Family Support Specialist (Dekalb County)

Centerstone•Columbia, TN

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Family Support Specialist provides in-home visitation services to enrolled families throughout DeKalb County, Tennessee, primarily in Smithville and surrounding communities. The role builds trusting relationships, teaches problem-solving skills, connects families with services and support, and helps improve family functioning. Services are family-centered and strength-based, supporting parent-child relationships, healthy childhood development, family well-being, and the development of protective factors. Family contact may continue for up to five years, with home visits typically lasting about an hour. The specialist partners with families while respecting diverse family structures and parenting practices. The position includes helping families set goals and carry out activities in their Family Service Plans, providing case management, implementing the GGK curriculum and HFA strategies through weekly home visits, and maintaining accurate family and program records. The role also involves screenings and assessments, referrals to supportive services, reporting, and participation in required training and meetings. Regular travel within DeKalb County is required; occasional evening and weekend community events and attendance at the annual Tennessee State Summit are also required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in psychology, social work, or another behavioral health care field.
Experience working with or providing services to children and their families.
Ability to establish trusting relationships.
Knowledge of infant and child development.
Acceptance of individual differences.
Willingness and ability to work with culturally diverse families with humility.
Willingness to build reflective capacity, including introspection, awareness of self in relation to others, and recognition of the value of supervision.
Valid driver’s license in good standing and at least three years of driving history.

Nice To Haves

Two years of professional experience working directly with youth and families in child welfare, a school, childcare, criminal justice, behavioral health, or a related setting.
Infant Mental Health Endorsement.

Responsibilities

Initiate and maintain regular, long-term contact and support with families, potentially for up to five years.
Conduct primarily in-home visits, generally lasting about an hour, using family-centered and strength-based interventions.
Build trusting relationships, strengthen parent-child relationships, promote healthy childhood growth and development, and enhance family well-being by reducing risk and building protective factors.
Partner with families and honor diverse family structures and parenting practices.
Administer the Family Resilience and Opportunities for Growth (FROG) Scale and screening tools such as the ASQ, ASQ-SE, and depression screens.
Identify and refer families to supportive services, including health care services.
Help families establish goals and support them in pursuing those goals.
Implement activities in Family Service Plans to address concerns identified through the FROG Scale.
Prepare required monthly, quarterly, and annual statistical reports.
Maintain accurate, up-to-date records related to the GGK curriculum, HFA data, and other required documentation.
Implement the GGK curriculum and HFA strategies through weekly home visits.
Provide case management to families on the caseload.
Attend required training and mandatory meetings.
Travel regularly throughout DeKalb County for in-home services.
Attend the annual Tennessee State Summit and participate in occasional evening or weekend community events as needed.