Family Support Specialist

Access Services is hiring an empathetic and motivated Family Support Specialist for the Bucks County LIFE program who will serve families across Bucks County, and be based out of our office in Warminster, PA. As a Family Support Specialist, you are a parent or caregiver of a child who has received services for behavioural health challenges, intellectual or developmental disabilities within Bucks County. Because of your lived experience, you will be a trusted support to families helping to maintain their own wellbeing as they support their children, find and navigate the resources and services available to their children in Bucks County. You will empower families to successfully partner with the agencies and school systems supporting their child in a team environment. In addition, you will help facilitate support groups and training.

The Family Support Specialist will participate in county and program initiatives, outreach, and meetings. You may partner with the Director of Bucks LIFE, Administrative Case Manager or Certified Peer Specialist in order to provide direct family training and support and create a team environment.

Work Schedule: Full Time, 40 hours per week, M-F with occasional evenings and weekends for urgent support needs and/or events. Flexible schedule established to meet the needs of families receiving support. This job requires travel across Bucks County to meet with families in person to support their needs, with mileage reimbursement for travel between appointments while on the job.

Key Responsibilities of the Family Support Specialist:

• Help navigate all barriers, including cultural, access and understanding of Bucks County systems of care for children with additional needs.
• Provide essential parent support and mentoring, acting as professional staff liaison between parents and the child serving systems.
• Share parenting experiences/skills through individual support and training about what works and what does not work in parenting special needs children and navigating the systems of care.
• Support children and their families through phone contact, digital technology, and direct service.
• Participate and accompany families to plan care meetings, team meetings, school meetings and other appointments as needed.
• Facilitate groups and parent training, and special projects for family voice and community outreach.
• Assist families to navigate systems that meet their needs and/or their children's needs, and maintain excellent documentation using an electronic health record.
• Support families with unique needs such as co-parenting through divorce, transition age family dynamics, grandparents as parents, mental health and wellbeing supports.
• Work with county offices of Children and Youth, Juvenile Justice, Mental Health and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities and other collaborative agencies to offer support and continuity of care.
• Travel during the course of a normal workday to attend offsite meetings, provide services in the community.

Requirements and Qualifications of the Family Support Specialist:

• Education: High school diploma or GED required.
• Certification: Parent Support certification preferred.
• Experience: Experience as parent/family member/caregiver of a child with behavioural health challenges, intellectual or developmental disabilities, and involvement in Bucks County services required. Experience working with diverse populations and providing culturally sensitive services is required.
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Excellent organisational skills, and excellent oral/written communication skills. Knowledge of various disabilities. Ability to develop positive and creative programmatic goals. Flexible and adaptable when meeting the needs of the people served and the needs of Bucks County LIFE program. Ability to work as part of a team. Proficiency in, or ability to learn and use an electronic health record, workplace applications, platforms, and technologies.

Essential Working Responsibilities: Work in a standard office environment. Utilize desktop computer equipment on a daily basis. Able to lift or move items associated with sedentary work and light work (exert up to 20 lbs.). Travel to offsite locations and regional office locations if necessary.

Compensation: Pay: $20/hourly, full time. Our full-time comprehensive benefits package includes: Health, Vision, Rx, & Dental insurances, HSA/FSA, 401k program. Tuition Reimbursement Program. 20 days PTO (vacation/sick), 7 paid holidays, 2 floating holidays. Mileage/Toll Reimbursement, paid travel time between worksites. Life Insurance, Short/Long Term Disability, Catastrophic Sick Leave, Paid Parental Leave. Employee Assistance Program (telehealth/in person). Referral Bonuses up to $750 per hire. College tuition discounts, Credit Union perks, retail discount.

Access Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer.