Family Advocate & Engagement Specialist

Gaudenzia, Inc.•Baltimore, MD

14d•Onsite

About The Position

We need hope-bringers and changemakers - because the work we all do matters. Join a team that shows up for each other as much as we show up for our clients. At Gaudenzia, your purpose fuels progress - for yourself and others. Gaudenzia's Mission: Gaudenzia's Mission is to promote long-term recovery by providing comprehensive treatment and support to people with substance use disorder, co-occurring mental health disorders, and related conditions, regardless of individual circumstances. This position will support Gaudenzia’s expanded comprehensive, dedicated 24-hour, Outpatient, Urgent Care, CCBHC Clinic in Baltimore City, by providing a continuum of prevention and direct crisis services to adolescent, adults, homeless populations, and/or individuals/families living with Behavioral Health and/or Substance Use Disorder needs. This individual will partner with families experiencing to support them by building skills to heal from trauma, restore hope, through a trauma informed, empathetic approach that supports collaborative and non-clinical interventions that are delivered for family empowerment across the CCBHC walk-in clinic. This work is accomplished through interrelated departments. This individual will have lived experience as a family member of an individual with behavioral health challenges and is personally familiar with the associated challenges and available community resources. This position is responsible for outreach and engagement with families and natural support of CCBHC clients, providing clients with individual and group support to help promote the client’s recovery and access to care. The Family Advocate Engagement Specialist will perform case management and development of individual or family service plans with goals, objectives, and activities to meet individual client needs. This position will train clients and families in family engagement best practices. You will work within the community and with families, acting as an advocate for families, developing trusting relationships and ensuring that support services are available to meet individual and family goals. You will work on an individualized basis to identify goals, strengths, and necessary services and ensure clients have opportunities to enhance their skills and knowledge that aid in recovery. You will be responsible for community partnerships, service coordination as well as reporting. You’ll contribute to the success of our clients and the community we serve by working with clients and their families who are economically disadvantaged and help them prepare for success. The Family Advocate Engagement Specialist will lead all efforts to develop opportunities for and perform comprehensive evaluations of the strengths and skills of each client. Establishing sustainability is key to the success of this position by servicing all clients who need assistance, educating the community at large on prevention in our community and providing resources and training to those in which we serve. The responsibilities of the Family Advocate/Engagement Specialist will be reviewed and monitored by the Program Director.

Requirements

High School Diploma or equivalent.
Lived experience as a family member of an individual with Behavioral Health needs.
Ability to serve as an advocate for those served by the CCBHC.
Sensitivity to and experience with the issues affecting addicts with a criminal justice background.
At least one (1) year experience working in an outpatient Behavioral Health setting.

Nice To Haves

Baltimore resident preferred.
Bilingual is a plus.
Flexible hours with one evening a week and occasional Saturdays

Responsibilities

Provide advocacy, crisis support, and case management services to clients as they navigate the stress of the crisis treatment continuum
Foster effective parent-professional partnerships and promote the practice of family-driven and youth-guided approaches
Support and assist families in identifying coping strategies and parenting skills which could strengthen and assist with modeling these skills to the families
Carry out the family support portion, independently performing a variety of complex assignments involving identifying family needs and parenting skills which could be strengthened to model these skills to fit the families needs
Assist in developing, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive community engagement program that delivers quality and diverse programming opportunities
Deliver interventions and activities that meet needs, build on strengths, and achieve outcomes
Maintain consistent, ongoing communication with the client’s multidisciplinary treatment team
Actively participate in team meetings, care conferences, rounds and other forums designed to facilitate the delivery of effective and efficient patient and family care and make regular monthly contact with clients
Assist caregivers in all aspects of implementing services for children and families in care or at risk of coming into care during service implementation processes, when needed
Develop positive relationships with parent's that support their strengths and address areas of weakness through coaching, role modeling, skill building, engagement, self-advocacy, self-efficiency, empowerment direct communication, teaching and advocacy
Provide outreach services to families of children in care and share essential information about children and their families with care managers and caregivers
Assist in providing for, arranging, or coordinating services required by children and their families
Prepare and maintain records, data, forms, and documents pertinent to these job responsibilities
Develop a working knowledge of and support parents in Juvenile Court System processes as needed and/or required.
Educate clients about maintaining self-awareness, self-help techniques, symptom management. Clarify next steps within the triage, treatment, or discharge process
Serve as a liaison between families, schools, and community agencies through strengths-based, and individualized support
Assist Other duties as assigned by the Program Director