What are the responsibilities and job description for the Parent Advocate position at Heartshare Human Services Of New York?
For over 100 years, HeartShare has dedicated itself to improving the lives of people needing special services and support. The HeartShare team, now 2,100 employees and growing, helps individuals develop to their fullest potential and lead meaningful and enriched lives.
HSVS is actively seeking a Parent Advocate with a demonstrated history of working with families and a strong understanding of foster care processes and ACS mandates. The ideal candidate will leverage their firsthand experience in the child welfare system to support and advocate for parents, assisting them in reunifying with their children.
The key responsibilities and essential duties of the Patient Advocate include the following:
- Maintains a tracking system of referrals and case assignments.
- Provides assistance in facilitating training in topics including but not limited to the Parenting Journey.
- Encourages parents' participation in Family Team Conferences (FTCS) providing reminders and other supports as warranted.
- Represents HeartShare St. Vincents Services at internal and external meetings.
- Celebrates birth parents by contributing to hosting events and activities.
- Maintains accessible resource materials, making them available to other HSVS staff and to parents.
- Documents efforts to engage parents via service plans.
- Provides full disclosure and all required consents to birth parents.
- Co-facilitates quarterly birth parent round table meetings.
Housing
- Provides direct counseling, on-call assistance, intervention, negotiation and advocacy regarding birth families housing needs.
- Develops and maintains a comprehensive list of available housing resources.
- Collects required documentation, completes online applications and records data in all applicable Housing systems including the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and Supportive Housing systems.
- Delivers completed Housing application packets to the New York City Administration for Children's Services (ACS)
- Accompanies parents to Housing court and to government assistance offices.
- Maintains all reporting requirements set by funding and/or regulatory agencies.
- Assist and accompany parents when shopping to purchase furniture for new apartments once children are final discharged from care.
- Education: High school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED) required.
- Experience: Prior experience working with families, with knowledge of foster care processes and ACS mandates.
- Technical Skills: Familiarity with CONNECTIONS is preferred.
- Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Travel Requirements: Must be willing and able to travel throughout the five boroughs of New York City, as well as Long Island and Westchester, as needed.
- Physical Requirements: Frequent standing, walking, sitting, and reaching with hands and arms.
- Child Welfare Experience: Must have personal experience with the child welfare system, having had an ACS case that has been closed for at least one year.
- Work Schedule: Ability to work flexible hours as required.
- Professionalism: Demonstrated responsibility and professionalism in telephone, email, and interview etiquette.
- Training: Must attend all required training to stay informed and up to date.
- Passion & Advocacy: Strong commitment to working with birth parents and at-risk teens within a child welfare setting.
- Professional Boundaries: Ability to set appropriate limits and maintain professional boundaries.
- Belief in Family Growth: Strong belief in families abilities to grow and change.
- Independence & Collaboration: Self-motivated with strong time management, writing, and organizational skills; able to work both independently and collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders.
Benefits:
At HeartShare we offer a comprehensive benefit package based on full-time/part-time status. You canexpect:
- Rewarding Work in a team environment.
- Paid vacation, sick, personal days, and holidays.
- 403(B) retirement plans with employer contribution.
- Health, dental, vision and life insurance.
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
- Flexible spending account (Dependent Care, Medical, Parking, and Transit).
- Employee Appreciation Programs and Events.
- Tuition Assistance Program.
- Professional Development opportunities.
- Gympass Discount
- Verizon Wireless Discount.
- BJs Membership discount.
- Discounts on Broadway tickets, movie tickets, theme parks, sporting events, gift certificates & more
HeartShare is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). If you need to request accommodation during therecruiting process, please reach out to Leaves@heartshare.org.
