Family Advocate

The Jewish Board•Staten Island, NY

About The Position

The Youth ACT Family Advocate is part of a multidisciplinary team providing treatment and support services to families and children ages 10 through 21 with significant behavioral health needs who are at risk of entering, or returning home from, high-end care. Youth Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) focuses on improving significant functional impairments and severe symptoms associated with mental illness or serious emotional disturbance. Clinical and rehabilitative interventions also aim to enhance family functioning, health, stability, and youth reintegration after residential treatment or inpatient hospitalization. Services are family-driven, youth-guided, developmentally appropriate, and address needs across family, school, medical, behavioral, psychosocial, and community domains. The role provides advocacy, education, family and parent skill development, coping strategies, and support in identifying goals and community resources. Services may be delivered in a family’s or youth’s home, in the community, or in an office. Most work takes place in the community, with frequent travel throughout an assigned borough and occasional travel elsewhere in New York City.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalency.
Specialty credentialing in advocacy, which may be obtained during the probationary period.
Lived experience parenting a child or adolescent with a serious emotional disturbance and/or lived experience of mental health challenges.
Ability to work with diverse social, cultural, and economic groups.
Background in mental health and/or educational-system advocacy.
Prior experience with electronic health records and Microsoft Office.
Ability to read paper and electronic documents and perform significant data entry.
Manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination to travel independently using public transportation.
Ability to travel throughout the assigned borough and New York City, carrying equipment weighing up to approximately 10 pounds.
Ability to sit, stand, and travel to appointments using public transportation.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual ability, such as Spanish.

Responsibilities

Advocate with providers across the child-serving system to raise awareness, reduce stigma, engage families, and coordinate services.
Educate families about self-help techniques and self-help group processes.
Provide psychoeducation to family members, caregivers, and social supports.
Provide individual or group parent skill development related to the behavioral health needs of the child or youth.
Teach effective coping strategies based on personal experience and help develop community support systems.
Identify culturally affirming formal services and informal resources for families experiencing social-emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges.
Help families identify challenges, strengths, and areas for improvement or goals.
Monitor and document family progress in accordance with agency and regulatory policies.
Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings, staff meetings, trainings, and supervision.
Maintain professional behavior and ethical standards established by the licensing board, relevant professional association, and Jewish Board policies and procedures.
Use an electronic database to document demographic data, family goals, and services provided.
Provide services in the family’s home, youth’s home, community, or office.
Perform additional duties as assigned.