Family Support Specialist - PRTF

PURPOSE OFPOSITION Responsible for providing strengths-based advocating to ensure the basic needs of the child/youth & their families are met with strengthened after care to prevent re-hospitalization. This position will be responsible for high quality communication & documentation with internal and external stakeholders. The Family Support Specialist will provide advocacy and support to the family beginning at intake, through treatment, and up to 6 months of post-discharge with supports including immediate post-discharge home visits, resource navigation, and other coordination of care supports and advocacy.   ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The following duties are normal for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all inclusive. Other duties may be required and assigned.   Ensure overall needs of the child/youth and their families are met through an advocacy process that begins at intake throughout 6-months post-discharge. ·         Provide regular positive/strengths-based communication about the client with their family/guardians to help rebuild and strengthen connection. ·         Complete required documentation and communication with internal and external stakeholders. ·         Conduct 1-3 home visits with client and families following discharge from residential services. ·         Adhere to a communication and advocacy plan with families that can include a variety of communication including visits, texts, calls, and video calls. ·         Participate as a member of the program/treatment team serving the client while they are in active treatment with KidsTLC. Serve as primary liaison between families, stakeholders and KidsTLC. Actively participate in the Admission Process in adherence to agency policies and procedures, ensuring effective integration, communication, and documentation. Help coordinate and participate in wraparound or other support meetings for families including KidsTLC and other relevant stakeholders for the family. ·         Ensure knowledge of the KidsTLC Constitution and Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy expressed through P.A.C.E.; and model this behavior to staff and children daily.   SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES This position has no supervisory responsibility.   QUALIFICATIONS  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.   EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE ·         Bachelor’s degree in the social work, psychology or a related social/human services field or the equivalent combination of education and work experience. ·         Two years working with juvenile offenders and children in need of care is preferred, along with knowledge of residential programming. ·         Must be 21 years of age with a valid driver’s license and satisfactory driving record. ·         Ability to work with youth who have emotional and behavioral challenges. ·         Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to establish a climate of trust, confidence, and mutual respect with others. ·         Excellent verbal and written communication skills. ·         Able to work independently as well as collaborate effectively with others. Strong organization and prioritization skills. Able to adapt and be flexible. Strong problem solving and judgment skills. Excellent verbal and written communication skills Aptitude to work with youth who have emotional and behavioral challenges.   LANGUAGE ABILITY Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of an organization.   MATHEMATICAL SKILLS Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.   COGNITIVE DEMANDS Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.   COMPUTER SKILLS To perform this job successfully, an individual should have industry relevant software, other web-based software programs, and Microsoft Office including Outlook, Word, and Excel.   PHYSICAL DEMANDS 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. While performing the duties, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, talk, and hear. Some physical requirements in working with agitated juveniles and their parents/guardians are applicable to this position. Physical requirements in working with children include the ability to physically hold youth utilizing Emergency Safety Physical Intervention (ESPI). The employee must have the ability to safely get down on knees and remain in position for up to 10 minutes, must have extreme flexibility to hold youth and switch positions while holding and the ability to lift, push and pull up to 40 pounds. Regular Vision abilities, including computer work.   ENVIRONMENTAL ADAPTABILITY Residential facility environment with typical noise level, fast paced. The hours of work in this position are normal work week hours with some variances. The incumbent to this position must be flexible with the work schedule and expect schedule changes as required by agency needs.