Career

Family support specialists provide services to individuals and families to improve their lives. The Family Services Specialists serves caregivers of older adults, veterans, persons 18 years of age and over with disabilities and older relatives caring for children under 18 years of age by providing information and assistance through direct service, referrals, options counseling, and community educational sessions. The Family Services Specialist assesses individual capacities and resources link them to appropriate supportive services, and provides follow-up support and advocacy.

Position Responsibilities: The Family Services Specialist provides information and assistance to caregivers via phone, one-on-one meetings, electronic communication, and public education sessions to link them with available supports and services in their community.
Duties

• Family support specialists provide services to families in crisis.

• Conduct intake interviews with members of a family to determine the areas that require support

• Keep detailed case notes for internal review

• Document and record statistics & demographic information for service programs

• Prepare reports for state agencies.

• Provide referrals to other agency support programs

• Maintain knowledge of support programs by attending training seminars and workshops.

ESSENTIAL POSITION FUNCTIONS

• Collaborate with consumers (and staff) assessing their needs, develop treatment goals, objectives, methodologies, timelines, and evaluate progress toward goals.

• Conduct services that are sensitive with respect to each participant’s family culture, ethnic origin, race, language, gender, age, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, mental and/or physical challenges.

• Locate, obtain, and coordinate services. Within and outside ACCOA

• Provide supportive services to the consumer and his/her family.

• Provide crisis intervention services when appropriate.

• Facilitate consumer’s benefits (e.g. SSI, Medicaid, MI Bridges, Medicare).

• Demonstrate the ability to critically think about how to link and refer families with needed community resources and support.

• Utilize outlook/google calendar to submit a weekly schedule to the supervisor which outlines scheduled appointments for the week. The schedule must include the family name and current address and telephone number.

• Completes intake documentation within 24 hours, progress notes within 48 hours.

• Carry a cell phone at all times and must respond to all work-related calls within 60 minutes of receiving a voicemail message and must read and respond to emails daily.

• Attends all agency and program required training

• Coordinates services in a professional manner when collaborating with other service providers in order to maintain good working relationships in the community.

• Abides by the agency policy on confidentiality and at all times and respects the integrity and confidentiality of the family.

• Performs other related duties as required and assigned by supervisor and/or executive management.

Knowledge

(1) Knowledge about aging and disabilities (2) Knowledge of community resources (public and private)- what they are, how to access, eligibility criteria and how to seek out resources (databases, websites, networking (3) Knowledge of government programs (i.e. Medicaid, Waivers, Medicare).

Essential Skills

(1) Written and verbal communication skills – writing action plans; skills in active listening, motivational interviewing, and presenting information clearly to consumers.

(2) Ability to facilitate family meetings – empowering participants to take part in planning, ability to model consumer direction, and decision support.

(3) Assessment skills – gathering information in support of Options Counseling – Assess needs, values, preferences, strengths, challenges, opportunities, ability to ask open-ended/ probing questions.

(4) Critical Thinking/Judgement – Determine whether Options Counseling is needed, whether to hold a family meeting, which resources are appropriate, whether consumers and support persons are able to follow through on action plans, when to follow up, and when services beyond Options Counseling are needed.

(5) Observational skills – determine through observation consumer capabilities, living environment, and strengths.

(6) Input information directly into the database during the phone consultation.

(7) Detail-oriented.

(8) Cultural Competent/Non-judgmental.

(9) Organizational and Time Management skills – multi-task and prioritize time effectively.

(10) Independent problem-solving.

Essential Abilities

(1) Positive Attitude (2) Adaptive and Flexible

Required Qualifications

(1) Bachelor’s degree in a human services field; or

(2) Associate’s degree in human services and two years of employment in the information and referral positions. or

(3) Non-Degree hires Must become certified as a Community Health Worker within 12 months of employment.

Preferred:

• Bachelor’s degree in a human services field

• Bachelor’s degree and two years of experience working in the areas of aging, disabilities, community health or hospital discharge planning; OR

• Associate’s degree and four years of experience working in the areas of aging, disabilities, community health or hospital discharge planning;

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Salary: $12.00 to $15.00 /hour

Job Description

Family support specialists provide services to individuals and families to improve their lives. The Family Services Specialists serves caregivers of older adults, veterans, persons 18 years of age and over with disabilities and older relatives caring for children under 18 years of age by providing information and assistance through direct service, referrals, options counseling, and community educational sessions. The Family Services Specialist assesses individual capacities and resources, links them to appropriate supportive services, and provides follow-up support and advocacy.

