Family Support Specialist - Alexandria, United States - NVFS Company

Description

** Family Support Specialist (serving Healthy Families clients in Arlington)**

**Job Category****:** Healthy Families Program **Requisition Number****:** BILIN001642 Showing 1 location **Job Details**

**Description**

Part of the nationwide Healthy Families America initiative of Prevent Child Abuse America, Healthy Families of Northern Virginia Family Service (NVFS) offers comprehensive support and guidance, through home visitation, to new and expectant parents. The mission of Healthy Families is to promote healthy prenatal outcomes, enhance the development of very young children, and promote healthy family functioning. This role will be serving families from underrepresented backgrounds.

The Family Support Specialist (FSS) initiates and maintains regular contact with families, primarily in their homes. The FSS is skilled at establishing and maintaining trusting relationships and ensures the highest levels of service delivery to clients in accordance with Healthy Families America Best Practice Standards. This position requires the applicant to be available up to 2 evenings per week until 8 PM and occasional weekends.

***Pay: Mid to Upper 30's***

In conjunction with our commitment to public safety and the requirements of many contracts, NVFS has implemented a COVID-19 Vaccination Policy which requires all employees to be fully vaccinated with an approved COVID-19 vaccination in accordance with applicable law. Medical or religious accommodations may be requested.

**Essential Job Duties:** *To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with known disabilities to perform the essential functions.*

Conduct client home visits on a regularly assigned schedule with the goal of establishing trusting relationships in accordance with Healthy Families America Best Practice Standards.

Prepare appropriate activities for home visits using approved evidence-based curriculum and other supplemental materials.

Prepare appropriate activities and facilitate group socialization experiences and field trips for families.

Provide appropriate parenting modeling, education, and other supportive services as outlined in the Healthy Families America Best Practice Standards.

Conduct developmental screening and evaluations using instruments such as ASQ-3, ASQ-SE-2, PHQ-9 Depression Screens, and CHEERS Check-in with families.

Make referrals to other services as needed and work with other community providers to provide collaborative services to clients.

As needed, use bilingual skills to facilitate communication between participant families and other program staff, providers, and/or partners.

Prepare documentation and maintain client files in accordance with program requirements and NVFS guidelines.

Enter data for record keeping and reporting to meet federal/state/program guidelines.

Participate in regular supervision with Program Supervisor, providing regular updates and preparing case presentations.

Maintain current own level of knowledge on program software and other information on early childhood programs.

**Qualification and Additional Requirements:** *To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.*

Experience working with or providing services to children (aged 0-3 years) and families. This may include volunteering, internships, and/or personal lived experiences.

**Oral and written fluency in English required.** Bilingual language fluency in Arabic and/or Amharic Preferred. Additional language skills always welcome.

Knowledge of infant and child development.

Experience and humility to work with the culturally diverse populations present among the programs target population.

High School graduate or GED; college coursework preferred.

Infant Mental Health endorsement preferred.

Must be willing and able to provide services in accordance with Healthy Families America Best Practice Standards.

Ability to establish trusting relationships with an acceptance of individual differences.

Willing to engage in building reflective capacity (i.e., has the capacity for introspection, communicates awareness of self in relation to others, and recognizes the value of supervision).

Proficiency in usage of basic technological tools including laptops/computers, email, phones, and internet required. Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite required.

Must be able to demonstrate and live the organizational values of Communication, Integrity, Respect, Collaboration, and Accountability.

Successful completion of a Motor Vehicle Record check required upon hire.

Must have reliable transportation to conduct client home visits, make regular deliveries to client homes and visit other designated community locations.

Within a 37.5 hour workweek, needs to have the flexibility to make evening and/or early morning home visits two days per week in order to accommodate clients schedules. Occasional weekend work required.

Must be able to lift up to 10 pounds.

Must be comfortable with varying home conditions, being around sick children/adults and being around pets/animals/other items in homes.

Successful completion of background checks required upon hire.

At Northern Virginia Family Service (NVFS), we value the diversity of backgrounds, experience, perspectives, and skillsets that we collectively provide to our community, clients and coworkers. We celebrate and thrive on our differences and welcome everyones unique contributions. **NVFS is committed to advancing equity, embracing diversity, and promoting inclusion and is an equal opportunity employer.** NVFS is an E-Verify participant and drug-free workplace.

NVFS values diversity in our workforce. We strongly encourage all interested individuals to apply, including people of color, all genders and gender identities, people of all abilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, other members of marginalized communities, veterans and national service alumni.

**Qualifications**

**Skills**

**Required**

**Language-Spanish** *Advanced* **Computer-Microsoft Office Suite** *Advanced* **Behaviors**

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**Motivations**

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**Education**

**Required**

High School or better.

**Experience**

**Required**

Experience working with or providing services to children (aged 0-3 years) and families. This may include volunteering, internships, and/or personal lived experiences.

**Licenses & Certifications**