Family Specialist/Parent Partner

NFI Massachusetts, Inc.•Westborough, MA

12d•$22 - $24•Onsite

About The Position

NFI Massachusetts Inc., a non-profit human services agency, is currently seeking a Family Specialist/Parent Partner for our Intensive Residential Treatment Program located in Worcester, MA. The IRTP's are short-term locked facilities serving male and female youth who are referred through the Department of Mental Health (DMH). The Family Specialist/Parent Partner ensures that family members/guardians are incorporated fully in treatment planning and implementation, have their perspectives represented and that they are actively engaged in program and policy development and improvement activities.

Requirements

Passion for working with families, drive and determination.
Ability to schedule flexibly to meet with families around their schedule.
Lived experience as a parent of a child who is/has been involved with the social service system via any state agency.
Must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.
High energy level, superior interpersonal skills and ability to function in a team atmosphere.
Good communication skills.
Must hold a valid driver’s license and have access to a reliable vehicle.
Must possess excellent vision and hearing, and the ability to read and speak English.

Responsibilities

Via coaching, role modeling and teaching, leverage lived experiences to engage, build rapport with and reassure families who are newly involved.
Conduct outreach activities for newly involved families.
Attend pre-admission meetings for incoming families; attend intake meetings as needed for parent/family support.
Assist families in self-advocacy, filling out applications, identifying community resources, identifying formal and natural supports, communication with providers including schools.
Assist families to develop parenting skills by helping parent or caregiver establish rules/limit setting/natural consequences and to support parents in implementing.
Review different options of implementing allowance/rewards to help engage child/teen.
Develop, coordinate and facilitate a Parent Support Group with regularly scheduled meetings and activities.
Review program policy and language to insure the family’s perspective is represented.
Participate in treatment team and transitional planning meetings.
Actively engage family members in the development and implementation of the overall service plan.
Follow up with families post-discharge.
Participate in weekly program and staff meetings.
Determine best engagement strategy for each family based on their strengths, needs and preferences. Work to remove obstacles to engagement.