Family Support Specialist

Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation; Smith River (CA); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation is seeking a Family Support Specialist to provide comprehensive case management and supportive services to eligible families with children aged 0-5. The role emphasizes collaboration with the program coordinator, intake and ongoing assessments, and connecting families to vital services.

You will help families establish goals, utilize community resources, and maintain confidentiality while honoring diverse family structures and traditional values.

Qualifications

• AA degree in related field or equivalent experience.
• High school diploma or GED + 4 years relevant experience.
• 2 years of social services work experience.

Responsibilities

• Carries a varied caseload including ICWA, Tribal Court, and other cases.
• Assists in developing family case plans/goals and identifies community resources.
• Maintain strict client/participant confidentiality.
• Collaborates with community partners, tribal staff, and other local partners for joint case management.
• Utilizes assessment tools associated with the evidence-based program.
• Implements curriculum and tailors it to each family.
• Conducts home visits weekly and creates a developmentally supportive home environment.
• Refer families to health, nutrition, social services, mental health and other resources.

Skills

Problem solving

Interpersonal skills

Customer service

Education

Associate's degree

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Job Opportunities

Thank you for your interest in employment with Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation. We employ a broad range of qualified applicants with experience for positions at our different locations.

Preference in filling vacancies is given to qualified American Indian and Alaska Native candidates in accordance with the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 (Title 25, USC, Section 472). If you are claiming Indian Preference, you must submit your Tribal documentation with your application.

Education and Experience

• Associate's degree equivalent to four (4) years of experience
• Bachelor's degree equivalent to eight (8) years of experience

The Family Support Specialist position will work closely with the program coordinator to provide a wide range of case management and supportive services to eligible families with children 0-5 years of age. This position is responsible for initiating and maintaining regular and long-term (up to three or five years) contact and support with families. The Family Support Specialist is responsible for completing the intake assessment and continuing periodic assessments as required to identify family strengths and interventions to strengthen protective factors that promote resilience. The incumbent must have good communication and writing skills and be knowledgeable of community and tribal resources to offer referrals to the appropriate community-based agencies, depending on the family’s needs. The Family Support Specialist partners with families and honors diverse family structures and parenting practices. Activities also include but are not limited to administering the evidence-based program model, administering screening tools and family assessments, and identifying and referring families for other supportive services, including health care services. The Family Support Specialist will also be responsible for assisting the family in establishing goals and supporting them throughout this process.

All Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation employees must submit to a background check and abide by all Tribal, federal, and state laws. All employees must comply with Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation drug free workplace policy and will be subject to pre-employment, random, for-cause, and post-accident drug and alcohol testing. Qualified American Indian Preference applies.

Essential DutiesandResponsibilities:

• Carries a varied caseload that may include ICWA, Tribal Court, and other types of cases.
• Assists in the development of family case plans/goals and identifying community resources to meet the unique needs of each family.
• Maintain strict client/participant confidentiality.
• Actively collaborates with community partners, tribal staff, and other local partners for joint case management for families.
• Uses a variety of available assessment tools associated with the evidence-based program.
• Must be able to implement curriculum and individualize for each family.
• Make home visits that last at least one hour on a weekly basis. Create a warm, accepting, and developmentally appropriate environment, which encourages the cognitive, physical, emotional, and social development of the child and family in a home setting.
• Refer families with health, nutrition, social services, mental health, and special needs concerns to local resources and assist families with applying for and accessing available resources.
• Provide at least two socialization activities for participating families each year.
• Maintain documentation of activities in accordance with funding agency requirements.
• Prepare monthly reports for the department and implement feedback received per these communications.
• Assist in the planning and execution of cultural activities for families and at-risk youth.
• Ability to recognize the need for professional intervention and to be non-judgmental.
• Knowledge of child development, family dynamics, family problems, stresses of parenting, substance abuse, and domestic violence. Understanding of family dysfunction and ability to intervene successfully to improve family functioning.
• Other duties may be assigned.

All Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation employees are expected to consistently demonstrate the organization’s values: integrity, cultural sensitivity and respect for traditional values, continual learning and improving, compassion, teamwork and pride. Employees are expected to demonstrate integrity, professionalism, accountability, cooperation with and consideration of others.

Required Knowledge:

All Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation employees are expected to have general knowledge of typical office technologies such as computers, printers, copiers, fax machines, and typical office software.

Job Specific knowledge is listed below:

Knowledge of the history, culture and organization history of the Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation and the Tolowa people.

Knowledge of community organizations and the social problems calling for the use of public and private community resources.

Knowledge of the Indian community, its organization, and needs.

Lived experience with the process of recovery from a mental illness or substance use disorder, either as a consumer of these services or as the parent, caregiver or family member of a consumer.

Required Skills and Abilities:

All Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation employees are expected to have a broad range of skills and abilities centered around a strong citizen focus, efficient performance, and teamwork. All employees should have customer service skills, interpersonal skills and good communication skills. All employees should have the ability to manage their time and organize their work to ensure efficient performance. In addition, all employees should have the ability to follow policy, procedure and instructions, actively communicate with their supervisors to ensure understanding and manage their work accordingly. Finally, all employees should have the ability to understand and manage citizen confidentiality.

Job specific skills and abilities are listed below:

Problem solving and critical thinking skills

Interpersonal skills and teamwork.

• AA degree in related field

Or

• High school diploma or equivalent (GED) plus 4 years job related experience

And

• 2 years of social services work experience.
• Valid state issued driver’s license and/or the ability to obtain a California or Oregon driver’s license. Must be insurable on the Nation's insurance policy.

Physical Requirements:

• Use hands and arms to operate office or field equipment.
• Sit more than half the workday.
• Stand and/or walk less than half the workday.
• Bend, stretch, twist, crouch and/or reach
• View electronic monitors for prolonged periods of time.
• Use hands and arm for repetitive motion tasks consistently for more than one hour at a time.
• Lift or carry unaided less than 50 pounds.
• Push or pull using up to moderate force.
• See and hear with normal acuity.

Working Conditions:

• Work is conducted in a standard office environment
• Moderate travel is required (up to 50% of the time)
• Work is sometimes in confined spaces and in areas of high noise and/or high/low temperatures
• Work activities will include non-traditional hours such as evening, weekends, and occasional out of town travel.