Bilingual Family Support Specialist

Our Parent Company’s Mission

Hope, Health, and Healing for Generations.

CVHF Program Description

Catawba Valley Healthy Families uses the evidence-based Healthy Families America (HFA) model to provide in-home visitation services to overburdened families who are pregnant or parenting a child, ages birth – 5 years and living in Burke, Caldwell, McDowell, Catawba, and Iredell Counties. This service mitigates child maltreatment risks by helping families reduce stress factors and increase protective factors through supportive, regular, home visits over a span of 3-5 years. CVHF is one of many programs offered by Children’s Hope Alliance to strengthen families.

The bilingual Family Support Specialist (FSS) will serve families across the CVHF service area, which includes McDowell, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, and Iredell counties. Based on current program needs, the primary geographic focus of this position will be Burke and McDowell counties, although responsibilities may extend throughout the service area as needed.

The anticipated start date for this position is October 5, 2026.

Job Summary

The Family Support Specialist (FSS) will initiate and maintain intensive, long-term home visitation services to families, beginning during pregnancy or within 3 months of birth. The visits are family-centered, strength-based, and directed at establishing a trusting relationship while honoring diverse family structures and parenting practices. The FSS will develop an individualized plan to ensure all areas of concern are addressed and existing strengths are identified. As the FSS encourages a family to set and achieve their goals, a variety of activities, information, and linkage to resources will be provided to participating families to strengthen the parent-child relationship; promote healthy childhood growth and development; and enhance family well-being.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Service Delivery

• Work as part of a team to engage referred families by scheduling the Family Resilience and Opportunities for Growth (FROG) initial assessment, administer, document, and score the assessment.
• Initiate and maintain regular and long-term contact / support to assigned families through:
• Home visits lasting at least an hour
• Being on call 24/7 to families (mostly entails responding to calls and texts, occasional in-person support may be required between scheduled visits)
• Build trusting relationships by honoring diverse family structures and parenting practices.
• Develop and regularly update an individualized Family Service Plan to guide interventions that address needs identified on the FROG scale and during the course of service.
• Assist each family in setting and achieving meaningful goals.
• Support parents in learning problem-solving and coping skills and how to effectively advocate for their family.
• Provide parent education through use of Partners for a Healthy Baby, Nurturing Program, Growing Great Kids, and other supplemental curricula.
• Employ strategies to strengthen parent-child interactions and promote healthy childhood growth and development through targeted activities, observation, and the parallel process.
• Administer family screens, including intimate partner violence, depression, and child development (ASQ-3 / ASQ-SE); make appropriate referrals if needed.
• Act as a liaison between families and community agencies as needed, stay informed of available local resources that could enhance a family’s well-being.
• Assist families in scheduling and attending doctors’ appointments for pre and postnatal care, well-child checkups, immunizations, and other appointments as appropriate.
• Work as a member of the CVHF team by regularly attending CVHF staff meetings, weekly individual supervision meetings, group parent trainings, occasional community outreach events, other meetings and trainings as required.
• Attend training upon being hired and throughout employment, some of which may require travel and overnight stays, to develop professional skills.
• Perform other duties as required when assigned by supervisor.

Documentation

• Document all contact with families in the Family Wise Database.
• Maintain all paperwork; document required screens, family data, referrals, and other required information in the Family Wise Database and/or the family file.
• Work with supervisor to create and regularly update a Family Service Plan for each family.
• Assist parents in creating a goal plan within 45 days of enrollment, update every 6 months.

Supervision Responsibilities

• None

All employees have the following expectations

• Mission: Contribute to and enhance company mission
• Organization: Prioritize and plan work responsibilities appropriately
• Professional Development: Attend and/or successfully complete all required trainings and meetings
• Timeliness and Accuracy: Perform quality work within given deadlines and expectations with or without direct supervision
• Professionalism: Comply with all applicable policies, practices, and procedures; report all out-of-compliance and unsafe activities to supervisor; interact professionally with other employees, volunteers, families, children, and the community
• Teamwork: Serve effectively as a team contributor on all assignments
• Communication: Utilize effective communication skills both verbally and in writing; provide effective feedback and is receptive to feedback
• Leadership: Work independently while understanding the necessity for communicating and coordinating work efforts with other appropriate individuals
• Cultural Competence: Is sensitive to the cultural, ethnic and religious views of the children and families served, and in community and public contact.

Children’s Hope Alliance is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace and providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.