Family Support Specialist, Children & Youth (Nashville, TN)

Ranked one of Tennessee’s top places to work, MHC is a rare and special place where outstanding company culture is intentional. Where clients and associates are treated the same, as equals.

Mental Health Cooperative, Inc. (MHC) was formed in 1993 to serve individuals with severe and persistent mental illness. Since then, we have expanded our services to children and adolescents with severe emotional disorders across Middle and East Tennessee.

Our sole purpose is to support and treat those challenged with serious mental illness and poverty. Although based out of Nashville, we serve several communities across middle and East Tennessee with satellite offices in Antioch, Gallatin, Dickson, Columbia, Cleveland, Murfreesboro, Clarksville, Cookeville, Chattanooga, and Memphis.

If you are interested in joining a team that is caring, collaborative, innovative and energizing this might be a great place for you!

The Family Support Specialist (FSS) provides direct caregiver-to-caregiver support. The FSS 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.

Schedule: 7 AM - 7 PM, Saturday, Sunday, Monday

Position Responsibilities:
1. Teach and model the value of every individual’s experience caring for a child or youth with a mental, emotional, behavioral (MEB) or co-occurring disorder.
2. Foster a full and equal partnership with the child/youth, family, and caregiver.
3. In collaboration with Care Coordinator, complete the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths assessment (CANS).
4. In collaboration with the Care Coordinator, complete the Strengths and Culture Discovery and Caregiver Strain questionnaire.
5. 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.
6. Teach the child/youth and caregiver how to identify and utilize their strengths in achieving the family’s goals.
7. Assist in facilitation of the family team meetings:

• Develop agenda with caregiver; lead the meeting with caregiver until the caregiver is ready to do so alone.
• Arrange for time and place of meeting.
• Ensure that family, team and other required paperwork are completed as instructed.
• Complete and disseminate service plan to team members with their tasks highlighted.
• Schedule subsequent family team meetings and provide members with date, time, and location.
• Partner with family/team members in identifying and overcoming barriers/service gaps.

8. 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.
9. Assist caregivers in creating their family team and individualized service plan.

10. Lead and 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.
11. Model effective coping techniques and advocacy skills.
12. 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.
13. Assist caregivers in meeting their child/youth’s needs through support, education, and guidance in school related meetings (504, Individual Education Plans, etc.) and the special education system.
14. Assist caregivers in identifying and connecting with services addressing substance abuse and co-occurring disorders as well as providing information and other resources.
15. Assist caregivers in learning how to access community resources and in making positive treatment choices for their child/youth and family.
16. Appropriately document activities provided to caregivers in either their individual records or program records.
17. Assist non-caregiver staff in identifying programs and environments that foster hope and resiliency and are family-driven and youth-guided in nature.
18. Collaborate with clinician/therapist to provide support during and following crisis.
19. Participate in team-based supervision.
20. Consistently treat consumers and co-workers with respect.
21. Ensure timely and appropriate documentation as required by agency.
22. Develop and maintain community and MHC inter-departmental relations through prompt follow-up with contacts.
23. Make customer service a priority with internal and external customers.
24. Maintain flexibility in the work place.

Other Responsibilities:

• Responsible for attending all mandatory in-services, continuing education and annual health requirements
• Comply with all Corporate Compliance policies, practices and procedures
• Report all unethical activities to supervisor, Corporate Compliance Office, Values Hotline number or Human Resource Director
• Comply with all OSHA and safety policies, practices, and procedures. Report all unsafe practices or accidents to supervisor, Safety Supervisor and/or OSHA Coordinator
• Will be compliant with the relevant regulations concerning the privacy and security of consumer’s protected health information (PHI) as established by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)
• Participate in proactive team efforts to achieve departmental and company goals
• Perform other duties as assigned
• Provide leadership to others through example and sharing of knowledge/skill
• Follow all policies and procedures set by the Agency

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• High School Diploma or General Education (GED) required.

• Must be the parent or designated primary caregiver of a child/youth with emotional, behavioral, mental health or co-occurring disorder with experience successfully navigating child-serving systems to access treatment/resources necessary to build resiliency and foster success in the home, school, and community.

• Must have 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.

• Must be able to acquire TDMHSAS Certification within one year of employment.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Valid Tennessee Driver’s License

• Acceptable Motor Vehicle Report (MVR)

• Acceptable Criminal Background Investigation

• Personal Automobile Insurance

BENEFITS: Mental Health Cooperative offers a full comprehensive benefit plan for you to participate in. The following products are available:

• Medical Insurance/Prescription Drug Coverage
• Health Savings Account
• Dental & Vision Insurance
• Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
• Short- & Long-Term Disability
• Supplemental Life Insurance
• Cancer & Accident Insurance
• Critical Illness Insurance
• 403b - Retirement Plan
• Calm App for medication and mental health
• Gym membership discounts
• Pet Insurance

Mental Health Cooperative embraces inclusion, diversity and equal opportunity. We're committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. Mental Health Cooperative is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected status