Description

This is a non-exempt, hourly position. Based on a full-time schedule of 40 hours per week, annualized earnings are approximately $36,290 per year. Actual earnings may vary depending on hours worked and are subject to applicable payroll deductions.

This position provides services and support to individuals residing in Wilkes and Yadkin Counties. Regular travel within the service area may be required to effectively fulfill job responsibilities.

Summary:

The Family Support Specialist (FSS) will provide assessments for intensive home visitation services to overburdened expectant parents and parents of newborns in an effort to help them reduce stress factors that could potentially lead to child abuse and neglect and to increase protective factors within the family to promote healthy childhood outcomes. The FSS will provide services to families enrolling prenatally or at the time of birth up to five years. In addition, the FSS will lead community outreach efforts to keep local providers and community members informed about the YVHF program and drive referrals.  

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Specific duties and responsibilities

Service Provision

Responsible for providing in-home assessments to families struggling with a myriad of issues including problems such as depression, domestic violence, mental health issues, etc. The FSS will work regular hours but will be flexible with referred families in scheduling assessments during those times that are convenient for them. 

Responsible for initiating and enrolling during the prenatal period or before the baby’s third month of infancy. Through the development of a supportive, trusting relationship with each family served, the FSS is responsible for delivering family-centered and strength-based services.  

Assess whether families are receiving needed health care services (i.e., mothers receive regular prenatal care and attend their postpartum check-up in a timely manner, that they are consistently using an effective contraceptive, and to ensure that infants/children regularly attend well-checks and remain up to date on immunizations.) 

The FSS is expected to provide follow-up information to referral agents and maintain contact with community referral sources.

Program Operations

Attend training upon being hired and throughout employment to develop professional skills. Additionally, the FSS will meet with the supervisor minimally once weekly for at least 60 minutes for case management and participate in bimonthly staff meetings

Plan and execute quarterly group workshops on parenting for families enrolled in YVHF and, periodically, for the broader community. 

Communicate regularly with the YVHF Advisory Committee. Schedule and Lead quarterly meetings with Advisory Committee.  

Send out Staff, Parent, and Community Satisfaction Surveys annually and compile de-identified responses to be included with the Annual Review of Cultural Competency.

Documentation

Document all assessments and services

Determine and document families’ consent or refusal of CVHF services.

Track outcome measures used to measure the program's effectiveness

Supervision responsibilities

None

Cultural Awareness

Staff understands the impact of his/her personal belief system on delivery of services and appropriately adjusts personal performance to ensure cultural sensitivity in interactions with others.

How will competency be evaluated? 

Completion of agency Cultural Competency training with an evaluation score of 80% or better at end of pre-service and annually.

All employees have the following expectations:

Mission: Contribute to and enhance company mission

Organization: Prioritize and plan work responsibilities appropriately

Professional Development: Attend and/or successfully complete all required trainings and meetings

Timeliness and Accuracy: Perform quality work within given deadlines and expectations with or without direct supervision

Professionalism: Comply with all applicable policies, practices, and procedures; report all out-of-compliance and unsafe activities to supervisor; interact professionally with other employees, volunteers, families, children, and the community

Teamwork: Serve effectively as a team contributor on all assignments

Communication: Utilize effective communication skills both verbally and in writing; provide effective feedback and is receptive to feedback

Leadership: Work independently while understanding the necessity for communicating and coordinating work efforts with other appropriate individuals

Cultural Competence: Is sensitive to the cultural, ethnic and religious views of the children and families served, and in community and public contact.

Children’s Hope Alliance is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Requirements

Education and Experience Requirements

Minimum of a high school diploma and knowledge of infant and child development required.

Preference given to individuals with Infant, Toddler and Family Specialist Certification and/or bilingual abilities.

Must have experience and/or knowledge of parenting and child development.

Must have the ability to convey information to families, professional clinicians, and community agencies.

Must be able to work with a variety of individuals and professionals representing various disciplines related to the client’s specific needs and embrace the concepts of family-centered and strength-based services.

Must have basic computer and math skills.

Must be culturally sensitive to children and families and support cultural diversity throughout the program.

Requires effective communication, decision making, interpersonal, leadership and professionalism skills and abilities.

Must have a valid North Carolina’s Driver’s license. 

Must submit to and pass pre-employment drug screening, criminal, HCPR and driving checks.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, use hands and fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls, talk, and hear. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands or arms, stand, walk, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. 

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.  

Specifics vision abilities required by this position include close, distance, color, and peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Physical functions which are considered essential to the satisfactory performance of the job include the following: reading, typing, writing, speaking, and using the telephone and prolonged sitting at a desk and working on a computer.  

Employee must be able to operate a vehicle for job duties, and keep a valid NC drivers license with insurance.

The work environment will contain slight to moderate office-related noises. The employee is not exposed to extreme weather conditions, toxic fumes, or airborne particles. 

The employee must occasionally travel to different locations in the course of work.