The Certified Community Behavioral Health Services (CCBHC) Family Peer Support Services are an array of formal and informal activities and supports provided to families caring for/raising a child who is experiencing social, emotional, medical, developmental, substance use, and/or behavioral challenges in their home, school, placement, and/or community. FPSS provides a structured, strength-based relationship between a Family Peer Specialist and the parent/family member/caregiver for the benefit of the child/youth. Services are delivered in a trauma informed, culturally and linguistically competent manner. Family is defined as the primary caregiving unit and is inclusive of the wide diversity of primary caregiving units in our culture. Family is a birth, foster, adoptive, or self-created unit of people residing together, with significant attachment to the individual, consisting of adult(s) and/or child(ren), with adult(s) performing duties of parenthood/caregiving for the child(ren) even if the individual is living outside of the home.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Engagement, Bridging, and Transition Support

Serving as a bridge between families and service providers, supporting a productive and respectful partnership by assisting the families to express their strengths, needs and goals. Based on the strengths and needs of the youth and family, connecting them with appropriate services and support. Accompanying the family when visiting programs. Facilitating meetings between families and service providers. Assisting the family to gather, organize and prepare documents needed for specific services. Addressing any concrete or subjective barriers that may prevent full participation in services Supporting and assisting families during stages of transition which may be unfamiliar (e.g. placements, in crisis, and between service systems etc.). Promoting continuity of engagement and support as families’ needs and services change.

Self-Advocacy, Self-Efficacy, and Empowerment

Coach and model shared decision-making and skills that support collaboration, in addition to providing opportunities for families to self-advocate. Supporting families to advocate on behalf of themselves to promote shared decision-making. Ensuring that family members inform all planning and decision-making. Modeling strengths-based interactions by accentuating the positive. Supporting families in discovering their strengths and concerns. Assist families to identify and set goals and short-term objectives. Preparing families for meetings and accompanying them when needed. Empowering families to express their fears, expectations and anxieties to promote positive effective communication. Assisting families to frame questions to ask providers. Providing opportunities for families to connect to and support one another. Supporting and encouraging family participation in community, regional, state, national activities to develop their leadership skills and expand their circles of support. Providing leadership opportunities for families who are receiving Family Peer Support Services.  Empowering families to make informed decisions regarding the nature of supports for themselves and their child through: Sharing information about resources, services and supports and exploring what might be appropriate for their child and family. Exploring the needs and preferences of the family and locating relevant resources. Helping families understand eligibility rules. Helping families understand the assessment process and identify their child’s strengths, needs and diagnosis.

Parent Skill Development

Supporting the efforts of families in caring for and strengthening their children’s mental, and physical health, development and well-being of their children Helping the family learn and practice strategies to support their child’s positive behavior. Assisting the family to implement strategies recommended by clinicians. Assisting families in talking with clinicians about their comfort with their treatment plans. Providing emotional support for the family on their parenting journey to reduce isolation, feelings of stigma, blame and hopelessness. Providing individual or group parent skill development related to the behavioral and medical health needs of the child (i.e., training on special needs parenting skills). Supporting families as children transition from out of home placement. Assisting families on how to access transportation.  Supporting the parent in their role as their child’s educational advocate by providing information, modeling, coaching in how to build effective partnerships, and exploring educational options with families and school staff.

Community Connections and Natural Supports

Enhancing the quality of life by integration and supports for families in their own communities Helping the family to rediscover and reconnect to natural supports already present in their lives. Utilizing the families’ knowledge of their community in developing new supportive relationships. Helping the family identify and become involved in leisure and recreational activities in their community. In partnership with community leaders, encouraging families who express an interest to become more involved in faith or cultural organizations. Arranging support and training as needed to facilitate participation in community activities. Conducting groups with families to strengthen social skills, decrease isolation, provide emotional support and create opportunities for ongoing natural support. Working collaboratively with schools to promote family engagement

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: 

Ability to work with recipients/residents, families, and staff in a caring and respectful manner, and with due understanding of and consideration for cultural differences. Ability to serve as a role model to residents/recipients. Ability to complete written forms and reports in an accurate and timely manner. Ability to communicate effectively with staff, recipients/residents, families, and the public. Ability to prepare accurate and timely documentation, reports and other written material as assigned. Ability to secure the cooperation of and work effectively with others Ability to work independently, and to conform to all applicable safety and accountability measures Knowledge of how disabilities can adversely affect functioning and ways to cope with or overcome such effects Basic knowledge of mental illness and serious emotional disturbances and substance abuse disorders. Basic knowledge of treatment, rehabilitation, and community support programs as they relate to consumers/residents, families, and staff. Basic knowledge of routine clinical procedures and medications. Basic knowledge of techniques for identifying and preventing potentially violent behavior, including crisis management techniques Ability to read and write at least at a 12th grade level and to follow written and oral instructions Ability to accompany or transport residents (some assignments may require possession of a valid driver's license). Ability to be empathetic and supportive to residents instructing, demonstrating, modeling, and encouraging appropriate behavior and skills

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

Minimum: New York State Credentialed Family Peer Advocate (FPA) or Certified Recovery Peer Advocate with a Family Specialty (CRPA-F). Demonstrate ‘lived experience’ as a parent or primary caregiver who has navigated multiple children serving systems on behalf of their child(ren) with social, emotional, developmental, health and/or behavioral healthcare needs Demonstrate lived experience as a primary caregiver of a youth who has participated in (or navigated) the addiction services system. They provide education, outreach, advocacy and recovery support services for families seeking and sustaining recovery on behalf of a child or youth; or High school diploma or General Equivalency Degree (GED) preferred or a State Education Commencement Credential.