FEI Peer Support Specialist

Help Others, Make a Difference, Save a Life.

Do you want to make a difference in people's lives every day?
Or help people navigate the tough spots in their life?
And do it all while working where your hard work is appreciated?

You have a lot of choices in where you work…make the decision to work where you are valued!

Join the McNabb Center Team as the FEI Peer Support Specialist today!

The FEI Peer Support Specialist

Duties:

• Responsibilities include serving a minimum of 15 families at time for a period of 90 days post-crisis intervention.
• Duties also include meeting with families, coordinating supports for monthly Family Team Meetings (FTM), and organizing monthly family engagement activities.

JOB PURPOSE/SUMMARY

Summary of role of team :

• "Family Empowerment Initiative" or "FEI" provides support to low-income families, children ages birth (0) to eighteen (18), and their caregivers.
• This includes, but is not limited to, intensive services, crisis services, self-sufficiency through trauma informed services, case coordination, peer support, parent/caregiver education, and family engagement strategies.

Summary of position :

• The PSS provides direct caregiver-to-caregiver support.
• The PSS is a vital resource to assist families and others who are caring for young children/children/youth/transition age youth with emotional, behavioral, and/or co-occurring disorders.
• To achieve the resiliency and recovery goals of the child/youth and family, the FSS promotes self-determination, personal responsibility, and the skills, knowledge and confidence to be an effective advocate for his/her child/youth, and inspires a sense of hope that resiliency and recovery are achievable goals.

TYPICAL WORKING CONDITIONS/ENVIORNMENT

• This position spends the majority of their time working Knox Children & Youth (C&Y) Center, and seeing individuals in their homes and community.
• With program development, attendance to community and Center run meetings is required.
• In person attendance is preferred.

JOB DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; and employee will also perform other reasonably related job responsibilities as assigned by immediate supervisor and other management as required. This organization reserves the right to revise or change job duties as the need arises. Moreover, management reserves the right to change job descriptions, job duties, or working schedules based on their duty to accommodate individuals with disabilities. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.

1. Direct Care

Initial Visit:

• Participate in the initial face-to-face visit with the care coordinator and family.

First Month of Services:

• Conduct a minimum of one (1) face-to-face, in- home visit and/or one (1) telephonic or video contact with the family each week during the first month of services.

Second and Third Months of Services :

• Conduct a minimum of one (1) face-to-face, in-home visit or one (1) telephonic or video contact with the family each week during months two (2) and three (3). One face-to-face, in-person meeting will be the monthly FTM.
• The Care Coordinator and/or Peer Support Specialist will complete the initial intake package within ten (10) business days of enrollment. The initial intake package will include but not limited to eligibility assessment, the CSSRS (Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale), DLA-20, ISP, and Family Story.
• A Family Team Meeting (FTM) is required within 2 weeks of enrollment and minimum of one (1) time monthly until the conclusion of services.

2. Quality Care

• Ensure warm hand-off access to mobile crisis services/children's crisis continuum to support collaboration with all crisis services.
• Peer Support Specialist offers parent education workshops biannually to educate on parenting topics.
• Teach and role model the value of every individual's experience caring for a child or youth with a mental, emotional, behavioral (MEB) or co-occurring disorder.
• Foster a full and equal partnership with the child/youth, family, and caregiver.
• In collaboration with the Care Coordinator, complete the required evaluation documentation.
• In collaboration with the Care Coordinator, compete the strength and culture discovery and caregiver strain questionnaire.
• Encourage and assist caregivers in developing informal and formal networks of support that are responsive to the culture and unique needs of their child/youth and family.
• Teach the child/youth, family, and caregiver how to identify and utilize their strengths and culture discovery and caregiver strain questionnaire.
• Assists in facilitation of the family team meetings:
• Develops agenda with caregiver; lead the meeting with caregiver until the caregiver is ready to do so alone.
• Arranges for time and place of meeting.
• Ensures that family team and other required paperwork are completed as instructed.
• Completes and disseminates service plan to team members with their tasks highlighted.
• Schedules subsequent family team meetings and provides members with date, time and location.
• Partners with family/family team members in identifying and overcoming barriers/service gaps.
• Understand and utilize specific interventions necessary to assist caregivers in developing a family team and in establishing and meeting their child/youth and family's individualized goals.
• Assist caregivers in creating their family team and individualized service plan.
• Lead as well as model how to facilitate collaborative working relationships with providers, school staff, and other professionals to positively transform the treatment experience of the child, youth and family.
• Model effective coping techniques and advocacy skills.
• Teach relevant skills needed for effective advocacy and navigation of the child-serving systems, including child welfare, juvenile justice, education, mental health, and transition services.
• Assist caregivers in meeting their child's or youth's needs through support, education, and guidance in school related meetings (504, Individualized Education Plans, etc.) and the special education system.
• Assist caregivers in identifying and connecting with service addressing substance abuse and co-occurring disorders, as well as providing information and other resources.
• Assist caregivers in learning how to access community resources, and in making positive treatment choices for their child/youth and family.
• Appropriately document activities provided to caregivers in either their individual records or program records.
• Assist non-caregiver staff in identifying programs and environments that foster hope and resiliency and are family-driven and youth-guided in nature.
• Collaborate to provide support during the crisis and following the crisis.
• Participate in team-based supervision.
• Other duties and/or tasks as assigned.

