Family Support Specialist Jobs

Position Summary:

JCCA is seeking qualified Family Support Specialists to join our Residential Treatment Campus, offering a safe and supervised setting for at risk youth, ages 5-21. The Residential Treatment Campus is located in Pleasantville, NY and provides programming which offers intensive support to children with severe emotional and behavioral challenges.

The Family Support Specialists (FSS) will be part of a new initiative known as Families First, designed to increase community/family-based programming, most specifically preventive services, so that families get the support they need for their children to remain at home. The program aims to reduce the amount of time a youth is in residential care and return children to a family-based settings as quickly as possible.

Family Support Specialist (FSS) will provide an array of formal and informal supports to families caring for/raising a child who is experiencing social, emotional, developmental, substance use, and/or behavioral challenges in their home, school and/or foster care placement. The FSS provides a structured, strength-based relationship between the the Residential Treatment Team and Parent/Caregiver for the benefit of the youth. Services are delivered in a trauma informed, culturally and linguistically competent manner, preferaby by a FSS who has lived experience, navigating the child welfare system.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Deliver community-based services in-person and using approved virtual platforms individually or in a group setting.
• Providing emotional support for the family on their parenting journey to reduce isolation, feelings of stigma, blame and hopelessness.
• Providing individual or group parent skill development related to the behavioral and medical health needs of the child (i.e., training on special needs parenting skills).
• Helping families learn and practice strategies to support their child’s positive behavior.
• Assisting families with achieving their goals pertaining to skill building, coaching, transitional support from residential, self-advocacy, self-efficacy, empowerment and/or community connections; monitor and document progress
• Facilitate communication between families and clinical team; ensure families are comfortable with with treatment plans
• Supporting the efforts of families in caring for and strengthening their children’s mental and physical development, and overall well-being
• Assisting the family to implement strategies recommended by clinicical team.

Schedule:

• Shorter hours when working on a Saturday or Sunday
• Sunday - Thursday OR Tuesday - Saturday

Qualifications:

• Experience providing advocacy and support services for families seeking and sustaining support on behalf of a child or youth.
• Agree to practice according to the Family Peer Advocate Code of Ethics.
• Must be willing to complete required trainings identified by supervisor or director.
• Knowledge of computer systems such as Microsoft Office and virtual platforms.
• High school diploma or GED required; Preferred experience as a primary caregiver of a youth who has participated in (or navigated) the child welfares system.

Salary:

$24.70 - $28.70 per hour