Parent Partner

Nexus Family Healing•Austin, MN

4d•$22 - $23•Onsite

About The Position

Nexus Family Healing - Austin campus is looking for a resilient and compassionate Parent Partner who is able to provide exceptional service to youth and their families. Nexus Family Healing is a national nonprofit network of mental health agencies with over 50 years of restoring hope for thousands of children and families through outpatient/community mental health services, foster care, adoption, and residential treatment. At Nexus Family Healing, we embrace diversity, promote equity, and foster inclusion. As a national mental health organization, we serve a diverse group of youth and families, and we strive for our workforce to support and represent that diversity. Position Summary: The Parent Partner provides active, hands-on, trauma-informed, and family-guided peer support to parents of youth receiving services while collaborating with families, team members, and service providers. The Parent Partner’s role is to increase family involvement within the program, connecting families to formal and informal resources, and advocating for families to decrease unintentional, programmatic, and institutional bias toward caregivers.

Requirements

High School diploma or equivalent, must be at least 21 years of age
Must have prior experience as the primary parent or caregiver of a child with emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges
Must have experience with children’s mental health systems such as DHS, DOC, social services, probation, or the Department of Mental Health
Completion of a successful background check
Currently have or be willing and able to successfully complete the Department of Human Services-approved Certified Family Peer Specialist Training and certificate exam
Valid driver’s license required. Must meet state regulating agency and Home Office driving requirements
Must be able to assist staff in physical interventions and restraints of clients
Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds unassisted and up to 100 pounds with assistance
Must be able to stand and walk for extended periods of time (2-4 hours)
Must be able to twist, bend and stretch in a manner conducive to the execution of daily activities within a residential treatment facility

Nice To Haves

College coursework in the behavioral/mental health field
Experience working with families and trauma-exposed children or adolescents

Responsibilities

Manages and coordinates positive family involvement in the treatment process using trauma-informed, strength-based, and client-driven engagement techniques.
Creates community relationships to enhance resource and referral opportunities.
Connects with all families entering the program to engage and build involvement.
Participates in the initial family information-gathering and assessment process to help identify needs and assist in the development of treatment goals.
Works with families, caregivers, and treatment team members and all informal and formal supports to assist and support individualized family plans and treatment goals during and post-treatment.
Attends and participates in a variety of meetings to help support and advocate for the well-being, needs and resources for caregivers and youth.
Provides and assists with ongoing advocacy for families during the treatment process and with other providers involved in the family’s life. Role models skills and provides coaching so families can learn to advocate for themselves.
Delivers consultation and training to treatment team members to enhance the delivery of family-driven care and positive family engagement techniques.
Provides parent skill-building education, consultation, and role modeling; leads/co-leads parent support groups.
Acts as a resource for families and responds to family crises in a prompt, effective, and collaborative manner.
May coordinate and conduct family-finding activities to help youth establish a strong support network and support permanency as needed.
Submits timely documentation in the electronic health record regarding work with families.
Facilitates the linking of youth and families with appropriate community services, and follow-ups.
Meets with the family and youth (virtually or in-person) as determined and prescribed by the treatment plan and family’s engagement level.