3. Complete all documentation in compliance with CARF, insurance and funding standards.

• Maintain up-to-date case records on each client, family, including weekly contact reports, service agreements, evaluations, and termination summaries.
• Completes and signs EMR progress notes within two business days of encounter.
• Ensures that all clients have an up to date ROI, care plan, crisis plan, consent to contact after discharge, DLA-20, and updated signature admissions page every 6 months, and as needed.
• Creates and coordinates treatment interventions that are reflected in progress note documentation based on the ISP goals.
• Provides completed Daily Contact Logs to supervisor by date assigned.
• Attends supervision with program supervisor.

4. Team Atmosphere

• Participate in teamed-based supervision meetings.
• Team maintenance and transition coordination.
• Display effective communication.
• Be approachable and engaging.
• Ability to promote teams that are cohesive and promote trust.
• Display a knowledge of child serving systems and local resources.
• Works effectively as a team contributor on all assignments.
• Works independently while understanding the necessity for communicating and coordinating work efforts with other employees and organizations.
• Is expected to have regular and predictable attendance, and the ability to work cooperatively with others.
• Demonstrates a consideration and concern for fellow workers and their jobs and promotes harmonious relationships and attitudes.
• Accepts additional assignments and/or changes in assignment and/or work.
• Promotes an environment in which the culture and spiritual beliefs of the individual are respected.
• Completion of expected monthly productivity report, to be provided to supervisor by the 5th of the following month.

COMPENSATION:

• Starting salary for this position is approximately $17.40 /hr based on relevant experience and education.

Schedule:

• Primary working hours are Monday through Friday, and should be provided at times that meet the needs to the families served.
• Site supervision is preferred, and position must be available via phone if a function of the position requires being out of office.

Travel :

• This position may require travel for home/community visits within service area, as well as meetings and trainings outside the Knox County area.
• Position may be required to transport clients in their personal vehicle should the need arise.

Equipment/Technical Competency :

• Position requires working knowledge of Excel, Word, Microsoft Office, and any other platforms required by funders.
  Position requires regular use of a computer, and appropriate phone etiquette.
• Position is required to respond to all voicemails, emails, and message within 24 hours.

Equipment/Technology:

• Position requires a cell phone, in the event staff need to contact the position when not in the office.
• Cell phone may be provided by the Center or reimbursement for these expenses is considered.

QUALIFICATIONS - FEI Peer Support Specialist

Experience / Knowledge:

• Knowledge of the service area and of resources for children and youth and families.
• Knowledge and personal experience with children and youth who have emotional and behavioral disorders.
• Knowledge and experience with the juvenile justice, educational, and/or other child-serving systems.
• Desire to help and support families, with strong customer service skills.
• Commitment to system of care principles, cultural competency and effective team work.
• Established support system and access to resources.
• Basic computer and writing skills. Be certified as a Peer, Young Adult, or Family Support Specialist or be eligible to become certified within one year of employment.

Education / License :

• A minimum of high school diploma or General Education Diploma (GED) equivalent is required.
• Must be a parent or designated primary caregiver of child/youth with emotional, behavioral, or mental health disorder and experience in navigating child-serving systems.
• Self-identify as the primary caregiver of a child or youth with mental, emotional, behavioral or co-occurring disorder who has successfully navigated the child-serving systems to access treatment and resources necessary to build resiliency and foster success in the home, school, and community.
• Individual must have the ability to successfully complete training recognized by Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) on how to assist other caregivers in fostering resiliency in their child/youth based on the principles of resiliency and recovery within 3 months of employment and be able to acquire their Certification from TDMHSAS within one year of employment.

Physical/Emotional/Social - Skills/Abilities:

• This position requires utilizing a personal, dependable vehicle to conduct Center business.
• Maintaining a dependable vehicle and certified driver status is a condition of employment.
• This position also requires that the employee has an F Endorsement on his/her Driver License to be available to transport individuals as needed.
• Required to be certified in and adequately implement verbal and physical de-escalation techniques that include a wide range of bodily movements including but not limited to grasping, holding another person, running, and walking.
• Physical de-escalation techniques will only be implemented at Helen Ross McNabb Center facilities, and not in community settings. Additionally, an essential job function is a reliable, predictable 40 hour per week job, on site and in the community, with regular attendance.
• Ability to effectively and ethically coordinate care for children, adults, and/or families.
• Ability to present professionally and work within a team format to plan, implement, and evaluate successful interventions.
• Ability to work within a team format to meet positive goals for adults and/or children and interface with other agencies involved in the ecology of the individual.
• Must be capable of assisting in utilizing nonviolent methods of crisis intervention including therapeutic holding.
• Must have mental ability to exercise sound judgment under pressure.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and effective decision-making, ability to set and demonstrate appropriate boundaries, ability to be an empathic listener, flexibility, willingness, and adaptability to working with diverse populations.
• Must also have the ability to communicate effectively and possess good time management and organizational skills.
• Hearing of normal and soft tones. Close eye work. Valid driver's license. Lifting up to 50lbs. Frequent sitting, standing, walking, bending, stooping, and reaching.

Location:

• Knox County, Tennessee

Apply today to work where we care about you as an employee and where your hard work makes a difference!

Helen Ross McNabb Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Center provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment.

Helen Ross McNabb Center conducts background checks, driver's license record, degree verification, and drug screens at hire. Employment is contingent upon clean drug screen, background check, and driving record. Additionally, certain programs are subject to TB Screening and/or testing. Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply.

Compensation details: 17.4-17.4 Hourly Wage

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