Family Partner Support Specialist I/II - Behavioral Health (Spanish Required) (Open & Promotional)

Overview San Mateo County Health's Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Division is seeking a qualified Family Partner Support Specialist I/II – Spanish Speaking Required to join the Youth Services Center (YSC) Mental Health Team in San Mateo. This full‑time position may require occasional evening hours between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Family Partner Support Specialist is a valued member of a multidisciplinary team serving youth ages 6–18 involved in the juvenile justice system and their families throughout San Mateo County. The role requires reading, writing, and speaking Spanish. Drawing upon lived experience as a parent or caregiver of a child with behavioral health challenges, the Family Partner provides peer support, education, advocacy, and resource navigation to help families build resilience, access services, and support their youth’s recovery and wellness. Key Responsibilities Support families in navigating juvenile justice, behavioral health, education, and community‑based systems and services. Provide education, coaching, and advocacy support to help families participate effectively in treatment, school, and court‑related processes. Build trusting relationships with families through empathy, shared lived experience, and recovery‑oriented support. Facilitate family peer support, education, and skill‑building groups that promote wellness, resilience, and connection. Connect families with community resources and supports that address social, emotional, educational, and basic needs. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to promote family engagement, self‑advocacy, and positive outcomes for youth and families. Detailed Duties Develop rapport, establish, and maintain contact with community members and interpret community needs and cultural patterns for professional staff. Provide educational services, schedule, arrange, and assist in facilitation of educational programs and activities to support client health, wellness, and recovery. Prepare reports or correspondence; maintain accurate notes or files related to client relations. Coordinate calendars, make appointments, and arrange necessary materials for operations. Provide outreach to clients to engage them in services and overcome barriers to mental‑health services. Conduct one‑on‑one or group sessions with consumers and/or families to collect data for screenings, applications, records, and needs assessments. Work with the treatment team to develop and maintain clients’ development plans. Assist peers and/or family members in tracking and implementing recovery and wellness goals; model effective coping and self‑help strategies. Serve as mentor to teach consumers and family members how to function more independently and find community resources. Monitor cases for assigned client groups. Develop and organize educational and informational materials for outreach activities. Serve on committees and attend meetings. Assist clients with daily living activities such as completing applications, providing transportation, and navigating support‑service systems. Act as interpreter when needed for non‑English‑speaking residents. Assist with access to housing, transportation, education, and employment resources. Perform related duties as assigned. Rewards Make a meaningful difference in the lives of youth and families navigating behavioral health and juvenile justice systems. Use lived experience to inspire hope, reduce isolation, and empower families. Help families access resources, strengthen advocacy skills, and achieve recovery and wellness goals. Challenges Supporting families experiencing complex behavioral health, juvenile justice, and family‑system challenges. Navigating and coordinating services across multiple systems and community partners. Managing emotionally demanding situations while maintaining professionalism, empathy, and boundaries. Ideal Candidate Lived experience as a parent or primary caregiver of a child or youth who has experienced behavioral health challenges. Experience supporting families of youth involved in behavioral health, juvenile justice, child welfare, and/or substance use systems. Experience building effective relationships with caregivers facing mental health or substance use challenges. Experience working with justice‑involved youth, youth on probation, or within juvenile detention settings. Experience serving Latinx and BIPOC communities. Knowledge of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process and school‑based supports. Experience connecting families to community resources such as housing, healthcare, food assistance, legal services, and family resource centers. Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 applications including Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, and PowerPoint. Fluency in English and Spanish, including experience providing services in Spanish. Distinguishing Characteristics Peer Support Specialist I (entry‑level) works under close supervision, learning program operations, client populations, and peer support practices. Incumbents can advance after gaining experience and demonstrating proficiency for the higher‑level class. Peer Support Specialist II (experienced level) performs the full range of peer support duties independently and exercises greater judgment, discretion, and responsibility. Certification and Licensure Peer Support Specialist positions require maintaining a Medi‑Cal Peer Support Specialist certification issued by CMHSA. Peer Support Specialist I: proof of completion of Peer Support Specialist training and certification within 18 months of hire. Peer Support Specialist II: certification as a Medi‑Cal Peer Support Specialist issued by CMHSA. Some positions may require possession of a valid California driver license or equivalent. Additional Qualifications Must be a parent or caregiver of a consumer of mental health services to meet the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) funding requirement. Physical Demands Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment. Requires vision to assess emergency situations and read printed materials. Requires hearing and speech to communicate in person, before groups, and over the telephone. Frequently standing, walking, bending, stooping, kneeling, reaching, pushing, pulling drawers, and lifting up to 45 pounds may be required. Equal Opportunity Statement The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer. #J-18808-Ljbffr County of San Mateo