FAMILY INTERVENTION SPECIALIST

Buffalo Urban League•Buffalo, NY

16d•$25 - $25

About The Position

Preventive services are provided to families who have been impacted in the child welfare arena. A CPS investigation has taken place due to a child being at risk of harm, abuse, or neglect. In efforts to avert a child’s removal from the home and/or to reunify the child back into the family environment, preventive services are mandated by Family First legislation to be provided to families in lieu of foster care placement. Position Summary: Family Support Specialist/Practitioner is responsible for holding up to 2 IHB cases per 28-day cycle. BUL, in collaboration with ECDSS, has completed its forth year of providing Intensive Home-Based Preventive (IHB) services through its Homebuilders program which is modeled after the evidenced-based initiative, championed by the Institute for Family Development (IFD). The IFD model has a 92%+ success rate after case closing for keeping children in the home, according to the California Evidenced-Based Warehouse of child welfare initiatives. The Buffalo Urban League will continue to utilize the Homebuilder’s model with the ECDSS approved Intensive Home-Based (IHB)- preventive services contract during year 5, 2026. Homebuilders are designed to work effectively with diverse populations and to strengthen families to prevent unnecessary out-of-home placement or return of children from foster care, group care, psychiatric hospitals, or correctional institutions. A comprehensive assessment will be completed by the Family Intervention Specialist’ (practitioner) for every family referred.

Requirements

Possesses a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in human services or related field with two (2) years of experience in human services.
Valid Driver’s License, Insurance, and Reliable Transportation.
Ability to work flexible hours.
Responsible for maintaining professional and positive relationships with referred families, ECDSS (CPS/CS) and community agencies.
Must be able to use Microsoft Office
Good interpersonal and empathy skills, along with the ability to relate well with clients, staff and others.
Able to communicate a warm caring and non-judgmental approach to individuals and families.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree with one (1) year of experience in a human services field
Spanish speaking a plus.

Responsibilities

Family Intervention Specialist’ are responsible for referring a child or their family for services including but not limited to daycare services, parent training, housing services, substance abuse treatment, domestic violence services, mental health counseling, job training, and home management services.
Daily home visit contact allows for direct observation of individual and family strengths as well as challenges. Home visits will be at least 2 hours in duration and scheduled at times when children and their families can be available. All children referred for Intensive Home-Based-Preventive Services receive face-to-face c Family Intervention Specialist’ contact 5-6 days per week. A minimum of 10-15 hours of face-to-face contact per week is required for each family.
Family Intervention Specialist’ are responsible for conducting visits to schools and daycares where children attend. School visitation lends to a professional opinion of a child’s educational, developmental, psychological, and behavioral milestone achievement and or challenges, and the parent’s level of support and interaction with the school.
Family Intervention Specialist’ request medical information for each child annually (more frequently when a child is at risk medically) to determine their health status, (immunization record, unresolved medical illnesses) and the parent/caretaker’s response to attain healthiness. All information will become a part of the family’s documented record.
Family Intervention Specialist’ are responsible for documenting client progress within 48-hours of contact in the NYS CONNECTIONS computerized case management system, completion of monthly client summaries and the Family Assessment Services Plan (FASP) as set by New York State regulations.
BUL provides intensive home-based preventive services with the purpose of guiding the family in a course of action to attain objectives in solving problems that lead to the associated risk to the child. Family Intervention Specialist’ conduct risk and safety assessments at every home visit to ensure child safety. Family Intervention Specialist’ makes referrals for services, monitor compliance with services, and advocates for the family’s needs.
Family Intervention Specialist’ engage all families to be fully participatory in the development of their service plan.
Special efforts will be made to engage (when feasible) absent parents who are willing to connect and lend support to their children. BUL will provide all reasonable efforts to engage children and their families in Intensive Home-Based-Preventive Services to prevent foster care placement or to provide reunification where disruption resulting in foster care placement has taken place.
Intensive Home-Based-Preventive services core hours are Monday through Saturday; 24 hours availability is required. Assigned Family Intervention Specialist’ will be accessible to families via telephone for crisis intervention after hours, 24 hours daily and seven days per week and during non-traditional work hours for families who are unable to meet due to other family or employment obligations. Saturday hours are available on a case-by-case basis to meet the needs of families.
Complete and submit all program paperwork in a timely and accurate manner. Use of an online data management system for all clinical documentation.
Establish and maintain positive working relationships with referring agency staff and other community professionals. Represent the agency in community meetings and on interagency teams as directed.
Provide mandated preventive services, outreach, case planning, assessment, counseling, and face to face contact in the home. Participates in case conferences, Service Plan Reviews, Staff Trainings; on an ongoing basis.
Assist clients in developing measurable goals and individual service plans.
Monitor client progress and provide direct assistance, as needed, to ensure intervention compliance.
Advocacy with schools, courts, ECDSS, and other community outlets.