HUMAN SERVICES COUNSELOR III - 64004527

State of Florida • Largo, FL

2d • $45,060 - $55,292

About The Position

The Human Services Counselor III is a home visiting Family Support Specialist utilizing trauma informed practices to support and provide assistance to high-risk pregnant women and families with newborns to optimize the home environment for their physical and mental health well-being. Empowers families with the tools and resources to break negative intergenerational cycles. This is a child abuse/neglect prevention program.

Requirements

• Demonstrates motivation to learn & apply knowledge of child development, family development and family planning.
• Effectively applies basic counseling skills with families such as developing rapport, establishing & maintaining effective supportive professional boundaries, using active listening & reflection & empowerment to support families in reaching their goals.
• Maintains case work standards as developed by program.
• Documentation will be completed electronically in HMS within 2-working days of date of service.
• Maintains dependable, punctual work schedule appropriate to the needs of the program.
• Willing to work a flexible schedule to meet the needs of families, which can include evenings and weekends.
• Ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
• Knowledge of basic computer software and ability to enter data in computer.
• Candidates must possess at least 4 years of home visiting experience working with children and/or families at risk of child abuse/neglect.
• High school diploma or equivalent
• Valid driver's license and daily access to reliable personal transportation for home visiting purposes.
• Basic computer knowledge including Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule including evenings and Saturdays to meet the needs of program participants.
• At least four years home visiting experience working with children and/or families.
• A minimum of two years experience in a leadership role in the facilitation of parent groups and training new staff

Nice To Haves

• Infant Mental Health Endorsement

Responsibilities

• Establishes a trusting relationship with multifaceted families by initiating and maintaining regular client contact as prescribed by Healthy Families America accreditation standards.
• Provides case management/care coordination for pregnant women and families of infants by visiting families in their homes for a period of up to 5 years.
• Serves as primary coordinator on multi-disciplinary team including therapist, nurses, and father support specialists.
• Maintains a case weight according to program requirements.
• Meets Healthy Families Pinellas guidelines for home visiting and risk appropriate care.
• Links pregnant women, families, and infants to supports and services available in the community.
• Assures continued participation in prenatal and infant health care.
• Communicates and coordinates with other providers, especially the health care provider.
• Tracks prenatal care, immunizations, and well-baby care.
• Closes cases in a timely manner when no further services are needed, or the client is ineligible for services.
• Ensures services are provided that satisfy the needs of the participant. Is a mandated reporter.
• Acts as a team lead. Lead responsibilities may include but are not limited to: training new home visitors (including letting new staff shadow their visits and then shadowing new staff on their visits to provide feedback), planning and implementing parent events, taking funders out on shadowing opportunities, recruiting families for QA calls and interviews with program funders, representing the program at community events, representing the program on internal and external committees, assisting supervisor with client incentive and educational supply ordering process,
• presenting at management team meetings, attending recommended trainings and sharing newly acquired knowledge & information with the team at staff meetings, participating in QA activities. May manage bus passes and other client incentives in supervisor absence, handles after hours staff tracking in supervisor absence and acts as a general back up in supervisor’s absence as needed.
• Determines the participant's needs through screenings and assessments including the initial home assessment, home safety questionnaires, HFPIs, CCIs, Edinburgh Depression Screens, and developmental screening tools. Assists the family in developing a Family Goals.
• Strategically implements curriculum and referrals on the HVSP to address risk factors. Capitalizes on identified protective factors to address risk factors as well as facilitates the development of additional protective factors within the family. Implement reflective strategies to promote attunement within the parent-child relationship.
• Provides in-home parent education utilizing recommended curriculums, including GGK, the Gold Within, and the FSU curriculums. Provides women/parents with family planning options and education on planning future healthy deliveries with an emphasis on women’s health. Provides tobacco risks and smoking cessation education/counseling and referrals.
• Utilizes Healthy Families Pinellas forms to document case management, client progress and home visiting activities. Maintains an electronic health record for each client served. Responsible for maintaining the integrity of the EHR in HMS and completing service ledgers for services to be entered the HFF data tracking system. Utilizes HFF data reports to ensure timely administration of required tools/assessments as determined by HFF policies. Completes Encounters and EARS in HMS to document direct services, risk factors, service checks and other work activities. Completes all HVRs within program standards.
• Meets grant goals, performance measures and objectives, programmatic and funder requirements. Maintains standards/applicable regulations for personnel, medical records management, programmatic/funder requirements. Meets weekly with supervisor for a minimum of 1.5 hours for reflective, clinical and administrative supervision to discuss case findings and corresponding case management activities. Levels cases according to need. Supports the team to ensure the flow of work activities. Participates in regular staff meetings.
• Participates in the implementation of parent groups and other participant events. Supports the team to ensure the flow of work activities. Participates in regular staff meetings.
• Attends training to promote professional and personal growth. Completes all mandatory trainings as required by the program, the funder, and the agency.

Benefits

• Annual and Sick Leave benefits.
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal Holiday each year.
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision, and other supplemental insurance options.
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions.
• Flexible Spending Accounts.
• Tuition waivers.

What This Job Offers

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