FAMILY SUPPORT SPECIALIST (50075663)

Job Role Summary

This position is responsible for working with and supporting families identified as being at risk.  Perform intensive home visitation services that focus on promoting positive parent/child interaction, bonding and attachment, and healthy child development.  Educate parents on child development.  Design and implement activities with parents to promote healthy childhood growth and development.  Systematically assess the ongoing needs of families and refer to appropriate community resources.  Document all interactions with families in a centralized database.

Associated Job Duties

Home Visiting

• Complete outreach activities (phone calls, drop-by visits, etc.) as directed by program policy and/or supervisor to engage families in the home visiting process.
• Travel to various families’ homes, as well as other community locations, to complete home visits.
• Plan home visit activities, including implementing strategies to support Family Service Plans,  developing and supporting Family Goal Plans, utilizing curricula to provide parent education, and completing required tools.
• Complete screenings and evaluations, including Family Goal Plans, developmental screenings, depression screenings, and other required tools, according to program policy.
• Provide appropriate number of home visits to families at various service levels (75% or more of all visits required must be completed).
• Provide necessary referrals to families and follow up on progress.
• Check health insurance status and make referrals to assist families in obtaining access to medical care.
• Be flexible in scheduling, as needed between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Data Entry

• Track and document all outreach activities, send letters to families, complete mileage forms.
• Document family interactions in the statewide database within designated time frames per program policy.
• Complete filing in a timely manner.
• Track well-child visits and record immunizations for focus child.

Associated Job Duties Cont'd

Judgment

• Maintain families’ confidentiality.
• Report accurate and reliable family and job-related information to supervisor.
• Assist appropriately in crisis situations, i.e., locating housing, shelters, food, clothing, etc.
• Work independently to provide quality customer service and maintain integrity in all client interactions.
• File child abuse and neglect (CAN) reports when required.
• Utilize interpreters to provide services to non-English speaking families.
• Demonstrate ability to be non-judgmental and accepting of individual differences.
• Follow program’s values (HIPEER) in all interactions with families and colleagues.

Skill Building and Team Support

• Attend all assigned staff meetings, group activities, and Healthy Families training.

Public Health Duties

• Participate in public health emergency preparedness exercises and in response to public health emergencies, as directed.
• Participate in a minimum of two H.O.P.E. health fair events totaling a minimum of eight (8) hours annually.  These events may occur on weekends.
• Protect and maintain confidentiality of each family’s and employee's medical and personal information which may be obtained in the course of provision of care or employment.
• Job duties may require individual to remove confidential information from work place setting to another site in order to provide service.  If the information is removed, it must be protected and secured as if the employee were at the office.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, sociology, child development, family studies or related field preferred; high school diploma or equivalent required.
• 1+ years of previous work with families and children (0-3 years of age) preferred; at least some previous work with families and children required.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Must have experience with and/or willingness to work with the culturally diverse populations present among the program’s target population.
• Must have knowledge of infant and child development.
• Must be proficient with technology.

Working Environment

• Unconfined sitting, working at computer, attending meetings, etc.; standing and walking; steady use of hands and fingers – data entry; limited lifting and carrying.
• May be exposed to substandard and unsanitary living conditions.
• May be exposed to allergens of all types (i.e. pets, dust, smoke, etc.).
• Must have valid Indiana Driver’s License, access to reliable vehicle, current automobile insurance.