Family Connector (Mental Health Services)

Vinfen•Haverhill, MA

1d•$49,733 - $49,733•Hybrid

About The Position

The ACCS Family Connector promotes the full integration and functioning of Persons Served (PS) needed to live successfully in the community. Provides outreach, information, referral and direct support services to families and other community members who identify as supports of the PS. Orients and serves as primary liaison to PS families and members of their social network. Enhances PS social supports. Works to involve family/friends in PS life and Treatment Plan interventions as appropriate. Creates and sustains Team’s Family Advisory Council.

Requirements

Strong commitment to the right and ability of people served by ACCS to live, work, have meaningful relationships and receive the clinical treatment, resources and supports needed to thrive in their community of choice
Skill in helping people integrate into the community through use of natural supports and basic community resources
Knowledge of PS engagement strategies
Knowledge of community inclusion principles and practices, benefits and entitlement resource
Ability to form supportive, trusting relationships with PS
Sensitivity to the cultural, religious, ethnic, disability, and gender issues of PS
Knowledge of human, legal, and civil rights of PS
Knowledge of the effects of prejudice (including internalized negative attitudes about oneself), discrimination, and oppression of people with psychiatric disorders, and the effects of poverty
Knowledge and use of different communication and learning styles
Ability to make independent judgments and decisions
Ability to work in a professional and confidential capacity
Knowledge of assessment skills and practice
Knowledge of recovery-oriented, person-centered and strengths-based values and principles
Knowledge of trauma-informed and culturally competent services. Sensitivity to the cultural, religious, ethnic, disability and gender issues of PS
Ability to adhere to the standards of Motivational Interviewing; Harm Reduction; Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment (SBIRT); Housing First; Stages of Change; and Cognitive Behavioral interventions
Skills and competence to provide interventions for effective Treatment Plan interventions
Ability to collaborate effectively with other Team members to address the needs of PS in the Treatment Plan
Knowledge of personal computer applications and equipment
Knowledge of documentation standards and requirements
Must have access to an operational and insured vehicle and be willing to use it to transport PS.
Personal, first-hand experience having primary responsibility for, or substantial involvement with a family member receiving services through the mental health system, which encompasses experiences such as psychiatric inpatient hospitalization, outpatient services/therapy, experience with psychiatric medications, and/or participating in mental health groups in the community. While a formal mental health diagnosis of that family member is not required, involvement with the mental health of a loved one must be significant enough to relate to the experiences of the family members of the people served in a meaningful way. Lastly, Family Connector positions require staff to share personal experiences with staff, the people we serve and the members of their “chosen family.”
Experience in navigating any of the child (or adult) family-serving systems and teaching family members who are involved with child (or adult) family-serving systems.
CPR required within two weeks of hire
First Aid required within two weeks of hire
MAP required within 150 days of hire

Nice To Haves

Preference given to bilingual/bicultural applicants and applicants with lived experience of psychiatric conditions.
Experience may be substituted for academic training.
Bachelor’s degree from accredited school or Associate’s degree strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Creates a welcoming environment for parents, families, and other community members who identify as supporters in which families/supporters are respected and valued. Orients them to the services their loved one may receive from ACCS; shares personal experiences with and engages their participation in helping the PS to meet their ACCS goals. Functions as primary liaison for PS families (following HIPAA authorization by PS).
Provides outreach to and collects current and historical family/supporters’ information with focus on understanding the PS family/supporter relationships and their impact on the PS.
Provides family psycho-education to families, supporters, and guardians. Refer families/supporters to resources in the community for family support and education when appropriate, including NAMI Family-to-Family groups.
Collaborates with PS and their family members/supporters to determine how they can best support the desired level of family participation in the PS treatment. Addresses family/supporters needs who want to be engaged and are welcomed by the PS, engaged but not welcomed by the PS, and who are not engaged but PS would like them to be.
Trains and mentors’ staff in maintaining a family/supporter perspective in their work.
Participates as member of intervention team for assigned PS. Delivers interventions identified on the Treatment Plan targeted at skills building in life domains including but not limited to activities of daily living, medication administration, symptom reduction, health and wellbeing, employment, education, socialization and recreation with supervision from clinically licensed Team members.
Employs trauma informed, recovery-oriented, person-centered, culturally competent and strengths- based approaches and skills training techniques in their work.
Provides competency-based clinical evidence-based practices and best practices to team members and GLE/SIE staff, including Motivational Interviewing; Harm Reduction and Addiction Treatment; Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment (SBIRT); Housing First; Stages of Change; Seeking Safety, Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), and Cognitive Behavioral interventions, as well as the development of Safety Plans and Crisis Prevention and Response Plans, and 8 Dimensions of Wellness.
Performs evidenced-based clinical and recovery-oriented interventions for PS, including Motivational Interviewing; Harm Reduction and Addiction Treatment support; Screening; Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment (SBIRT); Housing First; Stages of Change; Wellness Recovery Action Plans (WRAP); Seeking Safety and Cognitive Behavioral interventions.
Promotes healthcare and employment and education services access for PS.
Promotes engagement, housing permanency, community tenure, achievement of greater self- sufficiency and successful completion of service for all PS.
Provides thorough and thoughtful documentation of PS needs and services.
Creates and sustains the ACCS Family Advisory Council if families/supporters’ express interest in joining.
Participates as member of Family Connector Community of Practice Workgroup for continuous role-specific competency development, mentoring and learning.
Performs other related duties, as assigned.