Family Support Specialist- Foster Care Hartford

The Youth Counselor; Hartford (CT); On-site; USD 43,888 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health coverage

Generous paid time off

Employer matched retirement savings

Tuition assistance and Loan Forgiveness Program

Job summary

The Youth Counselor is hiring a Family Support Specialist in Hartford, Connecticut. This role is critical in providing case management and support services to children and families, ensuring effective mental health care and connection to community resources.

The ideal candidate should have a BA in social work or related field, with two years of experience in a human services agency preferred. Benefits include comprehensive health coverage and tuition assistance programs.

Qualifications

• Two years experience in a human services agency preferred.
• Experience providing in-home services and coordinating complex family systems.
• Coursework or training in child development and trauma preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provides direct services and assessments to children and families.
• Develops and implements treatment plans.
• Completes clinical documentation and agency reports.

Skills

Excellent oral and written communication

Experience in case management

Cultural competency

Flexibility and multi-tasking

Ability to work independently

Education

BA in social work, sociology, psychology or comparable human service program

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Family Support Specialist- Foster Care Hartford

The Village was one of the first agencies in the country to provide homes for neglected children. Today, we continue to achieve our mission “to build a community of strong, healthy families who protect and nurture children” by providing a full range of behavioral health, early childhood and youth development, substance use treatment and support services for children, adults and families in the Greater Hartford, Connecticut region.

Named a Connecticut Top Workplace for six consecutive years with national distinction for workplace culture and diversity, equity and inclusion practices, you can be sure you’re joining an organization that’s just as committed to your success as we are to those we serve.

Salary ranges $43,888-$45,000

It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role. Actual placement within range will be contingent upon a number of factors, including but not limited to the candidate's qualifications, education, experience, internal equity and alignment with market data.

The FFT-FC Family Support Specialist works in close collaboration providing home visiting services with a clinician. They will be trained in the Functional Family Therapy-Foster Care evidence based treatment model and adhere to the model requirements. Documentation will be completed according to model requirements and implemented into the electronic database systems. They will participate in individual supervision and submit video tapes for FFT consultation and certification. The FSS will identify and refer children and families (both birth and foster) to community-based resources, as well as provide supervised visitation to birth families.

JOB SUMMARY

The Family Support Specialist is responsible for provision of case management, support services, mental health services to children and families, or community programs, in coordination with other agency and community services and documentation of services as required by program policies and funding sources. Provides service in the office, home or host setting, to meet the unique needs of families served.

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 during the course of treatment
  • Discharge planning, which may include plans for follow‑up treatment 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 other documentation and reports required by agency and program policies and funding sources, accurately and timely.
• Develops and maintains collaborative relationships with other community agencies and organizations, in order to provide comprehensive and effective treatment services for clients (i.e., schools, courts, hospitals, etc.).
• Works as a team member with other clinical and administrative staff to respond to client and programmatic needs.
• Contributes to agency organizational life by participating in agency wide task forces, committees or problem solving teams as appropriate.
• Contributes to agency visibility and development of community linkages by representing The Village in community groups or committees as assigned by supervisor.

Experience and Skills

BA in social work, sociology, psychology or comparable human service program.

EXPERIENCE

• Two years experience in a comparable position in a human services agency preferred.
• Excellent oral and written skills and ability to communicate comfortably with children, parents, and school personnel.
• Experience providing in‑home services, case management, coordinating systems of care, and working with complex family systems strongly preferred.
• Coursework or training in child development and trauma preferred.
• Organized and able to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Flexible and able to multi‑task.
• Cultural competency to serve targeted populations.
• May be required to maintain valid driver’s license and ability to drive or otherwise obtain transportation to provide services throughout the service area.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office and spreadsheet applications. Possess solid general computer skills. Familiarity with specific applications used by The Village a plus.

Our benefits package supports your whole life with comprehensive health coverage, generous paid time off, and employer matched retirement savings. We also invest in your growth through tuition assistance (Loan Forgiveness Program – NHSC, tuition reimbursement and Student Loan Repayment).