Family Support Specialist

Qualifications: Minimum of high school diploma – Certified Family Support Specialist (CFSS) preferred, or eligible to obtain Tennessee Family Support Specialist Certification (CFSS). Family member or caregiver of child with mental health diagnosis. Personal experience with children’s mental health issues and in navigating child-serving systems. Non-profit organization experience and work history within child serving systems preferred.

Skills & Knowledge Required:

• Knowledge of the service area and of resources for children with mental health issues.
• Knowledge and personal experience with children who have behavioral disorders.
• Knowledge and experience with the juvenile justice, educational, and other child-serving systems.
• Desire to help and support parents of children with SED, with strong customer service skills.
• Commitment to system of care principles, cultural competency & effective team work.
• Excellent communication, organizational, problem-solving/creative thinking skills.
• Established support system and access to resources.
• Basic computer and writing skills.
• Ability to travel, access to reliable transportation and current auto insurance required.
• Access to reliable home internet service required.

Duties & Responsibilities/Principal Activities:

• Assists the family in navigating various child-serving systems and in connecting with resources.
• Provide face-to-face direct services to youth and/or their families in their home or community, on a weekly basis.
• Assists the Care Coordinator in engaging families to secure formal, informal, and natural supports to meet the family’s needs.
• Assists families/caregivers to develop skills that help the child function better in the home, school and community through promoting and modeling system of care.
• Partners with the Care Coordinator in the monthly Child and Family Team Meetings (CFTM), ensuring family voice and choice, youth voice.
• Monitors the progress of the Plan of Care for successes or barriers toward completion of tasks.
• Assists the family in securing medication management, psychological/psychiatric evaluations, IEP/504 meetings, etc if needed.
• Models and teaches effective advocacy skills, provides caregiver active support and regular visits.
• Attend and participate in local and statewide meetings and
• Participate and engage in the local SOCAT team
• Work with the SOCAT-N Community Engagement staff to identify and engage with local community
• Participate in team-based supervision
• Ensure client information is secured consistent with HIPAA requirements.
• Ensure that we conform to CARF standards applicable to the services provided.
• Other duties and/or tasks as assigned.