Family Advocate

Job Description

Job Description

Do you have lived experience supporting a loved one with a mental health condition and want to use your journey to help other families? The Family Education and Resource Center (FERC) is seeking compassionate, organized, and family-centered individuals who believe that no family should navigate mental health challenges alone. As a Family Advocate, you will provide education, emotional support, resource navigation, and advocacy to caregivers throughout Alameda County while helping families build hope, resilience, and connections to community resources.We offer:Competitive salary - no college degree required and open to unlicensed professionalsEligible for first pay increase after successful completion of 3-month introductory periodBilingual Pay Differential for fluency in an Alameda County threshold language100% paid medical and dental coverage for the employeeGenerous time off benefits: 14 paid Holidays, including the week between Christmas and New YearsVacation leave 2 weeks per year, increases to 4 weeks by year four of employmentReimbursement for work travelPaid volunteer time-offTuition reimbursementOn the job trainingOpportunities to attend local and state-wide workshops and conferencesPaid training to become a Certified Peer Support SpecialistFamily to Family facilitator training through NAMI CAWellness Recovery Action Plan facilitator trainingMental Health First Aid instructor training....and more!The Mental Health Association of Alameda County (MHAAC) is a well-established non-profit organization with long term staff that assists and advocates for people with mental illness and their family members through programs including the Family Education and Resource Center, the Family Partnership Program, the African American Family Outreach Project, and Patients' Rights Advocacy. Together, these programs assist thousands of people with serious mental illness and their family members every year. We envision a world without stigma where people with mental health challenges and their family members are free to live their best lives. MHAAC's current budget is around $5 million.FERC is a program of the Mental Health Association of Alameda County funded through Behavioral Health Services Act and operated under contract with Alameda County Behavioral Health Care ServicesWE are:The Family Education and Resource Center (FERC) is a family-centered program that provides free education, advocacy, and support to family caregivers of a loved one living with mental health conditions and resides in all regions of Alameda County.What makes FERC unique is that all of our staff have family or loved ones with mental health issues.FERC's programmatic components include: a warm-line; education, training and support for family/caregivers; a resource center; assistance with AB1424 Historical Information Forms; support for the development of family leadership; and collaboration with other MHSA funded programs."We've been there, and we can help."YOU are:A compassionate family member of a loved one who has a mental health challengeExperienced in navigating the behavioral health system for your loved one to access and receive servicesEmpathetic; you can understand the challenges other families are going through trying to advocate for their family member(s)You've always told by your friends that, "You're such a good listener."Ready to learn about family advocacy and what it takes to represent the voices of family caregivers in Alameda CountyESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES:The Bilingual Family Advocate provides peer-based support, education, advocacy, and resource navigation to family caregivers of loved ones living with mental health conditions or serious mental illness. The Advocate conducts intakes and assessments, develops support and safety plans, facilitates support groups and educational activities, maintains timely documentation, and collaborates with community partners and internal staff to connect families with services and resources that promote wellness, recovery, and family empowerment.Under the supervision and guidance of the Program Supervisor, the Bilingual Family Advocates' duties may include, but are not limited to the following:Provide individualized support, advocacy, and guidance to family caregivers navigating behavioral health, educational, and community support systemsAssist clients in identifying needs, developing goals, and accessing appropriate services and resources within Alameda County and surrounding communitiesConduct client engagement and support through in-person meetings, phone communication, virtual platforms, community visits, and outreach activitiesDeliver information, education, emotional support, encouragement, and referrals to promote self-advocacy and informed decision-makingCollaborate with behavioral health providers, schools, social service agencies, community organizations, and other stakeholders to coordinate care and improve outcomes for clients and familiesFacilitate support groups, workshops, educational presentations, and community discussions focused on mental health awareness, family support, and resource navigationMaintain accurate, timely, and confidential client records, service documentation, and program data in accordance with agency and funding reequirementsREQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:Direct lived experience as a family caregiver of a loved one who has a mental health challenge or serious mental illness; professional experience and/or education does NOT replace the personal lived experience that is requiredHigh school diploma or GED requiredMust successfully pass a fingerprint background check by CADOJ and FBIMust have proficiency in Microsoft Office - Outlook (email) and Word (documents)Some positions require a valid CA Drivers License, daily access to a working motor vehicle. Must maintain legally required car insuranceBilingual in one of Alameda County's threshold languages: Chinese (Cantonese or Mandarin), Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, or VietnameseADDITIONAL DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:Associates or Bachelor's degreeExperience navigating behavioral health, educational, healthcare, or social service systemsCertification as a Family Partner, Peer Support Specialist, or related credentialExperience facilitating support groups, psychoeducational workshops, or community presentationsExperience using video-based platforms such as Teams and/or ZoomExperience working with diverse populations in underserved communitiesKnowledge of Alameda County behavioral health systems and community resourcesHOURS OF WORK: Mon - Fri: 8:00 AM-5:00 PM. May require some evening and weekend work on occasion.WORK LOCATION: 39155 Liberty St., Fremont, CA 94538SALARY: $28.75 per hour. Rate includes 4.5% Bilingual Pay Differential for fluency in: Cantonese, Farsi, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish, Tagalog, or VietnameseThe Mental Health Association of Alameda County is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.We are also committed to offering an inclusive and accessible experience for all job seekers, including individuals with disabilities. Our goal is to foster an inclusive and accessible workplace where everyone has the opportunity to be successful. If you need a reasonable accommodation to search for a job opening, apply for a position, or participate in the interview process, connect with us and describe the specific accommodation requested for a disability-related limitation.Job Type: Full-timeSalary: $28.75 per hourBenefits:401(k)Dental insuranceEmployee assistance programFlexible scheduleFlexible spending accountHealth insuranceLife insuranceVision insurancePaid time offVision insuranceSchedule:8 hour shiftMonday to FridayCOVID-19 considerations:All staff are required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination and booster shots. Air purifiers in the office.Application Question(s):Do you have direct lived experience as a family caregiver of a loved one who lives with a mental health condition or serious mental illness? Note: education and/or professional experience does NOT replace the requirement for personal lived experience.Education:High school or equivalent (Required)Language:Spanish (Preferred)Chinese (Cantonese or Mandarin) (Preferred)FarsiKoreanTagalog (Preferred)VietnameseWork Location: One location