Family Support Advocate

Our Lady’s Inn Inc.; St. Louis, Northern (MO, KY); Hybrid; USD 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Our Lady’s Inn Inc. in St. Louis, MO is seeking a Family Support Advocate (FSA) to work with residential clients, providing general support and supervision during their stay and supporting with development activities for families.

The FSA will model healthy interaction, use trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, and de-escalation techniques as needed, and will hold clients accountable for policy adherence. Evening and weekend shifts are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Social Work with a minimum one-year experience in a social service field in a trauma-informed environment; or an Associate's Degree with continuing education.
• Minimum of three years’ experience in the social services field working directly with clients in a trauma-informed environment; knowledge of motivational interviewing and de-escalation techniques.
• Must have a valid driver’s license with current vehicle insurance; self-motivated and passionate about the agency’s pro-life mission.

Responsibilities

• Establishing and maintaining professional, therapeutic relationship with clients.
• Interacting with clients and staff using trauma informed care language and methods
• Helping to orient new clients to house procedures, programs, expectations, and responsibilities
• As necessary, conducting phone screening of potential clients using Shelter Call Form and making appropriate referrals if applicable.
• Working cooperatively as a team member with all staff.
• Maintaining open communication with supervisor and other staff members.
• Assisting clients in accomplishing her goals as may be as requested.
• Helping ensure the physical safety and security of the building by reporting concerns to COO and following safety protocols.
• Addressing in the moment client concerns or issues arising between clients.
• Records pertinent shift activities in logbook.
• Maintaining knowledge of and encouraging adherence to expectations in Handbook including curfew, smoking, cell phone use and mandatory meal attendance.
• Dispensing supplies to clients and recording such in logbook.
• Providing transportation in OLI vehicle for clients as may be needed.
• Records donations dropped off at the Inn following established procedure.
• Inspecting client completed household responsibilities to ensure completion in timely manner; and working with clients who need additional support in completing household responsibilities.
• Attending monthly all staff meetings.
• Providing input to program team regarding clients’ interactions, compliance with expectations and making recommendations for needed resources, supports or interventions.
• Working in collaboration with case managers to support clients in activities around goal achievement.
• Working in collaboration with Child Advocate to support child centered development group activities during established schedules.
• Ensuring policy and procedures related to client medication storage and observation is followed.
• Perform client drug screening as directed.
• Additional tasks and duties as assigned.

Skills

Trauma-informed care

Motivational interviewing

De-escalation techniques

Communication

Organization

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work

Associate's Degree in Social Work

Tools

Computer/database skills

Job description

Description

The Family Support Advocate (FSA) will work with residential clients to provide general support and supervision throughout their stay, as well as augmenting the work of the Client Advocates and Child Advocate by assisting with developmental and planned activities relating to the families. The FSA will model healthy interaction and communication styles to encourage positive interaction between clients and between each mother and her child(ren). The Family Support Advocate will interact with clients and staff following a trauma-informed care approach and when required, use motivational interviewing and de-escalation techniques when working with clients. The FSA must be comfortable holding clients accountable for their actions and adherence to policies and procedures. Must have a commitment to the agency’s pro-life mission.

Schedule: Evenings and Weekends

Requirements

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work (or related field) with a minimum one-year experience in the social service field working directly with clients in a trauma-informed environment; or an Associate's Degree in Social Work with continuing education.

Experience: Minimum of three years’ experience in the social services field working directly with clients in a trauma-informed environment. Detailed knowledge of and experience working within a trauma-informed care service delivery environment is required. Demonstrated practical experience in motivational interviewing and de-escalation techniques is also required. Experience working with clients having a substance use disorder is preferred.

Skills and Abilities: Excellent organizational, communication, and computer/database skills; detail-oriented; ability to work cooperatively as part of a team.

Other: Must have a valid driver’s license with current vehicle insurance. Must be self-motivated and passionate about the Agency’s pro-life mission.

Physical Requirements: Ability to climb and descend stairs; ability to lift and carry up to 20 pounds.

Essential Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Establishing and maintaining professional, therapeutic relationship with clients.
• Interacting with clients and staff using trauma informed care language and methods
• Helping to orient new clients to house procedures, programs, expectations, and responsibilities
• As necessary, conducting phone screening of potential clients using Shelter Call Form and making appropriate referrals if applicable.
• Working cooperatively as a team member with all staff.
• Maintaining open communication with supervisor and other staff members.
• Assisting clients in accomplishing her goals as may be as requested.
• Helping ensure the physical safety and security of the building by reporting concerns to COO and following safety protocols. Setting alarms at designated times.
• Addressing in the moment client concerns or issues arising between clients.
• Records pertinent shift activities in logbook.
• Maintaining knowledge of and encouraging adherence to expectations in Handbook including curfew, smoking, cell phone use and mandatory meal attendance.
• Dispensing supplies to clients and recording such in logbook.
• Providing transportation in OLI vehicle for clients as may be needed.
• Records donations dropped off at the Inn following established procedure.
• Inspecting client completed household responsibilities to ensure completion in timely manner; and working with clients who need additional support in completing household responsibilities.
• Attending monthly all staff meetings.
• Providing input to program team regarding clients’ interactions, compliance with expectations and making recommendations for needed resources, supports or interventions.
• Working in collaboration with case managers to support clients in activities around goal achievement.
• Working in collaboration with Child Advocate to support child centered development group activities during established schedules.
• Ensuring policy and procedures related to client medication storage and observation is followed.
• Perform client drug screening as directed.
• Additional tasks and duties as assigned.