Peer Family Advocate

RIVER OAK CENTER FOR CHILDREN INC•Sacramento, CA

1d•$26 - $27

About The Position

We are looking for an individual who is eager to help serve within their community as a Family Advocate for our Flexible Integrated Treatment (FIT) program located in North Sacramento. Are you: A parent, guardian, or foster parent who has been a primary caregiver and has helped your children or grandchild, navigate the mental health system, foster care, juvenile justice system? Interested in sharing your story and experiences to help other parents and guardians overcome the challenges and questions they may be facing while going through unknown obstacles in foster care? Interested in providing support to these families who may be in need your advocacy, resources, and story? If you answered yes to any of these questions, we want to meet you very soon! At River Oak, equity, diversity, and inclusion are part of our people strategy which reflects our vision of building an organization that attracts and leverages diversity in our staff, and strives for respect and inclusion throughout our workplace and in the communities we serve. Program Summary: FIT serves infants, children and youth (ages 0-21) with a team approach to treatment planning allowing clinicians the flexibility to assess the level and type of services needed. As treatment needs vary over time, services are tailored to fit without interruption. Equally flexible is the location of service: home, school, River Oak clinical sites or community setting to best accommodate the family/care provider. A wide array of treatment interventions, to include multiple evidence-based programs, are used to include individual, family and group therapy.

Requirements

Must have successfully completed twelfth grade (or the equivalent of completing twelfth grade)
PLUS at least one (1) year of responsible work experience
PLUS have lived experience as a parent, guardian, or foster parent of youth who is receiving or has received services from a county system of care (such as county mental health, child welfare, special education, probation systems, etc.)
Must have strong communication, networking, and organizational skills.
Proficient with Outlook, Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
Maintain a variety of online recordkeeping and documentation processes and systems, ensuring all relevant confidentiality and privacy requirements are met

Nice To Haves

Culturally diverse and/or bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply

Responsibilities

Advocate for clients, parents, and family; attend meetings both within and outside the Agency with the parents and/or family to provide support and inform the parents of their rights and options; explain the applicable systems obligations and empower the families to present their desires and needs
Perform home and office visits to build relationships and trust with the family, empower the family to meet goals and objectives, explain assigned program activities, and review current outcomes and efforts; identify family strengths and support the family in identifying focus areas
Assist in the identification of clients and families natural resources, strengths, and needs; assist family and team in locating and utilizing community, Agency, and other resources; make phone calls, network, and research; assist families in determining logistics, scheduling appointments, arranging transportation, and providing other necessary support
Provide information on basic living skills to clients and families; model appropriate skills and behaviors; supply educational material, offer suggestions, and utilize appropriate tools and resources
Prepare thorough documentation and maintain accurate and systematic records in a timely manner.
Meet established billing goals; track productivity levels on a consistent basis; manage self to achieve established productivity goals and modify behaviors accordingly; actively generate billing activities
Provide case management support to team members; monitor documentation tracking system to inform team members of impending documentation deadlines; assist team members with the completion of documentation and provide other administrative support; assist in case file review for compliance
Knowledge of pertinent laws, codes, regulations, and guidelines related to the operation and delivery of a variety of client services to individuals and families with particular emphasis on child welfare system, juvenile justice system, IDEA, special education, and child protection services applicable reporting laws and protocols
Communicate with and elicit information from individuals who may be physically, mentally and/or emotionally impaired or distressed in an effective and non-threatening manner