Family Resource Specialist (Social Services Specialist I)

Fairfax County•Alexandria (Mm03), VA

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Family Resource Specialist works as a member of the Healthy Families Fairfax (HFF) unit within the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Services Program. HFF supports vulnerable, at-risk pregnant women and parents of newborns across Fairfax County. The specialist assists with intake and outreach, assesses family strengths and needs, connects families to community resources, and provides short-term support and ongoing case management. The position follows Healthy Families America Best Practice Standards and applicable Fairfax County policies and procedures, and includes program administration, documentation, community outreach, and participation in multidisciplinary and county initiatives. Work hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; evening and/or weekend work is required. The position is considered essential personnel and requires reporting during countywide unscheduled leave when directed, regardless of the emergency. A $2,500 signing bonus is available for new county hires in full-time positions.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a human services field, or a bachelor’s degree in any field plus at least two years of appropriate and related human services experience.
Applicants who do not yet meet the degree requirement must be in their last semester of a qualifying degree program at the time of application.
Valid driver’s license.
Complete state-mandated training in the functional area within the specified time period.
Satisfactorily complete criminal background, driving record, and Child Protective Services checks.
Knowledge of human services principles and practices and early childhood home visiting.
Knowledge of infant and child development.
Knowledge of current social service problems and case-management methods and approaches.
Ability to analyze family protective and risk factors and make appropriate recommendations.
Ability to establish trusting relationships, accept individual differences, and work with culturally diverse families.
Willingness to build reflective capacity, including introspection, awareness of self in relation to others, and recognition of the value of supervision.
Clear and concise oral and written communication skills.
Ability to use automated technology for documentation.
Ability to maintain professional ethics and client confidentiality.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of individuals.
Ability to schedule and manage workload to meet deadlines.
Ability to travel to regional offices, families’ homes, and other locations throughout Fairfax County; attend meetings, trainings, assessments, and community outreach events.
Ability to communicate, use a computer to input/access/retrieve information, and maintain sufficient mobility to perform the position’s duties, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Must report to work during countywide unscheduled leave when designated, regardless of the emergency situation.

Nice To Haves

Experience in child welfare and/or case management.
Experience with home visiting services.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Experience collaborating with school professionals, community stakeholders, and other service providers.
Infant Mental Health endorsement.
Experience working with a diverse multicultural population.
Bilingual skills in English and another language are encouraged.

Responsibilities

Interview clients and family members to gather information about social, health, emotional, and economic concerns.
Work with clients to develop service plans addressing their needs, formulate objectives, and identify actions to resolve problems.
Ensure HFF program delivery complies with Healthy Families America Best Practice Standards and relevant county policies and procedures.
Assess family strengths and needs and identify appropriate referrals to community services, including ongoing home visiting services.
Use the Family Resilience & Opportunity for Growth tool to gather information about parents’ strengths and needs.
Provide short-term support and ongoing case management to connect families with community resources.
Represent and promote the Healthy Families program in the community and provide administrative assistance as needed.
Complete required documentation and maintain client files according to program requirements and HFF and HFA guidelines.
Participate on outreach teams and lead outreach activities to increase public awareness of home visiting resources and services.
Serve as a team lead for special community projects.
Participate on a multidisciplinary team with public health nurses, home visitors, supervisors, and nonprofit partners.
Perform other assigned duties to ensure child safety and improve outcomes for families.
Participate in CYF initiatives supporting positive outcomes for children and families.