Family Connector (Mental Health Services)

ACCS Family Connector

The ACCS Family Connector promotes the full integration and functioning of Persons Served (PS) needed to live successfully in the community. Provides outreach, information, referral and direct support services to families and other community members who identify as supports of the PS. Orients and serves as primary liaison to PS families and members of their social network. Enhances PS social supports. Works to involve family/friends in PS life and Treatment Plan interventions as appropriate. Creates and sustains Team's Family Advisory Council.

The essential job duties/responsibilities of the position include but are not limited to the information listed below:

Creates a welcoming environment for parents, families, and other community members who identify as supporters in which families/supporters are respected and valued. Orients them to the services their loved one may receive from ACCS; shares personal experiences with and engages their participation in helping the PS to meet their ACCS goals. Functions as primary liaison for PS families (following HIPAA authorization by PS).

Provides outreach to and collects current and historical family/supporters' information with focus on understanding the PS family/supporter relationships and their impact on the PS.

Provides family psychoeducation to families, supporters, and guardians. Refer families/supporters to resources in the community for family support and education when appropriate, including NAMI Family-to-Family groups.

Collaborates with PS and their family members/supporters to determine how they can best support the desired level of family participation in the PS treatment. Addresses family/supporters needs who want to be engaged and are welcomed by the PS, engaged but not welcomed by the PS, and who are not engaged but PS would like them to be.

Trains and mentors' staff in maintaining a family/supporter perspective in their work.

Participates as member of intervention team for assigned PS. Delivers interventions identified on the Treatment Plan targeted at skills building in life domains including but not limited to activities of daily living, medication administration, symptom reduction, health and wellbeing, employment, education, socialization and recreation with supervision from clinically licensed Team members.

Employs trauma informed, recovery-oriented, person-centered, culturally competent and strengths- based approaches and skills training techniques in their work.

Provides competency-based clinical evidence-based practices and best practices to team members and GLE/SIE staff, including Motivational Interviewing; Harm Reduction and Addiction Treatment; Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment (SBIRT); Housing First; Stages of Change; Seeking Safety, Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), and Cognitive Behavioral interventions, as well as the development of Safety Plans and Crisis Prevention and Response Plans, and 8 Dimensions of Wellness.

Performs evidenced-based clinical and recovery-oriented interventions for PS, including Motivational Interviewing; Harm Reduction and Addiction Treatment support; Screening; Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment (SBIRT); Housing First; Stages of Change; Wellness Recovery Action Plans (WRAP); Seeking Safety and Cognitive Behavioral interventions.

Promotes healthcare and employment and education services access for PS.

Promotes engagement, housing permanency, community tenure, achievement of greater self- sufficiency and successful completion of service for all PS.

Provides thorough and thoughtful documentation of PS needs and services.

Creates and sustains the ACCS Family Advisory Council if families/supporters' express interest in joining.

Participates as member of Family Connector Community of Practice Workgroup for continuous role-specific competency development, mentoring and learning.

Performs other related duties, as assigned.

Knowledge and Skills:

Strong commitment to the right and ability of people served by ACCS to live, work, have meaningful relationships and receive the clinical treatment, resources and supports needed to thrive in their community of choice.

Skill in helping people integrate into the community through use of natural supports and basic community resources.

Willingness to share personal experience of having primary responsibility for, or substantial involvement with a family member receiving services through the mental health system.

Ability to maintain strong professional boundaries while engaging in strategic self-disclosure of relevant personal experience.

Knowledge of PS and family/supporter engagement strategies

Knowledge of Family Support and Family psycho-education practices and principles

Ability to form supportive, trusting relationships with PS and Families/Friends, etc.

Sensitivity to the cultural, religious, ethnic, disability, and gender issues of PS

Knowledge of human, legal, and civil rights of PS

Knowledge of the effects of prejudice (including internalized negative attitudes about oneself), discrimination, and oppression of people with psychiatric disorders, and the effects of poverty

Knowledge and use of different communication and learning styles.

Ability to make independent judgments and decisions.

Ability to work in a professional and confidential capacity.

Knowledge of family dynamic and functioning assessment skills and practices

Knowledge of recovery-oriented, person-centered and strengths-based values and principles

Knowledge of trauma-informed and culturally competent services

Ability to adhere to the standards of Motivational Interviewing; Harm Reduction; Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment (SBIRT); Housing First; Stages of Change; and Cognitive Behavioral interventions.

Skills and competence to provide interventions for effective Treatment Plan interventions, and to ability to train other staff in how to foster family/supporter partnerships.

Ability to collaborate effectively with other Team members to address the needs of PS in the Treatment Plan Knowledge of personal computer applications and equipment.

Knowledge of documentation standards and requirements

About Vinfen

Established in 1977, Vinfen is a nonprofit, health and human services organization and a leading provider of community-based services to individuals with mental health conditions, intellectual and developmental disabilities, brain injuries, and behavioral health challenges. Our services and advocacy promote the recovery, resiliency, habilitation, and self-determination of the people we serve. Vinfen's 3,200 dedicated employees are experienced, highly-trained professionals who provide a full range of supportive living, health, educational, and clinical services in 318 programs throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut.

My Vinfen. My Community. My Job.

Vinfen is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status.

Qualifications

Job Requirements:

Must have access to an operational and insured vehicle and be willing to use it to transport PS.

Preference given to bilingual/bicultural applicants and applicants with lived experience of psychiatric conditions.

Must meet Family Partner qualifications as follows:

Personal, first-hand experience having primary responsibility for, or substantial involvement with a family member receiving services through the mental health system, which encompasses experiences such as psychiatric inpatient hospitalization, outpatient services/therapy, experience with psychiatric medications, and/or participating in mental health groups in the community. While a formal mental health diagnosis of that family member is not required, involvement with the mental health of a loved one must be significant enough to relate to the experiences of the family members of the people served in a meaningful way. Lastly, Family Connector positions require staff to share personal experiences with staff, the people we serve and the members of their "chosen family."

Experience in navigating any of the child (or adult) family-serving systems and teaching family members who are involved with child (or adult) family-serving systems.

Bachelor's degree in human services field from an accredited school and one year experience working with children/adolescents/TAY (or adult); or an Associate's degree in human service field from an accredited school and one year experience working with children/adolescents/TAY (or adult); or high school diploma/GED and two years' experience working with children/adolescents/TAY (or adult).

Education Requirements:

A high school diploma or equivalent is required; Bachelor's degree from accredited school or Associate's degree strongly preferred. In some cases, experience may be substituted for academic training.

Driving Requirements:

Driving is a requirement for this position using either a Vinfen van or a personal vehicle. If using a personal vehicle, you must possess and maintain adequate insurance as well as maintain a safe driving record which is subject to annual checks. A valid driver's license must be presented at the time of employment. Incumbents must be at least 21 years of age, have maintained a valid US driver's license for at least one