Healthy Families Livingston Home Visitor (Part-time)

Family Support Specialist/Family Resource Specialist (Dual Role)

At LACASA, the spirit of diversity, equity and inclusion are infused in all our activities, behaviors and communications inside and outside the walls of LACASA. From the educational programs we develop and the shelter we operate—to our employee benefits/programs and social impact outreach initiatives—we believe that opportunity, access, resources, and rewards should be available to and for the benefit of all. LACASA is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and workplace.

POSITION OVERVIEW

LACASA has an immediate opening for a dedicated Healthy Families Livingston Home Visitor with dual responsibilities as a Family Support Specialist and Family Resource Specialist. The chosen candidate will be passionate about our mission and enthusiastic about creating healthy and productive environments for at risk families.

Under the supervision of the Healthy Families Livingston (HFL) Program Manager and the HFL Supervisor, the Family Resource Specialist (FRS) reaches out to program referrals, implements the Family Resilience and Opportunities for Growth (FROG) risk assessment tool to evaluate eligibility for the HFL program, and works with the HFL Supervisor and/or Program Manager to assign eligible families to a home visitor. The Family Support Specialist (FSS) uses home visits to optimize the home and family environment for the physical, emotional and intellectual well-being of children who are at risk of being abused or neglected. They enhance family functioning by providing education and support to prenatal women and families with newborns and young children up to age 5, strengthening the parent-child relationship, improving parenting skills, promoting self-sufficiency through resource development, and teaching problem solving skills.

QUALIFICATIONS: A Bachelor’s Degree in a human service field is preferred, however, a minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent, plus relevant experience will be considered. Experience working with or providing services to at-risk families with children 0-5, child development and child abuse and neglect prevention is preferred. An ability to establish trusting relationships, acceptance of individual differences, experience and humility to work with culturally diverse families, and knowledge of infant and child development are required. Must be 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.). Infant mental health endorsement preferred.

RESPONSIBILITIES WILL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:

Family Resource Specialist:

• Complete LACASA orientation training, Healthy Families America core training, Healthy Families America FROG survey training, Healthy Families America wrap-around trainings, and ongoing annual trainings including cultural competency training and child abuse and neglect training
• Contact referred individuals to explain the Healthy Families Livingston program and set up time to complete the FROG
• Follow up with families as needed and track contacts and attempted contacts
• Administer the FROG survey to fidelity
• Evaluate and score FROG responses to determine eligibility for the program
• In consultation with the Program Manager and/or Supervisor, assign a FSS to families who are eligible and accept services.
• Enter documentation into the MIHVOL database in an accurate and timely manner
• Meet with supervisor weekly to discuss experiences, challenges, and outcomes of administering the FROG
• Participate in team meetings, family activity groups, community events, and other meetings and events as required.
• Build relationships with community referral partners and identify and complete outreach to potential referral partners
• Perform other related duties as assigned by Supervisor, Program Manager, or Vice President of Adult Services

Family Support Specialist:

• Complete LACASA orientation training, Healthy Families America core training, Healthy Families America wrap-around trainings, and ongoing annual trainings including cultural competency training and child abuse and neglect training.
• Establish a trusting relationship with participating HFL families by providing regular contact with the family through weekly home visits and other appropriate support based on the Healthy Families America model.
• Apply working knowledge of prenatal development, child development, and the dynamics of child abuse and neglect to help families improve parent-child interactions and parenting skills, reduce family stress and meet basic family needs.
• Promote healthy family relationships and healthy family environments. Help parents learn problem-solving and coping skills and to develop a family support system.
• Work with families to develop a Family Goal Plan (FGP) with goals, objectives and activities to meet individual family needs. Teach families to use the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ & ASQ-SE) child development assessments.
• Administer other inventories and assessment tools as required by funders. Record observations, activities and family assessments from home visits. Monitor and submit family and program data as required.
• Refer families to appropriate community agencies and act as a liaison as needed. Assist parents in scheduling appointments for doctors, social service agencies, etc. and encourage their keeping appointments.
• Observe families for indicators of child abuse and neglect. Contact supervisor immediately with suspicion of child abuse and neglect and report to Child Protective Services.
• Assist families to complete and submit applications for services and assistance.
• Meet with supervisor weekly to discuss strengths and needs of families, review Family Goal Plans (FGPs) and family assessments, and consider service level changes as appropriate.
• Participate in team meetings, family activity groups, community events, and other meetings and events as required.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by Supervisor, Program Manager, or Vice President of Adult Services.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Protect client/family confidentiality at all times
• Participate in and prepare for various audits and reports as requested
• Behave in a manner consistent with LACASA Philosophies, Standards of Conduct and LACASA Staff Handbook
• Attend and participate in all meetings as required
• Maintain a safe environment for employees, clients and the community
• Navigate various terrains to enter program participants’ homes, for example traverse from car to entry across uneven ground, ascending/descending stairs, etc.
• Effectively interact with parent and child in order to demonstrate positive parent child interactions. This may include being eye level with child in a home for playtime or tummy time, holding home visits at outside playgrounds, and working in the varied environments of participant homes.
• Perform all other duties as assigned

Schedule: Regular Part-time/Non-Exempt Employee
Supervisor: Healthy Families Program Manager

It is the policy of LACASA to afford equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, veteran status, height, weight, and disability.

If you meet or exceed these qualifications, we invite you to send your resume and cover letter to hr@lacasacenter.org for consideration.

LACASA is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer & Workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, pregnancy status, ethnicity, national origin, age, citizenship status, marital status, physical or mental disability, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation and/or Veteran status. LACASA is a 501(c)3 organization.