Certified Family Partner

COLLIN COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH RETARDATION CENTER • Plano, TX

2d • $16 - $0 • Hybrid

About The Position

A Family Partner is an experienced, trained primary caregiver to an individual with mental illness or serious emotional disturbance who provides peer mentoring, education, and support to the caregivers of a child who is receiving mental health community services. Family Partners are not clinicians, but work alongside, complement, and enhance the work of the clinical team. By drawing on their own lived experience navigating behavioral health systems can inspire hope and model relationships built on respect, trust and validation. By sharing their own lived experiences, family partners help caregivers by providing education and emotional support. Walking alongside the family on their journey, the family partner is an ally and advocate for caregivers of children with mental health concerns. This mutuality, often called “peerness” promotes connection, builds rapport, and inspires hope. Services provided by family partner to include: introducing the family to the treatment process; modeling self-advocacy skills; providing information; making referrals; providing clinical and non-clinical services based on credential; and assisting the identification of natural/non-traditional and community supports. Family partner services are strongly recommended to help address treatment barriers and engage families in services in every level of care. Family partner will collaborate with the team to ensure that services and agency culture are trauma informed, culturally and linguistically competent, and person driven. This position will be home, office, and community based. Will require travel within Collin County for service delivery. Individuals may be expected to travel out of town for a week to attain Certified Family Partner credential, if needed. Some travel will require use of personal vehicle.

Requirements

• Must have either 1) a High School Diploma; OR 2) a High School Equivalency Certificate (GED) issued in accordance with the law of the issuing state.
• Must be a parent or legally authorized representative (LAR) who has at least one year of experience raising a child or adolescent with an emotional or mental health issue.
• Must have at least one year of experience successfully navigating a child-serving system (i.e. mental health, juvenile justice, social security and/or special education system).
• Knowledge, experience, and proficiency in using standard Microsoft Office programs and systems databases.
• Strong professional verbal and written communication skills and the ability to empathize with, relate to and effectively partner with families and treatment team.
• Must have a willingness to disclose their lived experience, where appropriate, for the purpose of empowerment.
• Must have reliable transportation and a valid driver’s license.
• Knowledge of mental health disorders and recovery concepts.
• Must be willing to attend Certified Family Partner training and other meetings and trainings as needed.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in a human services related field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Introducing the family to the treatment process
• Modeling self-advocacy skills
• Providing information
• Making referrals
• Providing clinical and non-clinical services based on credential
• Assisting the identification of natural/non-traditional and community supports
• Collaborate with the team to ensure that services and agency culture are trauma informed, culturally and linguistically competent, and person driven.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED