Healthy Families Support Specialist

Full-time, 40 Hours Per Week

FLSA STATUS - Non-Exempt

Healthy Families Support Specialists provide and coordinate home visiting and family support services to high-risk families with children from birth to age 3. You will work in partnership with parents, building trusting, long-term relationships, and connect families with community resources, social service agencies, and health care providers.

Services are designed around the research-based Healthy Families America and Healthy Families Oregon goals: assessing family strengths and needs and referring for additional services, strengthening family functioning, promoting positive parent-child interaction, supporting healthy childhood growth and development, and preparing children for preschool.

WHAT YOU WILL DO:

• Visit families in their homes to teach nurturing parenting skills and positive discipline, reduce family stress, and help parents build problem-solving and coping skills.
• Apply working knowledge of parent-child interaction, child development, and the dynamics of child abuse and neglect.
• Develop individualized family goal plans and administer developmental assessment tools to monitor child development and parent-child interaction.
• Refer families to community agencies, advocate for families, and collaborate with partner agencies.
• Keep accurate, complete, and confidential records, enter data in Healthy Families tracking tools on time, and submit reports to your Supervisor.
• Report and document suspected child abuse and neglect to DHS and your Supervisor within 24 hours.
• Take part in staff meetings, case conferences with your Supervisor, in-service and formal trainings, and community meetings. Represent the program to the public, including presentations as appropriate.
• Work with integrity and commitment to the Healthy Families America model to ensure program fidelity.
• Contribute to a positive, team-oriented culture and complete other duties as assigned.
• Communicate in a professional, respectful and courteous manner with all employees, clients, the Board of Directors, and others with whom we may work.
• Drive a company vehicle in the performance of duties. Driving will be required for travel to client homes, and to perform other essential functions as needed.

Education and experience

• Two years of experience providing direct service or home visiting to at-risk families and children, or a satisfactory equivalent combination of education and related work experience.
• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in a human services related field (such as early childhood education, social work, family studies, or psychology) preferred.
• Infant Mental Health Endorsement Level I or II preferred.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish preferred.
• An equivalent combination of experience and education that demonstrates the required knowledge, skills and abilities required for the position will be considered in lieu of the outlined requirements.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

• Considerable knowledge of infant and child development and of assessment and child progress planning for ages 0-3; knowledge of home visiting practices, family dynamics, the stresses of parenting, and positive discipline techniques.
• Skill in observing, identifying, and recording children's levels of development; skill in adult learning principles; skill in evaluating social service needs of families and linking them to resources; basic computer use.
• Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with children, teens, and adults, and to build trusting relationships with families from diverse cultures.
• Ability to use initiative and sound judgment, work independently and within a team, manage time, multi-task, and keep detailed records and reports.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, solve problems, and stay calm and use good judgment in confrontational or high-pressure situations.
• Stress management and self-care skills, and openness to reflective practice supervision.
• Valid driver's license with a driving record that meets UCAN’s acceptable driving guidelines is required. Driving a company vehicle to client homes is an essential function of the position.
• Must pass criminal background check prior to hire and continuously during employment meet all screening standards as required by the department. Conviction of a crime may not necessarily disqualify an individual from employment.

  Within 30 days of employment, you must:

  • Acquire a first aid card and keep it current.

  • Out of state license holders are required to obtain an Oregon driver's license within 30 days of hire.

Work Schedule and Conditions

• Regular, consistent, on-site attendance during normal business hours is required. Flexible hours may be needed, including occasional evenings and weekends, and travel for out-of-town trainings.
• As a non-exempt position, you may be expected to work varying amounts of overtime during periods of high volume or special projects.
• Daily work includes driving to and from client homes.
• Physical demands include bending, lifting, reaching, walking, carrying, sitting, stooping, standing, and keyboarding, and navigating uneven terrain such as gravel, grass, ramps, and sidewalks. Lifting is typically under 25 pounds, with occasional lifting of 25 pounds or more.
• You may be exposed to dirt, noise, heat, and animals (including dander or other allergens). Work is often performed under somewhat disagreeable conditions.
• Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.