to and advocacy during appointments, as needed. Supports families in obtaining optimal child development while growing parenting knowledge and skills.
• Makes appropriate internal referrals to other team members or provides the necessary service as directed.
• Provides advocacy and navigation within the early childhood intervention system, as necessary.
• Provides consultation, training, and collaboration with community services.
• Provides support to families during pregnancy and postpartum periods, ensuring families feel prepared for birthing and breastfeeding journeys.
• Assists families in preparing their child to transition to school, supporting caregivers and their children with advocacy and care coordination, including attending individualized education plan (IEP) meetings, if applicable.
• Accurately maintains patient charts and records. Recording observations, assessments, nursing interventions and therapeutic measures administered.
• Prepares necessary referrals to external specialty providers.
• Completes preauthorization for Contract Health Services and health insurance as necessary.
• Accurately and efficiently maintains medical clinic supplies in a cost-effective manner and within budget.
• Maintains adequate supplies and equipment necessary in the nursing areas and examination rooms in the Public Health Vaccination Clinic, and ensures a clean, sanitary and safe environment.
• Performs a variety of other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Education, Experience, and Licenses:

• Requires a High School Diploma or GED.
• Prefers a minimum of two (2) years post high-school/GED and enrolled in specialized trade or job skills training in health and wellness, such as coursework in Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) or Community Health Representative.
• Requires a minimum of one (1) year of experience in working with or providing services to children and families
• OR equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Driving Requirements:

• This position may require driving.

Qualifications, Registrations, and Certifications:

• Current BLS/CPR certification
• Must have the ability to work non-traditional hours, to meet the availability of clients in the community to perform home visits.
• Must have a working knowledge of the Privacy Act/HIPAA and its applications.
• Requires excellent verbal and written communication skills, business and telephone etiquette.
• Must have the ability to work at times with minimal supervision.
• Must have ability to respond courteously and tactfully to complaints and client requests, and to maintain confidentiality.
• Must have the ability and willingness to attend required trainings to maintain certifications to provide high quality care and support that promotes wellness.
• Knowledge of and sensitivity to Native American culture is required.

Environmental Factors and Conditions/Physical Requirements:

• Continually requires the ability to express or receive detailed information or important instructions through oral communication.
• Continually requires working with fingers rather than the whole hand or arm. Requires repetitive movement of wrists, hands and/or fingers. Often requires walking or moving about to accomplish tasks.
• Requires standing and/or sitting for sustained periods of time, raising objects from a lower to a higher position and/or moving objects horizontally.
• Occasionally requires lifting of up to 20 pounds.
• This position is frequently subject to inside environmental conditions which provide protection from weather conditions, but not necessarily from temperature changes, and is occasionally subject to outside environmental conditions.

• Supports a safe work environment by performing all duties in accordance with Tribal safety policies and procedures, and Emergency Management Plan.

• Due to the nature of the interactions with other employees and the public we serve, employees may be required to provide documentation of, or receive, certain health vaccinations.
• May be called upon to serve as a Disaster Reservist during emergencies.
• Local travel is occasionally required. Travel outside of the state is infrequently required.

Background Check:

Candidates for this position will be subject to criminal and character background checks and may be subject to fingerprinting.

Education

• High School or better

Licenses & Certifications

• CPR/First Aid Card