Family Peer Support Service Provider

New York, Consultant/Contractor

Position Summary and Responsibilities: The Family Peer Support Service Provider works directly under the Community Based Services Provider Supervisor (CBSPS). Family Peer Support Services (FPSS) are an array of formal and informal activities and supports provide by families caring for/raising a child/youth who is experiencing social, emotional, medical, developmental, substance use, and/or behavioral challenges in their home, school, placement, and/or community. FPSS provide a structured, strength-based relationship between a Family Peer Advocate (FPA) and the parent/family member/caregiver for the benefit of the child/youth.  

 

The need for FPSS must be determined by a Licensed Practitioner of the Health Arts (LPHA) and included within the treatment plan. FPSS activities must be intended to develop and achieve the identified goals and/or objectives as set forth in the youth’s individualized treatment plan. 

 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Service components include:

Engagement, Bridging, and Transition Support:

  • Serving as a bridge between families and service providers, supporting a productive and respectful partnership by assisting the families to express their strengths, needs and goals.
  • Based on the strengths and needs of the child/youth and family, connecting them with appropriate services and supports. Accompanying the family when visiting programs.
  • Facilitating meetings between families and service providers.
  • Assisting the family to gather, organize and prepare documents needed for specific services.
  •  Addressing any concrete or subjective barriers that may prevent full participation in services.
  • Supporting and assisting families during stages of transition which may be unfamiliar (e.g., placements, in crisis, and between service systems etc.).
  • Promoting continuity of engagement and supports as families’ needs and services change.

Self-Advocacy, Self-Efficacy, and Empowerment:

  • Coach and model shared decision-making and skills that support collaboration, in addition to providing opportunities for families to self-advocate.
  • Supporting families to advocate on behalf of themselves to promote shared decision-making.
  • Ensuring that family members inform all planning and decision-making.
  • Modeling strengths-based interactions by accentuating the positive
  • Supporting the families in discovering their strengths and concerns. Assist families to identify and set goals and short-term objectives.
  • Preparing families for meetings and accompany them when needed.
  • Empowering families to express their fears, expectations, and anxieties to promote positive effective communication.
  • Assisting families to frame questions to ask providers
  • Providing opportunities for families to connect to and support one another
  • Supporting and encouraging family participation in community, regional, state, national activities to develop their leadership skills and expand their circles of support.
  • Providing leadership opportunities for families who are receiving Family Peer Support Services.
  • Empowering families to make informed decisions regarding the nature of supports for themselves and their child/youth through:
  • Sharing information about resources, services, and supports and exploring what might be appropriate for their child/youth and family.
  • Exploring the needs and preferences of the family and locating relevant resources.
  • Helping families understand eligibility rules.
  • Helping families understand the assessment process and identify their child/youth’s strengths, needs and diagnosis.

Parent Skill Development:

  • Supporting the efforts of families in caring for and strengthening their child/youth’s mental, and physical health, development, and well-being of their child/youth.
  • Helping the family learn and practice strategies to support their child/youth’s positive behavior.
  • Assisting the family to implement strategies recommended by clinicians.
  • Assisting families in talking with clinicians about their comfort with their treatment plans.
  • Providing emotional support for the family on their parenting journey to reduce isolation, feelings of stigma, blame and hopelessness.
  • Providing individual or group parent skill development related to the behavioral and medical health needs of the child/youth (i.e., training on special needs parenting skills).
  • Supporting families as their child/youth transition from out of home placement.
  • Assisting families on how to access transportation.
  • Supporting the parent in their role as their child/youth’s educational advocate by providing information, modeling, coaching in how to build effective partnerships, and exploring educational options with families and school staff.

Community Connections and Natural Supports:

  • Enhancing the quality of life by integration and supports for families in their own communities
  • Helping the family to rediscover and reconnect to natural supports already present in their lives.
  • Utilizing the families’ knowledge of their community in developing new supportive relationships.
  • Helping the family identify and become involved in leisure and recreational activities in their community
  • In partnership with community leaders, encouraging families who express an interest to become more involved in faith or cultural organizations.
  • Arranging support and training as needed to facilitate participation in community activities.
  • Conducting groups with families to strengthen social skills, decrease isolation, provide emotional support, and create opportunities for ongoing natural support.
  • Working collaboratively with schools to promote family engagement.

Services are delivered in a trauma informed, culturally, and linguistically competent manner.

Initial treatment plans are due within 30 days of the first face-to-face service and every 6 months thereafter) including obtaining medical consenter signatures at the initial session following the approval of such documentation.

Obtaining consents and enrollment documents for newly enrolled members at the initial session and scanning documents into the Electronic Health Record.

Attend monthly waiver service provider meetings and individual supervision to stay current on practices and protocols.

Submit progress notes, treatment plans, and service provider logs within set forth-required timeframes. It is the responsibility of the provider to maintain necessary technology (phone, internet, timely computer access, and video camera) to perform job requirement functions of documentation, coordinating, treatment planning and billing.

Report incident(s) to supervisor upon discovery.

Maintain open communication with other service providers (e.g., Care Manager, other services providers, and Supervisory Team) to report on member’s progress, identify any potential barriers and referrals, and to support the overall health and wellbeing of the member and family.

Check emails daily and respond to emails from Care Managers, Supervisors, and other team members within 24-48 hours.

Ensure service delivery as outlined in Treatment Plan.

 Setting of Service Provision:

  1. FPSS can be provided in the home of the member or in a community setting.
  2. FPSS is directed to the Family/Caregiver for the benefit of the child/youth.
  3. FPSS can also be provided with a collateral contact with or without the child/youth or family present.
  4. FPSS may be delivered in a group setting, however, cannot exceed 12 individuals.

 

Essential Skills, Experience, Licensure, Certification:

 

Qualifications:  

  • Must retain a Family Peer Advocate Professional Credential or a Certified Recovery Peer Advocate with a Family Specialty (CRPA-F).

 

Relationships with Others

  1. Maintains a strength-based approach in working with children/youth and families. 
  2. Accepts and applies constructive feedback from supervisors to enhance the quality-of-service delivery.
  3. Be a team player
  4. Have a strong sensitivity to cultural differences present among staff and clients within our organization.
  5. Possess a strong belief in people’s ability to grow and change; forge a mutually respectful partnership with persons served and their families.
  6. Ability to set limits and maintain the helping role of practitioner and to intervene appropriately.

Training Requirements:  

  • Mandated Reporter Training
  • Electronic Health Record (EHR) Training

 

The above job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position.

 

CCF is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

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