Family Support Navigator – Medical and Community Resource Navigation
About The Position
Family Futures is expanding its support for families navigating medical and community systems in response to a local medical social work provider closing. The Family Support Navigator – Medical & Community Resource Navigation will help fill this gap by connecting families with healthcare, insurance, developmental, mental health, housing, transportation, and other essential community resources as a part of Family Futures’ Connections program. Through the Connections Program, we partner with families, healthcare providers, early childhood programs, schools, and community organizations to ensure children ages 0–5 receive developmental screenings, resource navigation, and support services that strengthen family well-being. This role combines compassionate family support with practical coordination across medical and community systems. The Navigator will assist families in understanding available services, overcoming barriers to care, and successfully accessing needed supports for young children and caregivers. The ideal candidate is organized, relationship-oriented, comfortable navigating healthcare and social service systems, and passionate about reducing barriers for families.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Public Health, Nursing, Psychology, Human Services, Early Childhood, or a related field OR equivalent combination of education, lived experience, and professional experience.
- At least 2 years of experience working with families, patients, or community members in healthcare, social services, case management, or resource navigation.
- Familiarity with medical, behavioral health, insurance, and community support systems in West Michigan.
- Experience supporting diverse populations and navigating complex systems.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Ability to build trust with families experiencing stress or crisis.
- Excellent organization and documentation skills.
- Ability to manage multiple cases and priorities simultaneously.
- Comfort navigating healthcare and social service systems.
- Problem-solving and advocacy skills.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and basic database/data entry systems.
- Cultural humility and commitment to equity and inclusion.
- Fluency in English.
Nice To Haves
- Fluency in Spanish or another language commonly spoken in the community.
- Experience with Medicaid, insurance navigation, or healthcare coordination.
- Knowledge of early childhood and family support resources in Kent County.
- Experience working in community-based, medical, or behavioral health settings.
- Familiarity with trauma-informed and family-centered practices.
Responsibilities
- Conduct family intake assessments and identify medical, social, and developmental needs.
- Help families navigate healthcare systems, including pediatric care, specialty referrals, insurance/Medicaid questions, and appointment coordination.
- Connect families to community resources such as food assistance, housing support, transportation, behavioral health, early intervention, and caregiver supports.
- Provide short-term case management and follow-up to ensure families successfully access services.
- Assist families in overcoming barriers such as transportation, language, scheduling, and system complexity.
- Build trusting relationships with families through phone, text, email, and in-person communication.
- Advocate with and for families when coordinating with medical providers, schools, agencies, and community partners.
- Support families in developing practical action plans based on their goals and priorities.
- Recognize patterns of unmet needs and help inform program and community responses.
- Maintain accurate and timely documentation in program databases.
- Track referrals, follow-up activities, and family outcomes.
- Collaborate with Family Futures staff, healthcare partners, and community organizations to coordinate care and referrals.
- Participate in relevant workgroups, meetings, and outreach efforts to strengthen community partnerships.
Benefits
- Reimbursement up to a certain amount for cell phone and internet costs.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
