Parent Support Specialist

Job Title: Parent Support Specialist / Therapist

Job Purpose: Partners directly with families to help reduce the likelihood of initial or repeat involvement with the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Provides parent education and short-term parent support for families needing additional support with parenting needs.

To counsel individuals, families and groups, including those who are victims of the crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse, concerning their interpersonal as well as personal needs and problems in an effort to strengthen and value families in our communities.

Experience and Knowledge

• Licensure or pursuing licensure as LPC or LMFT
• Flexibility to work non-traditional business hours
• Knowledge of community, job, financial, and social resources
• Trust-Based Relational Intervention and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) training preferred
• Demonstrates ability to partner with families using a strengths-based approach
• Demonstrates understanding of protective factors that promote child wellbeing, individual and community level trauma and its impact, best practices in preventing child abuse and neglect, and disparities and disproportionalities in public systems.
• Preference will be given to candidates who most reflect the racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic status of the

majority of members of the neighborhoods being served

• Must have reliable transportation, valid driver's license, and meet state required automobile insurance

minimums

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to communicate with, be sensitive to the needs of, and develop and maintain relationships with individuals from various cultural, ethnic and racial backgrounds
• Ability to communicate effectively with internal and external customers in a professional, tactful, and friendly manner
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to record with clarity and promptness
• Good listening skills and the ability to ask appropriate questions
• Maintains poise and self-control even under extreme stress and unexpected crises; handles delicate situations tactfully
• Appropriately assertive even in difficult situations
• Must demonstrate mature and objective, non-judgmental behaviors
• Ability to assess situations both within and outside the client system and determine priorities
• Maintains positive work relationships with other staff, is cooperative and promotes teamwork
• Effective in planning and arranging work responsibilities including determining priorities, managing multiple projects, handling deadlines and changes in priorities
• Ability to identify and use community resources
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Outlook, Excel and Power Point
• Maintains personal appearance consistent with agency image
• Ability to work within the purpose, structure and constraints of the Agency and to make suggestions for change in a responsible manner
• Ability to maintain confidentiality with regard to clients and agency business
• Commitment to continued professional growth

Core Values of Staff

• Service: I act with a servant's heart to contribute meaningfully to the wellbeing of others.
• Teamwork: I willingly help my teammates.
• Respect: I recognize the dignity, worth and importance of others.
• Open-hearted: I am kind, caring and compassionate.
• iNtegrity: I am honest and ethical in all that I do.
• Growth: I embrace challenges and change with a positive attitude.

Job Related Training Courses & Programs

• Orientation
• Initial 40 hours Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault as required by Wellspring
• Initial and ongoing MCC training in the areas of protective factors that promote child wellbeing, individual and community level trauma and its impact, best practices in preventing child abuse and neglect, and disparities and disproportionalities in public systems
• Trust-Based Relational Intervention and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) training
• 40 hours continuing education yearly
• On-going in-service workshops, conferences and self-study
• Monthly Agency Staff meetings, program delivery meetings and program area meetings

Principal Duties & Responsibilities:
1.Delivers services by

• Conducting Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) parenting curriculum, Caregivers in Child Welfare to parent and caregiver groups
• Conducting TBRI parenting curriculum intakes and ongoing assessments with families. Gathers, tracks, and reports related data using systems and processes in place at The Wellspring.
• Providing individual, marital and family therapy for residential, non-residential clients
• Coordinating and providing educational and training opportunities for other community professionals, partners and the general public
• Demonstrating a positive attitude through word and action
• Demonstrating concern and respect for others by listening carefully and without judgment
• Establishing personal rapport with clients
• Maintaining case records by documenting client activity and actions
• Tracking and reporting required MCC qualitative and quantitative data to the MCC Program Coordinator and MCC State staff.
• Reporting to the MCC Program Coordinator and utilizing the staff for support in implementation of TBRI and parent support related responsibilities
• Participating in meetings with the MCC State staff, MCC State teams, and MCC peer network as requested
• Participating in agency meetings and clinical consultations

2.Assures quality services and program efficiency and effectiveness by:

• Complying with appropriate program standards and guidelines
• Completing required agency and funder paperwork in a timely and accurate manner
• Coordinating with and providing MCC Program Coordinator with TBRI parenting class schedules in a timely fashion
• Providing Clinical Services Coordinator with client schedule in a timely fashion and notifying coordinator of changes in schedule
• Notifying Client Services Advocates of status of client appointments (cancellations, no-shows, etc.)

3.Maintains professional and technical competency by:

• Participating regularly in clinical supervision and/or consultation
• Participating in continued education and personal growth experiences
• Reviewing professional publications

• Establishing personal and community networks

• Maintains safety of clients and staff by:

• Assessing lethality of individual client situations

• Developing and reviewing safety plans with clients
• Coordinating and cooperating with law enforcement or other authorities as needed
• Complying with agency procedures, rules and regulations

• Safety procedures will be followed at all times

• Maintains confidential records by:

• Performing and documenting required collaborative and client contacts in accordance with agency standards

• Recording data into MCC management Information System(s); Compulink, VELA or other identified database in a timely manner; and
• Adhering to all agency and grant confidentiality policies and procedures
• Gathering and documenting necessary demographic and personal information
• Ensuring that all necessary paperwork is signed by client and by therapist where appropriate
• Completing session reports for each counseling session
• Documenting all contacts with or activities on behalf of each client, including TBRI parenting classes, counseling sessions, cancellations and no-shows, advocacy, referrals and phone contacts
• Keeping information confidential
• Adhering to all ethical guidelines set forth in the Code of Conduct published by the American Counseling Association and Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners

• Maintaining licensure and complying with all requirements of licensure board

• Contributes to team effort by:

• Communicating effectively

• Exhibiting a willingness to help other staff
• Demonstrating flexibility and accommodating change
• Encouraging and supporting others
• Engaging in amenable and cooperative contacts

• Giving and receiving feedback

• Maintains agency credibility by:

• Establishing working relationships with sponsoring, advisory and related service agencies

• Performs other duties as related to the position and as assigned

• Work non-traditional hours and/or alternate schedule during special projects or to meet agency deadlines