Family Peer Advocate

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

Job Title: Family Peer Advocate

Department: Family Peer Support

The Family Peer Advocate is responsible for the delivery of direct services for the Family Support Program. The Family Peer Advocate provides an array of formal and informal services and supports to families caring for or raising a child who is experiencing social, emotional, developmental, medical, substance use, and/or behavioral challenges in their home, school, placement, and/or community. These services are intended to help the child remain successfully in the community and achieve the goals identified in the child or youth’s treatment plan.“Family” is defined as the primary caregiving unit and includes a wide diversity of family structures. Family may include birth, foster, adoptive, or self-created units of people residing together with significant attachment to the individual, consisting of adults and/or children, where adults perform duties of parenthood or caregiving even if the individual lives outside of the home.

New Directions’ Family Peer Support Program empowers caregivers through advocacy, education, support, and connection to community resources. Services help families navigate child-serving systems, build skills, strengthen natural supports, and improve outcomes for children and youth.

New Directions is an equal opportunity employer committed to championing the principles of anti-racism, justice, and equity. We welcome prospective employees from diverse cultures and backgrounds, for all positions, who will uphold our values and contribute to our mission. We aim to have a leadership and workforce that is reflective of the communities we work in partnership with.

• Starting Pay: $19.00 – $19.96 per hour during your first year
• Paid Time Off: 3 weeks PTO in the first year
• Holidays: 14 paid agency holidays
• Insurance: Access to medical, dental, and life insurance
• Retirement: 401K with up to 3% agency match

Full-Time Flexible Monday – Friday schedule, with some day and evening availability required

Amherst, NY

New Directions supports professional growth through credentialing opportunities, continuing education, supervision, training, and advancement pathways within the organization.

Individual Family Support

• Provide outreach and individual advocacy to parents and caregivers of youth with emotional and behavioral challenges.
• Utilize the Family Assessment of Needs and Strengths (FANS) to assess family strengths, needs, and goals.
• Connect families to services and supports while helping them navigate systems and overcome barriers to participation.
• Assist families in gathering and organizing documentation needed to access services.
• Support families during transitions such as placements, crises, and movement between service systems.
• Empower families to make informed decisions regarding supports and services.
• Provide leadership opportunities and parent skill development.
• Support families as they transition from services after achieving identified goals.

Group Family Support

• Coordinate and facilitate family support groups.
• Develop discussions and activities focused on parenting skills, self-advocacy, community resources, natural supports, and self-esteem.
• Identify and train parent facilitators and leaders.
• Support peer-led groups as they become self-sustaining.
• Coordinate guest speakers and skill-building opportunities based on family needs and FANS data.

Collaboration and Documentation

• Collaborate with service providers, community organizations, and support systems.
• Maintain timely and accurate documentation in the agency’s electronic record system.
• Ensure compliance with Medicaid billing and documentation requirements.
• Maintain records of group participation and activities.
• Conduct client satisfaction surveys and outcome monitoring activities.

Training and Agency Standards

• Complete Family Peer Advocate Core Training and FANS training requirements.
• Complete required continuing education and credential renewal requirements.
• Attend mandatory agency, OMH, and county trainings.
• Participate in regular supervision.
• Follow agency policies, procedures, normative culture, and the Family Peer Advocate Code of Ethics.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Ability to work effectively with families, youth, staff, and community partners from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to support children and families experiencing emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges.
• Strong communication, advocacy, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Flexibility and adaptability.
• Valid driver's license, adequate auto insurance, and compliance with agency driving policies.
• Ability to pass annual physical for Category 1 job classification.
• Compliance with agency safety standards and workplace expectations.

Qualifications

Experience

• Demonstrated lived experience as a parent or primary caregiver who has navigated multiple child-serving systems on behalf of a child with social, emotional, developmental, health, and/or behavioral healthcare needs.
• Ability to provide two letters of reference attesting to proficiency and suitability for the role.

Education

• High school diploma, high school equivalency preferred, or a State Education Commencement Credential (e.g., SACC or CDOS).
• Educational requirements may be waived by the State if the individual demonstrates sufficient competencies and relevant life experience.

Preferred

• Family Peer Advocate (FPA) Credential.

We want to emphasize that the preferred qualifications are not required and that we are committed to helping our future colleagues develop these preferred skills. We strongly encourage those who are passionate about fostering a diverse, inclusive and equitable human service organization to apply.