Wraparound Youth Family Specialist -Partner Role

HELPLINE YOUTH COUNSELING•Norwalk, CA

2d•$28 - $28•Hybrid

About The Position

Helpline Youth Counseling (HYC), a nonprofit agency, has been providing youth services in Southeast Los Angeles County since 1971. Its primary purpose is to offer therapeutic counseling and assistance to at-risk, low-income children, youth, and their families. The mission of HYC is to help build individual, family, and community health, well-being, prosperity, and equity by serving clients and community members with trauma-informed, strength-based, person-centered prevention, early intervention, education, and treatment services. The Wraparound Family Specialist / Youth Partner is a key member of the HYC Wraparound team, providing strength-based, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive support to both caregivers and youth. This role integrates the essential duties traditionally performed separately by a Parent Partner and Youth Partner in the California Wraparound model. The primary purpose of this role is to strengthen family functioning and interpersonal communication, support youth in developing emotional regulation, advocacy skills, and resilience, ensure that the family’s voice, culture, and preferences guide the Child and Family Team (CFT) process, help families navigate systems such as schools, mental health, DCFS, and probation, and community resources, provide coaching and emotional support in natural environments (home, school, community), and build long-term stability through natural supports, empowerment, and skill-building. This role is unique as it combines both caregiver advocacy and youth empowerment into one integrated support role, emphasizing lived experience, empathy, and authentic connection as core tools for engagement. It supports families across various environments—including home, school, and community settings, helps youth prepare for and participate in CFT meetings, encouraging self-advocacy and goal-setting, reinforces healthy communication, coping strategies, and emotional regulation through modeling, represents, elevates, and protects family voice and youth voice simultaneously within the Wraparound team, encourages creativity, flexibility, and personalized interventions to meet each family’s needs, and functions as a bridge between caregivers, youth, and professionals to reduce conflict and increase clarity.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, Child Development, Human Services, or related field OR equivalent direct experience working with youth and families.
Experience supporting families involved with child welfare, probation, or behavioral health systems.
Lived experience navigating these systems is highly valued and strongly encouraged.
Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.
Valid California driver’s license, reliable vehicle, and active auto insurance.
Ability to work in community settings, homes, and schools.
Ability to work flexible hours (some evenings or weekends may be required).
Ability to complete timely documentation per HYC and Medi-Cal standards.
Ability to pass required background clearances.
Willingness to participate in ongoing training, supervision, and professional development.

Nice To Haves

Lived experience navigating these systems is highly valued and strongly encouraged.
Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.

Responsibilities

Build trusting, culturally respectful relationships with caregivers and youth.
Support caregivers with parenting strategies, emotional regulation, and communication techniques.
Help families identify strengths, needs, and natural supports.
Provide emotional support, validation, and consistent follow-through.
Mentor youth on decision-making, communication, coping, and life skills.
Assist youth in regulating emotions and completing tasks.
Encourage participation in prosocial activities and goal-driven actions.
Help youth prepare for CFT meetings and express their needs independently.
Provide trauma-informed coaching in real-life settings.
Support youth and families in identifying triggers and practicing coping strategies.
Model healthy responses, emotional regulation, and conflict-resolution strategies.
Assist in stabilizing emotional or behavioral escalations when appropriate.
Participate in all CFT meetings and team collaborative discussions.
Communicate daily with THPs, facilitators, and program managers regarding client needs.
Offer observations and feedback that help inform individualized care planning.
Assist families with system navigation (schools, mental health, community resources).
Support completion and implementation of crisis and safety plans.
Help families practice de-escalation strategies and grounding techniques.
Reinforce stability and emotional safety during high-stress moments.
Assist families with follow-up tasks related to crisis prevention.
Assist families in accessing community resources, benefits, and supports (mental health, education, housing, etc.).
Help youth and caregivers advocate for their needs in school, DCFS, probation, and other systems.
Support the development of long-term natural support networks.
Encourage empowerment, confidence, and independence.
Complete timely, accurate progress notes that meet HYC, Medi-Cal, and Wraparound standards.
Assist in ongoing data collection, outcome tracking, and quarterly reporting requirements.
Adhere to confidentiality laws, agency policies, and ethical boundaries.
Participate in staff meetings, trainings, and supervision.