Family Support Specialist- Community Support for Families

The Youth Counselor; Hartford (CT); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

Paid time off

Employer matched retirement savings

Tuition assistance

Loan Forgiveness Program

Tuition reimbursement

Student loan repayment

Job summary

The Village in Hartford is seeking a Family Support Specialist for Community Support for Families. You will provide direct services to children and families, conduct assessments, and develop and monitor treatment plans and referrals within a collaborative team.

Ideal candidates hold a BA in a related field or an Associate's with relevant experience, and bring strong communication, organizational, and cultural competency skills to serve diverse urban families.

Qualifications

• BA in social work, sociology, psychology or related field.
• Associate's degree plus 2 years of relevant experience acceptable in lieu of BA.
• Excellent oral and written communication; ability to engage with children and families.

Responsibilities

• Provides direct services to children and their families which may include.
• Conducts comprehensive assessments and engagement.
• Develops treatment plans and contracts for services.
• Implements treatment plans and modifies it as appropriate during the course of treatment.
• Discharge planning, including follow-up treatment and connection to community services.
• Provides case management services.
• Works with community groups in collaborative ventures.
• Completes clinical documentation and reports accurately and timely.
• Develops and maintains collaborative relationships with schools, courts, hospitals, etc.
• Works as a team member with other clinical and administrative staff.
• Contributes to agency task forces and community linkages.

Skills

Oral communication

Written communication

Organizational skills

Multi-tasking

Cultural competency

Education

Bachelor's degree in social work, sociology, psychology

Associate's degree + 2 years experience acceptable

Tools

Microsoft Office

Documentation systems

Job description

Family Support Specialist- Community Support for Families

The Village was one of the first agencies in the country to providehomes for neglected children. Today, we continue to fulfill ourmission of building a community of strong, healthy familieswho protect and nurture children by providing acomprehensive range of behavioral health, early childhood development,youth services, substance use treatment, and family support programsthroughout the Greater Hartford region.

Named a Connecticut Top Workplace for seven consecutiveyears, with national recognition for workplace culture anddiversity, equity, and inclusion, The Village is committed tosupporting both the communities we serve and the employees who makeour mission possible.

JOB SUMMARY _ COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES

Community Support for Families (CSF) is a voluntary, family-drivenprogram designed to assist families in strengthening natural andcommunity support systems to maintain safe and healthy homeenvironments. Families are referred by the Department of Children andFamilies (DCF) or through probate court, and CSF staff connect them toconcrete, traditional and non-traditional, resources and services intheir community. Family Support Specialist staff assume casemanagement responsibilities, facilitate Family Team Meetings,administer assessments and surveys, and offer services that build uponprotective factors of the family. The goal is to assist the family indeveloping solutions, identifying community resources and supportsbased on the families’ needs and strengths, and to promote permanentconnections for the family with an array of support and resources. Atits core, CSF’s primary purpose is to prevent re-referral to DCF andto support families in remaining intact.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides direct services to children and their families which may include:
• Conducts comprehensive assessments and engagement
• Develops treatment plans and contracts for services
• Implements treatment plans, modifying it as appropriate duringthe course of treatment
• Discharge planning, which may include plans for follow uptreatment and connection to community services and programs
• Provides case management services
• Works with community groups in collaborative ventures
• Completes clinical documentation and reports, as well as any otherdocumentation and reports required by agency and program policiesand funding sources, accurately and timely.
• Develops and maintains collaborative relationships with othercommunity agencies and organizations, in order to providecomprehensive and effective treatment services for clients (i.e.,schools, courts, hospitals, etc.).
• Works as a team member with other clinical and administrativestaff to respond to client and programmatic needs.
• Contributes to agency organizational life by participating inagency wide task forces, committees or problem solving teams as appropriate.
• Contributes to agency visibility and development of communitylinkages by representing The Village in community groups orcommittees, as assigned by supervisor.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Experience and Skills

EDUCATION

BA in social work, sociology, psychology or comparable human serviceprogram. An Associate's degree plus 2 years of relevant experience canbe accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree.

EXPERIENCE

• 2-3 years’ experience in a comparable position in a human servicesagency preferred but not required.
• Excellent oral and written skills and ability to communicatecomfortably with children, parents, and school personnel.
• Organized and able to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Flexible and able to multi-task.
• Cultural competency to serve targeted populations.
• Experience working with inner-city children.
• Commitment to Results/Performance Based Accountability.
• May be required to maintain valid driver’s license and ability todrive or otherwise obtain transportation to provide servicesthroughout the service area.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office and spreadsheet applications.Possess solid general computer skills. Familiarity with specificapplications used by The Village a plus.

Our benefits package supports your whole life with comprehensivehealth coverage, generous paid time off, and employer matchedretirement savings. We also invest in your growth through tuitionassistance (Loan Forgiveness Program – NHSC, tuition reimbursementand Student Loan Repayment). https://thevillage.org/careers/our-benefits/