What are the responsibilities and job description for the Kinship Navigator position at Maryland Coalition of Families?
Description: This is an excellent opportunity for people who want to help families in need!MCF provides equipment, mileage reimbursement, and paid training.We offer remote work and full benefits (*see below)!Who We AreFounded in 1999, Maryland Coalition of Families (MCF) is a statewide nonprofit with a central office in Columbia, Md., and staff located in communities throughout the state. Using personal experience as parents, caregivers, youth and other loved ones, we connect, support and empower Maryland’s families. Our staff provide one-to-one support to parents and caregivers of people with mental health, substance use or gambling issues. We also advocate to improve systems that impact individuals with behavioral health challenges.
General Description: The Kinship Navigator must have lived experience as the informal kinship caregiver of a child in lieu of the child’s birth parents. The Kinship Navigator, after training and orientation, will provide support, education, advocacy, coaching, information, referrals and follow-up to informal kinship caregivers.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:· Provide education and support to informal kinship caregivers to negotiate their way through the social services, legal, educational and health care systems.· Assist informal kinship caregivers to identify strengths, needs and connect kinship families with resources, entitlements, community resources and other natural supports.· Provide emotional support to informal kinship caregivers.· Assist informal kinship caregivers to build their own community based support network.· Assist informal kinship caregivers to access supports and services by: sharing information about resources and supports; making phone calls to connect informal kinship caregivers with resources; providing guidance in completing forms and applications; supporting informal kinship caregivers to fully understand their rights; reviewing documents such as IEPs or reports with informal kinship caregivers to ensure they fully understand documents; empowering kinship caregivers to effectively articulate their concerns and needs; accompanying informal kinship caregivers to meetings; and educating informal kinship caregivers on laws, policies and procedures.· Facilitate a monthly support group for informal kinship care providers.· Build and maintain strong partnerships with agencies and providers of services.· Ensure that informal kinship caregivers are partners in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating their own plans.· Share information about workshops and educational opportunities on both the local and state level.· Partner with other Kinship Navigators to create and maintain a centralized, updated directory of resources for kinship caregivers, including support meetings, screening and referrals for treatment, family education groups, therapeutic and/or pro-social recreation, volunteer training opportunities and other services designed to meet the needs of informal kinship caregivers.· Collaborate with other MCF staff to develop support and educational programs that empower families.· Partner with other MCF staff to serve informal kinship caregivers of youth with complex needs.· Administrative duties to include maintaining client files, conducting assessments, submitting required documentation, active participation in supervision and in MCF internal and external training opportunities, as well as compliance with contract requirements for participation in evaluation project.
Requirements:
General Description: The Kinship Navigator must have lived experience as the informal kinship caregiver of a child in lieu of the child’s birth parents. The Kinship Navigator, after training and orientation, will provide support, education, advocacy, coaching, information, referrals and follow-up to informal kinship caregivers.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:· Provide education and support to informal kinship caregivers to negotiate their way through the social services, legal, educational and health care systems.· Assist informal kinship caregivers to identify strengths, needs and connect kinship families with resources, entitlements, community resources and other natural supports.· Provide emotional support to informal kinship caregivers.· Assist informal kinship caregivers to build their own community based support network.· Assist informal kinship caregivers to access supports and services by: sharing information about resources and supports; making phone calls to connect informal kinship caregivers with resources; providing guidance in completing forms and applications; supporting informal kinship caregivers to fully understand their rights; reviewing documents such as IEPs or reports with informal kinship caregivers to ensure they fully understand documents; empowering kinship caregivers to effectively articulate their concerns and needs; accompanying informal kinship caregivers to meetings; and educating informal kinship caregivers on laws, policies and procedures.· Facilitate a monthly support group for informal kinship care providers.· Build and maintain strong partnerships with agencies and providers of services.· Ensure that informal kinship caregivers are partners in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating their own plans.· Share information about workshops and educational opportunities on both the local and state level.· Partner with other Kinship Navigators to create and maintain a centralized, updated directory of resources for kinship caregivers, including support meetings, screening and referrals for treatment, family education groups, therapeutic and/or pro-social recreation, volunteer training opportunities and other services designed to meet the needs of informal kinship caregivers.· Collaborate with other MCF staff to develop support and educational programs that empower families.· Partner with other MCF staff to serve informal kinship caregivers of youth with complex needs.· Administrative duties to include maintaining client files, conducting assessments, submitting required documentation, active participation in supervision and in MCF internal and external training opportunities, as well as compliance with contract requirements for participation in evaluation project.
Requirements:
Qualifications
- Personal (not work-related) experience as an informal kinship caregiver and formal kinship caregiver will be considered.
- Must live in Somerset, Wicomico or Worcester County.
- High school diploma or the equivalent.
- Prior experience assisting others to obtain appropriate services and supports is desirable.
- Familiarity with state and local resources and knowledge of how to access them.
- Willingness and strong ability to build and maintain partnerships with agencies and providers.
- Active listening skills for providing non-judgmental peer support and engagement to families.
- Strong written and oral communication skills.
- Strong computer skills and the ability to efficiently utilize internet search to identify resources.
- Ability or willingness to learn how to use a database (e.g., Salesforce).
- Current Maryland driver’s license and access to own vehicle; in-state travel required.
- Successful completion of a background check (required for all MCF employees).
Hours/Compensation
- 40 hours/week
- Monday - Friday
- Salary is $18.00 per hour with benefits.
Full benefits include generous paid time off (2-Weeks Vacation, 2-Weeks Sick leave, 3-Personal days, 2-Floating holidays, 11-Holidays per year), health plans, dental, vision, life insurance, FSA, long-term disability, 401(k), and EAP.
In line with MCF’s commitment to building a talented and inclusive staff, women, people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer – all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other classification protected by applicable discrimination.
Salary : $18
