Family Specialist/Parent Partner

NFI Massachusetts Inc., a non-profit human services agency, is currently seeking a Family Specialist/Parent Partner for our Intensive Residential Treatment Program located in Worcester, MA.

The IRTP's are short-term locked facilities serving male and female youth who are referred through the Department of Mental Health (DMH).

The Family Specialist/Parent Partner ensures that family members/guardians are incorporated fully in treatment planning and implementation, have their perspectives represented and that they are actively engaged in program and policy development and improvement activities.

Hourly Rate: $24 - $27

Job Responsibilities:

• Via coaching, role modeling and teaching, leverage lived experiences to engage, build rapport with and reassure families who are newly involved.
• Conduct outreach activities for newly involved families.
• Attend pre-admission meetings for incoming families; attend intake meetings as needed for parent/family support.
• Assist families in self-advocacy, filling out applications, identifying community resources, identifying formal and natural supports, communication with providers including schools.
• Assist families to develop parenting skills by helping parent or caregiver establish rules/limit setting/natural consequences and to support parents in implementing.
• Review different options of implementing allowance/rewards to help engage child/teen. 
• Develop, coordinate and facilitate a Parent Support Group with regularly scheduled meetings and activities.
• Review program policy and language to insure the family’s perspective is represented.
• Participate in treatment team and transitional planning meetings.
• Actively engage family members in the development and implementation of the overall service plan.
• Follow up with families post-discharge.
• Participate in weekly program and staff meetings.
• Determine best engagement strategy for each family based on their strengths, needs and preferences. Work to remove obstacles to engagement.

Job Requirements:

• Passion for working with families, drive and determination.
• Ability to schedule flexibly to meet with families around their schedule.
• Lived experience as a parent of a child who is/has been involved with the social service system via any state agency.
• Must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.
• High energy level, superior interpersonal skills and ability to function in a team atmosphere.
• Good communication skills.
• Must hold a valid driver’s license and have access to a reliable vehicle.
• Must possess excellent vision and hearing, and the ability to read and speak English.