Family Support Specialist - Outreach

Healthy Connections•Mena, AR

12d•$16 - $18•Onsite

About The Position

The Family Support Specialist - Outreach plays a critical role in connecting families with essential health care and social assistance resources to improve their overall well-being. This position focuses on engaging with families in diverse communities to assess their needs, provide guidance, and facilitate access to supportive services. The specialist acts as a liaison between families and service providers, ensuring that families receive timely and appropriate assistance tailored to their unique circumstances. By building trusting relationships and advocating for families, the role contributes to enhancing family stability and promoting positive health and social outcomes. Ultimately, the Family Support Specialist supports the empowerment of families to navigate complex systems and achieve sustainable improvements in their quality of life.

Requirements

Knowledge of agencies and community resource organizations.
Ability to teach and model functional living skills.
Ability to observe and evaluate contacts and case development.
Ability to comply with case plan and maintain case records.
Ability to prepare and present oral and written information.
The formal equivalent of an Associate of Arts degree.
More than two years of experience in child development or other closely related field.
Must have a working knowledge of Microsoft office products, and familiarity with network systems.
Ability to understand and present verbal instructions and to exchange verbal information is essential.
Excellent organizational, written and customer service skills necessary.
Ability to travel to all locations and to meetings outside of the service area.
Ability to understand verbal communication and instruction, exchange verbal information and to present information verbally.
Ability to establish and maintain effective, courteous working relationships with program participants, staff team members, business entities and others.
Ability to organize, prioritize and problem-solve independently.
Strong communication skills daily to build rapport with families and effectively convey complex information about available services.
Critical thinking and problem-solving abilities are essential for assessing family needs and developing tailored support plans.
Organizational skills are employed to manage multiple cases simultaneously while maintaining detailed and confidential records.
Cultural competency and empathy enable the specialist to work respectfully with diverse populations, ensuring inclusivity and trust.
Collaboration and advocacy skills are vital for coordinating with service providers and removing barriers to care, ultimately empowering families to access and benefit from the resources they need.

Responsibilities

Teach and demonstrate parenting and living skills to clients in their homes covering such topics as budgeting, cooking, housekeeping, childcare, and nutrition.
Provide transportation for clients to medical and social service providers.
Assist clients in locating necessary resources such as clothing or housing by contacting organizations, agencies or individuals for assistance.
Prepare and maintain narratives detailing actions taken on behalf of each client.
Perform clerical duties including answering telephones, routing calls, receiving referrals for clients, typing correspondence and forms, filing and handling mail.
Assist in training clients in parenting skills by providing parent education and direct assistance to families.
Assist client with developing and monitoring individual case activity plans to ensure positive behaviors that will enhance the well being of parents, infants and children.
Increase the client base by maintaining frequent contact with the local network.
Perform related responsibilities as required or assigned.
Maintain complete and current knowledge of related grant contracts and the performance reports required by each funding agency.