Family Peer Support Specialist-Military Families

Maryland Coalition of Families • Waldorf, MD

6h • $18 - $19

About The Position

Maryland Coalition of Families (MCF) is hiring a full-time Family Peer Support Specialist (FPSS) to serve military families throughout Maryland. The specialist must have personal experience as a parent or caregiver of someone with behavioral health challenges and lived experience as a military member or spouse of a military member. After training and orientation, the FPSS will draw on knowledge of military culture to provide peer support, education, systems navigation assistance, advocacy, coaching, information, referrals, and follow-up. The role preferably serves someone residing in Prince George’s or Charles County, while providing support to other jurisdictions as assigned.

The FPSS helps military-connected parents and caregivers navigate behavioral health, social, legal, educational, and health care systems, including VA and other military-connected institutions and services. The position includes assessing needs, helping families develop plans, connecting them with resources and support networks, educating families about their rights, advocating with service systems, and supporting families as partners in care planning. The specialist also facilitates workshops, builds partnerships, conducts outreach, maintains service documentation, participates in committees and boards, and contributes to a peer-support team.

This is a 40-hour-per-week position paying $18–$19 per hour. MCF provides equipment, mileage reimbursement, and paid training. Benefits include paid leave, health, dental, vision and life insurance, an FSA, long-term disability, a 401(k), and an employee assistance program. A current Maryland driver’s license and access to a personal vehicle are required, and in-state travel is required.

Requirements

• Personal lived experience as a parent or primary caregiver of an individual with a behavioral health challenge.
• Personal lived experience as a veteran, military member, or spouse of a veteran or military member.
• Residence in Prince George’s or Charles County.
• Lived experience in the program’s focus area, such as substance use, mental health, problem gambling, or early childhood.
• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Familiarity with state and local resources and how to access them.
• Ability to build and maintain productive partnerships with agencies and providers.
• Active listening skills and ability to provide non-judgmental, strengths-based peer support.
• Ability to work independently and contribute positively to a team.
• Strong organizational skills and follow-through.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Strong computer skills and ability to use internet searches to identify resources.
• Ability or willingness to learn to use a database such as Salesforce.
• Current Maryland driver’s license and access to a personal vehicle; in-state travel is required.
• Successful completion of a background check.

Nice To Haves

• Some combination of college education and professional work experience.
• Prior experience helping families obtain appropriate services and supports for a child or family member.
• Familiarity and comfort with public speaking and community outreach.

Responsibilities

• Provide support, guidance, and education to military-connected parents and caregivers navigating behavioral health, social, legal, educational, and health care systems, including VA and other military-connected institutions and services.
• Conduct strengths-based, non-judgmental, solutions-oriented assessments and help families identify needs and develop plans to address them.
• Provide opportunities for families to build natural support networks.
• Educate families about community resources on base and in their communities, and facilitate access as needed.
• Educate families about their rights in the systems they encounter.
• Advocate with system stakeholders to help ensure families’ needs are met.
• Support families in being equal partners in planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating plans of care or service.
• Facilitate educational workshops for military-connected families and community partners.
• Build and maintain partnerships with behavioral health and child-serving agencies, school systems, local behavioral health authorities, local management boards, military-serving organizations, and other service providers.
• Promote MCF programs and services and raise awareness of them.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of services.
• Stay informed about developments in family peer support and the program’s focus area through professional growth and continued learning.
• Represent MCF on state and local committees, commissions, teams, and boards to increase awareness of family peer support and contribute family perspectives to relevant discussions.
• Contribute positively to a peer community focused on delivering high-quality services to parents and caregivers.

Benefits

• Equipment provided
• Mileage reimbursement
• Paid training
• Generous paid time off, including two weeks of vacation, two weeks of sick leave, three personal days, two floating holidays, and 11 holidays per year
• Health plans
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Long-term disability
• 401(k)
• Employee assistance program

What This Job Offers

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