Family Peer Support Specialist-Military Families

Maryland Coalition of Families•Waldorf, MD

22h

About The Position

Maryland Coalition of Families (MCF) is hiring a full-time Family Peer Support Specialist to serve military families throughout Maryland. The specialist must have lived experience as a parent or caregiver of someone with behavioral health challenges and as a military member, veteran, or military spouse. After training and orientation, the specialist will draw on their knowledge of military culture to provide peer support, education, systems navigation, advocacy, coaching, information, referrals, and follow-up. The role primarily serves families in Prince George’s and Charles counties, and may support other jurisdictions as assigned. The specialist helps military-connected parents and caregivers navigate behavioral health, social, legal, educational, and health care systems, including VA and other military-connected institutions. The role includes assessing needs, connecting families to resources, supporting family engagement and advocacy, facilitating educational workshops, building partnerships, maintaining service documentation, and representing MCF in community and statewide forums. This is a full-time position of 40 hours per week. Salary is $18–$19 per hour. MCF provides equipment, mileage reimbursement, and paid training, along with benefits including paid leave, health plans, dental and vision insurance, life insurance, FSA, long-term disability, 401(k), and EAP.

Requirements

Lived experience as a parent or primary caregiver of an individual with a behavioral health challenge.
Lived experience as a veteran, military member, or spouse of a veteran or military member.
Specific lived experience in the program focus area, such as substance use, mental health, problem gambling, or early childhood.
Reside in Prince George’s or Charles County.
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 ability to 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 college education and/or 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, programs, and services.
Use a strengths-based, non-judgmental, solutions-oriented assessment to help families identify challenges and needs and develop plans to address them.
Create family engagement opportunities that help parents and caregivers build natural support networks.
Educate families about community resources available on base or in their communities and facilitate access as needed.
Educate parents and caregivers about their rights in various systems.
Advocate with stakeholders in systems in which families are involved to help ensure their needs are met.
Support parents and caregivers 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 on behavioral health and other relevant topics.
Build and maintain positive partnerships with behavioral health and child-serving agencies, school systems, local behavioral health authorities, local management boards, military-serving organizations, and other service providers.
Represent MCF as an ambassador and disseminate information about its programs and services.
Maintain accurate and timely documentation of services.
Stay informed about emerging issues in family peer support and the program focus area through professional growth and continued learning.
Represent MCF on state and local committees, commissions, teams, and boards to promote family peer support and contribute family perspectives to policy and systems discussions.
Contribute positively to a community of peers supporting high-quality services to parents and caregivers.