Family Support and Engagement Specialist

Lutheran Services Florida • Pensacola, FL

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

Lutheran Services Florida (LSF) is seeking a talented Family Support and Engagement Specialist who wants to make an impact in the lives of others. This position will coordinate all services and interventions for children and their families referred to designated regional programs. The role facilitates service delivery focused on supporting the parent(s) as well as the child by cultivating the growth of nurturing, responsive parent-child relationships and promoting healthy childhood growth and development within a caring community.

Requirements

• Must have a high school diploma or General Education Diploma (GED).
• At least one year of experience working with or providing services to children or families.
• Knowledge of infant and child development
• Ability to establish trusting relationships
• Acceptance of individual differences
• Willingness to engage in building reflective capacity (e.g., has capacity for introspection, communicates awareness of self in relation to others, recognizes value of supervision, etc.)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with and ability to use Microsoft Office programs Word and Excel.
• Ability to type 45 words per minute.
• Ability to drive both locally and throughout the state in connection with the duties of this position.
• Ability to fully understand case ownership responsibility as the integrator of all services and supports identified for each child and their families, including therapy, other mental health services, health and dentistry, developmental services, educational and other supports.
• Must demonstrate sensitivity to our service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics and needs.
• Must demonstrate experience and humility to work with culturally diverse families.
• Valid driver’s license and appropriate auto liability insurance ($10,000/$20,000) required.

Nice To Haves

• Infant mental health endorsement preferred

Responsibilities

• Provides intensive home visitation services for children and their families eligible to receive program services.
• Coach participants to recognize and respond to their babies’ needs at every developmental stage.
• Educate parents on the importance of immunizations and well-child checks.
• Connect parents and children to medical providers.
• Model, observe, and assess positive parent-child interaction that promotes bonding and healthy brain development.
• Screen for parental depression and child developmental delays.
• Assess parenting self-confidence and competencies.
• Teach parents positive discipline techniques, how to cope with the day-to-day stress of parenting in healthy ways and how to problem solve when crises arise.
• Empower parents to set goals that lead to family well-being and self-sufficiency.
• Help parents recognize and address potential safety hazards in and around their homes.
• Provide information on prevention topics including safe sleep practices, water safety, and ways to cope with crying to prevent common preventable causes of child injury and death.
• Accepts all cases assigned by unit supervisor and meet with children and their families in their primary residence within two working days of case assignment.
• Facilitates and conducts approved screening instruments. Conducts initial screening assessment within five working days of assignment.
• Connect parents to community resources that address their unique needs and strengthen their family.
• Assist parents in building resiliency and protective factors including social connections, knowledge of child development, healthy intimate partner relationships, and concrete supports.
• Accurately documents all case activities within 48 hours. Maintains the electronic case file in chronological order, by subject, in accordance with the standardized case file format guidelines.
• Submits timely referrals to services as identified throughout the assessment process. Develops and maintains knowledge of community resources, program eligibility requirements, key contact persons, emergency procedures, and waiting lists of available resources.
• Arranges for, attends, and participates in individual case staffings as necessary. Completes all required staffing documentation.
• Attend all appointments, staff meetings, trainings, seminars, workshops, etc., as necessary, and as required by the supervisor.
• Organize, prioritize, and complete all work assignments by the established deadlines.
• Treat customers, the public and staff with courtesy, respect and dignity and presents a positive public image.
• Keep supervisor fully informed of activities, pertinent issues, upcoming events and potential problems. Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills in daily work.
• Support the unit, department and/or organization and work with others in an effort to accomplish the goals of the unit, department and/or organization.
• Employee makes a reasonable effort to adhere to established safety procedures and practices in the work area.
• Attend and successfully complete all mandated training courses to obtain and maintain program-specific requirements and LSF training requirements.
• Adhere to all confidentiality rules.
• Perform other related duties and special assignments as required.
• Reports directly to and follows directives of Program Supervisor.
• Works cooperatively with other Family Support and Engagement Specialists, the leadership team, LSF colleagues and with agency support staff.
• Effectively manages time to ensure that all home visits are completed as required, and all case documentation is entered timely.
• Follows Florida Statutes, Administrative Code, program specific and LSF written policies and procedures.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental and Vision
• Telehealth (24/7 online access to Doctors)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Employer paid life insurance (1X salary)
• 13 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday
• Generous PTO policy (starting at 16 working days a year)
• 403(b) Retirement plan with 3% discretionary employer match OR 3% student loan repayment reimbursement
• Tuition reimbursement

What This Job Offers

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