Position Responsibilities:
The Family Services Specialist provides information and assistance to caregivers via phone, one-on-one meetings, electronic communication, and public education sessions to link them with available supports and services in their community.

Duties
Family support specialists provide services to families in crisis.
Conduct intake interviews with members of a family to determine the areas that require support
Keep detailed case notes for internal review
Document and record statistics & demographic information for service programs
Prepare reports for state agencies.
Provide referrals to other agency support programs
Maintain knowledge of support programs by attending training seminars and workshops.

ESSENTIAL POSITION FUNCTIONS
Collaborate with consumers (and staff) assessing their needs, develop treatment goals, objectives, methodologies, timelines, and evaluate progress toward goals.
Conduct services that are sensitive with respect to each participant’s family culture, ethnic origin, race, language, gender, age, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, mental and/or physical challenges.
Locate, obtain, and coordinate services. Within and outside ACCOA
Provide supportive services to the consumer and his/her family.
Provide crisis intervention services when appropriate.
Facilitate consumer’s benefits (e.g. SSI, Medicaid, MI Bridges, Medicare).
Demonstrate the ability to critically think about how to link and refer families with needed community resources and support.
Utilize outlook/google calendar to submit a weekly schedule to the supervisor which outlines scheduled appointments for the week. The schedule must include the family name and current address and telephone number.
Completes intake documentation within 24 hours, progress notes within 48 hours.
Carry a cell phone at all times and must respond to all work-related calls within 60 minutes of receiving a voicemail message and must read and respond to emails daily.
Attends all agency and program required training
Coordinates services in a professional manner when collaborating with other service providers in order to maintain good working relationships in the community.
Abides by the agency policy on confidentiality and at all times and respects the integrity and confidentiality of the family.
Performs other related duties as required and assigned by supervisor and/or executive management.

Knowledge
(1) Knowledge about aging and disabilities (2) Knowledge of community resources (public and private)- what they are, how to access, eligibility criteria and how to seek out resources (databases, websites, networking (3) Knowledge of government programs (i.e. Medicaid, Waivers, Medicare).

Essential Skills
(1) Written and verbal communication skills – writing action plans; skills in active listening, motivational interviewing, and presenting information clearly to consumers.
(2) Ability to facilitate family meetings – empowering participants to take part in planning, ability to model consumer direction, and decision support.
(3) Assessment skills – gathering information in support of Options Counseling – Assess needs, values, preferences, strengths, challenges, opportunities, ability to ask open-ended/ probing questions.
(4) Critical Thinking/Judgement – Determine whether Options Counseling is needed, whether to hold a family meeting, which resources are appropriate, whether consumers and support persons are able to follow through on action plans, when to follow up, and when services beyond Options Counseling are needed.
(5) Observational skills – determine through observation consumer capabilities, living environment, and strengths.
(6) Input information directly into the database during the phone consultation.
(7) Detail-oriented.
(8) Cultural Competent/Non-judgmental.
(9) Organizational and Time Management skills – multi-task and prioritize time effectively.
(10) Independent problem-solving.

Essential Abilities
(1) Positive Attitude (2) Adaptive and Flexible

Required Qualifications
(1) Bachelor’s degree in a human services field; or
(2) Associate’s degree in human services and two years of employment in information and referral positions. or
(3) Must become certified as a Community Health Worker within 12 months of employment.

Preferred:
Bachelor’s degree in a human services field
Bachelor’s degree and two years of experience working in the areas of aging, disabilities, community health or hospital discharge planning; OR
Associate’s degree and four years of experience working in the areas of aging, disabilities, community health or hospital discharge planning;

Responsibilities:

• Help pack Home Delivered Meals. Check Delivery list, count meals and ensure they match list
• Keep vehicles clean and well maintained
• Wipe down and disinfect all interior services of oven/refrigerator unit daily
• If coolers or other delivery containers are used, disinfect these units after each delivery run
• Drive in a safe manner, obey all traffic rules.
• Deliver meals and any information (handouts, etc.)
• Insure you sign your home-delivered meal sheets
• Take pride in our work, enjoy and SMILE!!!

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must be mature individual
• Minimum high school education
• Valid driver’s license
• Reliable transportation with insurance
• No felony convictions (State Police Background Check)
• Experience preferred but not required
• Must possess a genuine interest and concern in working with senior citizens and have a confidential and tactful nature.

Principle Requirements.

• Must maintain the confidentiality of clients
• Must have good communication skills
• Must be friendly, polite and smile!
• Must wear ACCOA identification badge

Job Types: Part-time, Temporary

Salary: $9.25 to $11.00 /hour