Specialist Family Crisis Support

Job Summary

The Specialist Family Crisis Support is responsible for working to help youth and families learn new skills to help them cope with individual and family stressors. Through ongoing education, support and skill building, this position helps youth avoid out-of-home placement, including psychiatric hospitalization.

Essential Job Functions

• Establish a service plan, inclusive of strengths, needs, goals and objectives in partnership with the youth and family.
• Establish a proactive safety plan which identifies triggers and strategies to avoid crisis escalation with the youth and family.
• Use information gained through assessment and review to describe and gain an understanding of the child's behavior and educate the family about the Functional Behavioral Approach.
• Provide psycho-education to youth and families around mental health issues; understanding signs and symptoms and how to effectively deal with symptoms.
• Provide mentoring and coaching around the implementation of various life skills, such as Collaborative Problem Solving, coping skills, communication and conflict resolution skills.
• Identify a child's and families formal and informal supports and also identify internal and external providers and collaborate with other providers.
• Refer to other services, as needed and support solid linkages.
• Develop, maintain and update all required documentation in a timely manner according to agency standards.
• Collaborate with foster care home finder to determine best placement to meet needs of youth who are utilizing the Emergency Respite Bed.
• Complete risk screens to determine Emergency Respite Bed (ERB) placement necessity.
• Connect with youth and the host home during the ERB process to determine if the respite is going well.
• Provide on-call rotation for one week at a time – respond to any after hour crisis calls.
• While this job description covers many aspects of the role, employees may be required to perform other duties as assigned.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Education, Psychology, Sociology, Human Services or a related field required.
• Minimum 1 year of experience in health and/or human services or related field required.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Unrestricted, valid NYS driver’s license for minimum of 1 year with a clean driving record and minimum insurance coverage that meets agency standards.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

In addition to demonstrating the Hillside Professional Competencies of Communicates Effectively, Personal Excellence, Cultural Competence, Builds and Leverages Relationships, and Optimizes Decision Making, the following occupational competencies must be demonstrated:

• Knowledge and strong understanding of community services.
• Knowledge of Functional Behavioral Approach and demonstrated ability to work with children and families from this approach.
• Ability to effectively engage youth and families.
• Ability to teach and role model skills for both youth and caregivers.
• Knowledge and understanding of trauma-informed care.

Physical Demands & Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be able to work a variable scheduling including evenings and weekends
• The following daily physical demands are required:
  • Sitting (up to 6 hours)
  • Occasional standing (up to 2 hour)
  • Occasional walking (up to 2.5 hours)
  • Driving (several times a week up to 6 hours)
  • Continuous balancing (up to 8 hours)
  • Occasional balancing, bending, stooping, climbing, kneeling, pushing, pulling, reaching forward or down, reaching overhead, running, and twisting (up to 2.5 hours)
  • Weekly lifting up to 10-15 lbs. on a daily basis
  • Manual dexterity is required, including the frequent ability to grasp in both hands and continuous use of fine manipulation skills in both hands (approximately 1-2.5 hrs.)
  • Occasional exposure to dust, fumes, gases, chemicals, or smoke is apparent
  • Ability to change positions as needed

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

While Hillside is a restraint free environment, there may be times in a “life or limb” situation, that staff may be required to physically restrain clients weighing between 50 lbs. and 300 lbs. and guide them safely to the floor. In some circumstances, restraints can last up to 15 minutes and may require repetition as necessary.

$19.46 Minimum pay rate, $27.75 Maximum pay rate, based on experience.