FAMILY NAVIGATOR - HYBRID

Job Description

Job Description

The candidate must reside within the following county(s) within Region 8: Comal, Guadalupe County or the direct surrounding areas.

PRIMARY FUNCTION/RESPONSIBILTY

The Family Navigator engages families early in the conservatorship process to ensure rapid access to services, strong engagement, and progress toward safe and sustainable independence. The role partners closely with Permanency Specialists, Child Protective Investigators, Family Based Safety Services caseworkers, and community providers to assess needs, set goals, and support behavioral change. This position requires extensive collaboration, in‑home engagement, and consistent communication.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Promote access, engagement, and coordination of services for families in the child and family wellbeing system by deploying strategies designed to rapidly engage families in services, work closely with providers, and monitor the delivery of quality services.
• Identify service needs, coordinating service intervention, and collaboration with system of care partners including the child protective investigator, Belong Permanency Specialist, and other subject matter experts who become engaged in assessment and treatment identification.
• Use knowledge of the child and family wellbeing system to assist with recognizing behaviors associated with safety and well-being and ensure thorough assessment and understanding of family dynamics to quickly engage families in meaningful service linkage and intervention.
• Understand the stages of change and provide insight into behavioral changes connected to successful outcomes to promote safe and stable families by following identified cases from inception through closure to ensure ongoing collaboration and information sharing among partners and service providers, heighten awareness of existing risk factors, and ensure intentional service connection and delivery to promote safe and stable families.
• Responsible for participation and/or facilitation of staffing's, care coordination, and assistance with resolving barriers frequently present in families involved in the child and family wellbeing system which may include field response and working with the family in their residence or physical location.
• Work collaboratively with community service providers to develop contacts, facilitate referrals, and assist investigative and case management staff with engaging clients in recommended services and improving timely access to treatment.
• Participate in legal, multi-disciplinary, and any other meetings that will assist the investigative, case management and provider staff and families with establishing positive outcomes and strengthening families.
• Ensure inter-agency collaboration with principal stakeholders in child protection and domestic violence systems, i.e., HHSC, DFPS, TJJD, university schools of social work, CASA, child advocacy centers, etc.
• Ensures the accuracy, content, and completeness of child/family case records in Impact and Briteworks.
• Completes documentation containing descriptive, analytical, and evaluative content.
• Advocates, promotes, and practices cultural sensitivity and responsiveness in all day-to-day interactions. Promotes and demonstrates appropriate respect for cultural diversity among coworkers, clients, and all work-related contacts.
• Travel is required for this position, up to 95% of the work week.
• Attends work regularly in accordance with agency leave policy.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge Skills Abilities

• Knowledge of child development.
• Knowledge of family dynamics.
• Knowledge of federal and state funding programs including but not limited to: Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, WIC, and SSI.
• Skill if effective verbal and written communication.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.
• Skill in problem solving techniques.
• Ability to operate a personal computer.
• Ability to travel and attend child and family visits as well as other work-related appointments and meetings after 5PM.
• Ability to be on call on a rotating basis and work irregular hours when necessary.
• Ability to work in an emotion-filled environment which may require conducting home visits in isolated or high crime areas and may involve exposure to substandard and unsanitary living conditions.
• Must demonstrate the following:
• Ability to understand and assist with the role changes that occur in foster and kinship care.
• Ability to counsel regarding issues of separation and loss for the child, family, and caregivers.
• A commitment to reunifying a child with his/her biological family.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Child Welfare or related field to meet Texas Minimum requirements for Child Placing staff.

Preferred:

• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in Child Welfare or related field.

Certifications/Licenses/Registrations:

• Valid Texas Driver’s License, safe driving record, ability to provide own transportation and proof of current automobile insurance.
• Training/Licensure/Certifications as required by SJRC Texas/Belong.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS

• Body mobility to stoop, kneel, bend, reach, walk and walk briskly to interact with and monitor children.
• Stamina to work long days and drive long distances.
• Moderate to heavy lifting up to 60 pounds.
• Must have the ability to communicate both verbally and in writing.
• Environment requires dexterity to remain calm and adapt to fast paced and emotional environments consisting of children with moderate to severe emotional and psychological needs.
• Home-like settings with varying moderate to high degrees of background noise.
• Campuses are smoke-free, except on permitted campuses in designated areas.
• Injury when lifting or moving if employee fails to use proper body mechanics, or if proper techniques are not used.

DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIP/REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

Supervised by: Service Delivery Supervisor

Supervises: N/A