Family Support Specialist

Job Overview of Family Support Specialist

The Family Support Specialist (FSS) is responsible for providing, strength-based supportive services for children and their families. The FSS initiates and maintains regular contact with families, primarily in their homes. The FSS establishes trusting relationships with families, provides prenatal and other health education and assists to strengthen parent-child relationships. The FSS assists parents to improve their skills to optimize the home environment for child's well-being and safety. The FSS also assists families in making and attending health and human services appointments including activities related to employment and education goals.


Salary commensurate with educational credentials and experience, ranging from HS diploma with less than one year of experience to Master's level candidate with over 20 years of experience

Essential Duties of Family Support Specialist (Servicing clients in areas such as Peekskill, Elmsford, White Plains, Bear Mountain, Croton)

Key duties of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Understanding and supporting the agency's mission & treatment philosophy
• Demonstrates sensitivity to cultural background of children, families and co-workers
• Participates in virtual and in person trainings and meetings to obtain and discuss information related to program/agency
• Works effectively to provide support and to ensure healthy growth and development of families
• Offers referrals and information according to the needs of families
• Effectively manages a caseload of up to a case weight of 25-30 families
• Conducts home visits according to the frequency of contact for families
• Ensures activities are family appropriate and reflective of the developmental level of the child by incorporating curriculum when working with families
• Meets weekly with assigned supervisor to address concerns and explore ways to best support families related to parent-child interaction, goal plan and curriculum or activities used in addition to discussing tasks assigned
• Safely manages all aspects of job responsibilities and maintains a safe, hazard free work space
• Performs duties of a mandated reporter by reporting any suspicion of child abuse or neglect to Supervisor and SCR
• Informs Supervisor of potentially unsafe home environments when visiting families
• Completes all paperwork and case record forms in a clear, accurate and timely fashion as per HFNY standards to ensure information stays up to date
• Works effectively with other staff and community partners
• Participation and planning of outreach events in the community in addition to door to door
• Ability to be empathetic/humble and work with families with diverse cultural, economic backgrounds
• Assists, when appropriate in the orientation of new staff

Essential Qualifications of Family Support Specialist

Key qualifications include:

• High School Diploma/GED, required. College degree, preferred
• Bilingual Spanish a must
• Direct work experience with children and families in a community setting.
• An ability to establish trusting relationships
• Knowledge of infant and child development (preferred)
• Willing to engage in building reflective capacity (e.g., Introspection)
• Infant mental health endorsement (preferred)
• Strong oral and written communication skills and knowledge of basic computer systems
• Knowledge of Yonkers /Mt. Vernon and Westchester county resources valued
• Facility in written and spoken English and Spanish
• Ability to adhere to our organization's core values, policies and procedures
• Punctual and regular attendance as scheduled
• Safe and successful performance of job tasks

Benefits of Family Support Specialist

• Generous PTO, holidays, personal and sick time
• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Benefits
• 401(k) Employer Contributions
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Aflac Benefits
• Flex Spending Accounts
• Employer Paid STD, LTD and Life Insurance
• Professional Development

Physical/Travel Requirements

• Valid NYS Driver's License
• Ability to travel to community-based agency offices, participant's communities, and homes within assigned catchment area
• The FSS must be able to drive to external locations and work flexible hours as required to meet program needs with some evenings and/or weekends as identified. Generally, 9am to 5pm weekdays.
• Physical Requirements:
  1. Reach
  2. Walk
  3. Climb stairs
  4. Bend

The employee must be able to meet these requirements with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Disclaimer

Nothing in this job description restricts Andrus' right to modify the duties/responsibilities of this job at any time, with or without advanced notice.

EEO Statement

Andrus is an equal opportunity employer.