Family Partner (Peer Support)
Family Support OrganizationEast Orange, New Jersey
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Job Description
Benefits:
- Competitive salary
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Training & development
- Vision insurance
- Wellness resources
Reports to Peer Support Coordinator
SUMMARY:
The purpose of this position is to provide face-to-face peer support, education and advocacy to parents and caregivers of children involved in the New Jersey Children's System of Care.
Family Partners must be the primary caregiver or parent of a child/youth with emotional, behavioral, mental health, substance use, intellectual and developmental challenges and have demonstrated their ability to advocate on the child's behalf.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Build and maintain supportive relationships with caregivers assigned by referral through the Children's System of Care. Provide support, education and advocacy to address family's needs.
Conduct Family Assessment of Strengths and Needs at intervals and create a plan of action with caregivers to address their identified needs.
Educate caregivers on the roles of members of the Child Family Team within Children's System of Care. Help caregivers to build a team that includes natural supports.
Assist and encourage families with expressing their needs at meetings, such as Child Family Team meetings, court hearings, and Child Study Team meetings.
Educate caregivers and their families on the Wraparound values and principles and assist in the identification of natural supports who can serve on their Child Family Team.
Document each caregiver encounter in the agency's defined system of record.
Attend training at least 4 times per calendar year on topics related to job specific activities upon approval. Achieve and maintain successful Family Partner certification/re-certification qualifications within the designated time frames.
QUALIFICATIONS:
SUMMARY:
The purpose of this position is to provide face-to-face peer support, education and advocacy to parents and caregivers of children involved in the New Jersey Children's System of Care.
Family Partners must be the primary caregiver or parent of a child/youth with emotional, behavioral, mental health, substance use, intellectual and developmental challenges and have demonstrated their ability to advocate on the child's behalf.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Build and maintain supportive relationships with caregivers assigned by referral through the Children's System of Care. Provide support, education and advocacy to address family's needs.
Conduct Family Assessment of Strengths and Needs at intervals and create a plan of action with caregivers to address their identified needs.
Educate caregivers on the roles of members of the Child Family Team within Children's System of Care. Help caregivers to build a team that includes natural supports.
Assist and encourage families with expressing their needs at meetings, such as Child Family Team meetings, court hearings, and Child Study Team meetings.
Educate caregivers and their families on the Wraparound values and principles and assist in the identification of natural supports who can serve on their Child Family Team.
Document each caregiver encounter in the agency's defined system of record.
Attend training at least 4 times per calendar year on topics related to job specific activities upon approval. Achieve and maintain successful Family Partner certification/re-certification qualifications within the designated time frames.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Bilingual a plus - Spanish, Portuguese and French Creole.
A family partner is, or has been, the parent or primary caregiver of a child with emotional, behavioral, mental health, substance use, intellectual and developmental challenges who has successfully navigated a child serving system on behalf of the child.
Must have excellent oral and written communication skills.
Must be able to express ideas clearly and be able to explain concepts to others with a command of oral and written English language.
Must demonstrate the ability to cooperate with strong decision making skills and the ability to work for and with others.
Must be able to respond with a sense of urgency to accomplish tasks with attention to detail.
Must be able to identify oneself in a professional manner in all situations.
Must be able to identify problems/issues and to creatively solve them.
Must be proficient computer skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and Outlook).
Must have a valid NJ Driver's license and a reliable vehicle with insurance.
Must be able to do home visits throughout Essex County, NJ
Must have excellent oral and written communication skills.
Must be able to express ideas clearly and be able to explain concepts to others with a command of oral and written English language.
Must demonstrate the ability to cooperate with strong decision making skills and the ability to work for and with others.
Must be able to respond with a sense of urgency to accomplish tasks with attention to detail.
Must be able to identify oneself in a professional manner in all situations.
Must be able to identify problems/issues and to creatively solve them.
Must be proficient computer skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and Outlook).
Must have a valid NJ Driver's license and a reliable vehicle with insurance.
Must be able to do home visits throughout Essex County, NJ
Compensation: $22.00 per hour
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Who We Are
Family Support Organization of Essex County is a family-centered, family-driven nonprofit organization that provides peer support, education and advocacy for parents of children who have emotional, behavioral, mental health, substance use, intellectual and developmental challenges.
Our goal is to empower parents and caregivers to take control of their lives by building on their strengths and supporting them as needed. We work with other agencies to strengthen families in order to keep youth and healthy in their homes and communities
Our goal is to empower parents and caregivers to take control of their lives by building on their strengths and supporting them as needed. We work with other agencies to strengthen families in order to keep youth and healthy in their homes and communities
What We Do
The word “SEA” is an easy way to remember our commitment to families.
- Support families in identifying their strengths and building on them to address their needs and goals. Our staff assists families at critical times such as when a child is newly diagnosed, accessing services, involved in treatment planning with service providers, meeting with the child-family team, or with the child-study team.
- Educate parents/caregivers of their rights, responsibilities and resources that may be available to assist them to reach their family goals. Monthly educational sessions are also offered on a variety of relevant topics.
- Advocate on behalf of the family to ensure that their needs, rights and preferences are heard and honored to the maximum extent possible. Family Support Organization of Essex County ’s board and parent leaders also advocate for improvements in the various systems that serve children and families with complex needs.
Family Support Organization of Essex County direct 1:1 peer support is provided through an assigned Family Partner. This service is voluntary and is available to parents whose children are receiving care management services through Partnership for Children of Essex.
A Family Partner is a parent / caregiver who is a formal member of the child and family team for youth receiving care management services through Partnership for Children of Essex. The Family Partner’s role is to support the family, help them engage and actively participate on the team, and make informed decisions that drive the care planning process.
Family Partners have a strong connection to the community and are very knowledgeable about resources, services, and supports for families. The Family Partner’s personal experience raising a child with emotional, behavioral, or mental health needs or intellectual/ developmental disabilities is critical to earning the respect of families and establishing a trusting relationship with parents.
The Family Partner can be a mediator, facilitator, or bridge between families and agencies, while supporting parents to find and use their own voices. Family Partners ensure each family is heard and their individual needs are being addressed. Family Partners may also communicate and educate agency staff on the values and principles of family involvement in systems of care, the importance of family voice and choice, and other key aspects of the family movement.
Automate your job search with Sonara.
Submit 10x as many applications with less effort than one manual application.