Family Support Specialist

If you want to make a living by making a difference, join Acenda as an

Family Support Worker

Position Summary:

Family Support Specialists establish trusting relationships with families and provide supportive visitation that is primarily in-home and lasts for at least one hour per visit. Family Support Specialists assist in strengthening the parent-child relationship and provide family-centered and strength-based interventions and activities.

As an integrated health organization Acenda values the use of evidence-based practice or EBP's.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• FSS will outreach families referred through Connecting NJ or a Service Provider.
• FSS will use a standardized screening tool to determine eligibility for home visitation services.
• Interview/conduct the Family Resilience and Opportunities for Growth (FROG) Scale with parents to identify strengths/risk factors to support the family throughout home visitation services.
• Assist in strengthening the parent-child relationship.
• Assist parents in improving their skills to optimize the home environment
• Assist in increasing the family support system and increase the family's ability to problem solve and assume the role of advocating for themselves and their children.
• Responsible for assisting the family in establishing goals and a plan for the accomplishment of those goals. The assessment of the normal growth and development of the target child.
• Identify and refer to other supportive agencies, including healthcare appointments.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Required Skills/Competencies:

• Workplace Code of Conduct and Ethics 
• Interpersonal Communication 
• Collaboration and Teamwork 
• Cultural Competence and Adaptability 
• Screening and Assessment 
• Care Planning and Coordination 
• Systems-Oriented Practice 
• Practice-Based Learning and Quality Improvement 
• Technologically Proficient 
• Must display acceptance of individual differences
• An ability to establish trusting relationships;
• Experience and humility to work with culturally diverse families;
• Willing to engage in building reflective capacity (e.g., capacity for introspection, communicating awareness of self in relation to others, recognizing value of supervision, etc.)
• Flexible availability to include weeknight/weekend hours as needed by Home Visiting families
• Travel throughout New Jersey to obtain required multi-day trainings for the model and/or agency.
• Must be able to exercise independent thinking and good judgment under all circumstances.
• Must be able to analyze work, set goals, develop plans and utilize time effectively and efficiently.

Education, Work Experience and/or Skills Requirements:

• Minimum of a High School Diploma or GED equivalent with two years of experience in working with children (0-3 years of age) and families
• Infant Mental Health Endorsement preferred
• Knowledge of infant and child development
• Knowledge of normal child growth/development and parent-child relationships.
• Experience in working with community agencies, including implementing referral processes.
• Ability to relate to families from a strength-based model even in an apparently chaotic family environment; ability to approach families from a family-centered service model.
• Must have and maintain a valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record

Physical Requirements:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to remain in a stationary position, often standing or sitting for prolonged periods.
• Repeated motions that may include the wrists, hands and/or fingers
• The employee must occasionally move about to accomplish tasks, adjust or move objects up to 20 pounds.
• Must be able to communicate with others to exchange information
• Ability to drive a vehicle

Additional Information: 

• Base Rate: $21.64
• Sign on Blonus: $1,000
• Schedule: Day with some evening hours
• Bilingual Rate: An additional $1.50 per hour bilingual differential added to the base rate if Spanish proficient

What we provide: 

• An Innovative culture that encourages you to grow and learn with the agency 

• Mission-driven core 
• Health, Vision and Dental coverage for you and your family 
• 401(k) with 100% employer match on the first 5% of comp 
• Generous time-off 
• Life Insurance 
• Flexible Spending Accounts 
• Employee Assistance Program 
• Year-end bonuses 

Disclaimer:

This job description may not be inclusive of all assigned duties, responsibilities, or aspects of the job described, and may be amended at any time at the sole discretion of the Employer. The workforce member is expected to adhere to all policies of Acenda.

Department/Program

Healthy Families (HF)