Youth and Family Support Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

The Youth Family Support Specialist (YFSS) is responsible for working closely with youth and families of children and youth in foster care who have a history of complex trauma and a diagnosis of emotional disorders, and/or developmental disabilities or delays. The YFSS will prioritize permanency focused best practices for strengthening youth and family relationships, involving family in treatment and post-residential intervention, and finding family for children and youth who need those critical relationships. The primary role of the YFSS is to build trust-based relationships with youth and families in order to provide guidance, support, service coordination, and training to assist families in meeting the needs of their child/youth and enhancing the parents’ role.

RESPONSIBLITIES:

• Conduct comprehensive and periodic assessments of youth and their family to determine desire and needs to have family contact/connection for the purpose of determining eligibility and/or developing an action plan to remove barriers to child’s/youth’s success.
• Develop a search and engagement mindset to find permanency options upon admission.
• Immediately identify significant adults and persist with family finding and engagement throughout work with youth. 
• Represent families in treatment team meetings to help develop an ongoing individualized child’s plan of service (CPOS) based on information collected through the assessment and family interviews to address spiritual, physical, educational, emotional, social, and other services needed to further family goals, plans and success strategies.
• Provide regular check-ins with the family to keep them abreast of how their child/youth is doing (at least once a week) and support parents in understanding the needs of their children/youth.
• Ensuring each youth is making timely progress toward safe and lasting family relationships and family living.
• Provide case management, such as linking children and families to culturally and linguistically appropriate community resources and/or coordinating contacts with other service providers, including, but not limited to, schools, Social Service Agency and other mental health providers.
• Coordinate referrals to services and related agencies to meet the needs identified in the CPOS. 
• Learn/maintain current knowledge of community resources, while building and sustaining community partnerships.
• Help families recognize their strengths and support them in setting a list of functional, family choice, family centered outcomes.
• Advocate and arrange for flexible spending to provide “whatever it takes” to increase connections and time together for youth, parents, family, and /or caring adults to build relationship and parenting practice.
• Encourage, model, and coach appropriate trauma informed care to include parenting skills and behavior management/modification techniques. Promote self-reflection by caregivers on actions to determine the effectiveness of actions or practices within daily routines.
• Monitor progress on child/youth outcomes related to positive social-emotional skills, ability to acquire and use knowledge and skills and using appropriate behaviors to meet needs. 
• Work with families in an empathic, professional and objective manner. 
• Collaborate and meet with other service providers to coordinate services.
• Assist and participate in community relations activities to foster cooperation and support of programs and to maintain outside agency contacts. 
• Provide information about Family Outreach services at community events and meetings.
• Participate in related trainings, workshops, conferences, and required agency meetings as appropriate. This includes updating knowledge and skills relevant to position responsibilities, demonstrating competencies identified for certification as Family Support Specialist and required Policies and Procedures.
• Support parents in understanding the needs of their children (nutritionally, physically, socially or emotionally).
• Track and document time and services with accuracy to ensure services are provided according to contract requirements and reimbursement for services provided. This includes tracking case statistics (e.g. direct contacts, service coordination, family training/counseling, special instruction, transportation, etc.), and accounting for at least 75% of time
• Provide parental education through community groups, trainings or events; based upon expressed interest or other parental input.
• Ensure the privacy and confidentiality of all families, clients and their records.
• Coordinate the Youth Advisory Board (YAB) meetings and activities to ensure youth engagement and empowerment strategies.
• Complete duties in a professional and timely manner.
• Inform other staff as needed for continuity of care.
• Conduct home visits, as deemed appropriate.
• Maintain a flexible schedule to accommodate program and consumer needs that include evenings and weekends. 
• Assist Case Management as needed with doctor appointments, psychiatric hospital intakes, etc.  
• Other duties as assigned.