Part-Time Family Peer Advocate I or II - Hard to Place Critical Care

Job Summary

The Family Peer Advocate is responsible for empowering families and assisting the family in navigating and advocating in multiple child serving systems. This individual will support parents as they develop positive approaches and methods to meet the needs of youth and their families.  This individual will support parents as they develop positive approaches and methods for addressing their family’s day-to-day needs, including their own needs for self-care.   

This role requires “Lived Experience” and flexibility with working hours, including evenings, as determined by family needs that arise outside of regular service hours. This is a part-time (~16 hours/week) position based in the Greater Rochester area and serving the surrounding region. 

Essential Job functions

• Provide informational and educational support on system navigation, advocacy and rights to empower families to become active participants in their child’s services.
• Make referrals and linkages to needed services and resources and assist with access.
• Support the efforts of families in caring for and strengthening their children’s mental, and physical health, development and well-being of their children by assisting the family learn and practice strategies to support their child’s positive behavior.
• Facilitate parent training and education to increase knowledge and skills while providing opportunities for networking with other families and creating natural supports.
• Form and maintain relationships using effective communication and collaboration acting as a bridge between family and providers.
• Administer assessments and help family to identify gaps in services needed and assist in planning to eliminate gap.
• Develop treatment plan and safety plan with parent/caregiver supporting the family’s own identified goals.
• Promote effective family-driven practice.  Attend and/or facilitate meetings to promote family voice and infuse a family perspective at all levels: individual provider, agency, local planning, state and national policy making.
• Maintain all necessary records, forms, notifications, authorizations, reports and summaries in client files to ensure compliance with all Federal, State, Funder, Medicaid Managed Care and Hillside standards.
• Obtain and maintain credential/certification based on advocate’s role and funder requirements.
• Participate in agency and team meetings, in-service trainings, and team building activities as well as volunteer and serve on agency and community committees as needed.
• While this job description covers many aspects of the role, employees may be required to perform other duties as assigned.
• Family Peer Advocate II additionally: 
  • Serve as a resource to guide team performance.
  • Lead/conduct Family Peer Advocate staff training and manage projects, as directed.
  • Mentor Family Peer Advocate I staff.

Education & Experience

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Minimum 1 of year of “lived experience” required based on program and funder requirements.
  • NYS Office of Mental Health requirement: 
    • A parent/caregiver of a child with a social, emotional, developmental, medical, substance use, and/or behavioral challenges; experience in navigating child serving systems to obtain services and resources for their child/family. OR  
    • Personal “lived experience” as a person with social, emotional, developmental, medical, substance use, and/or behavioral challenges, or has received services in juvenile justice, foster care, special education or addiction recovery. 
• Family Peer Advocate II: Minimum 18 months of related work experience required.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must obtain appropriate credential required for the program within 6 months of hire.
• Unrestricted, valid NYS driver’s license for minimum of 1 year with a clean driving record and minimum insurance coverage that meets agency standards.
• Youth ACT Program:  CPR certification required or obtained within 60 days of hire.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

In addition to demonstrating the Hillside Professional Competencies of Communicates Effectively, Personal Excellence, Cultural Competence, Builds and Leverages Relationships, and Optimizes Decision Making, the following occupational competencies must be demonstrated:

• Ability to act as an adult role model for children/youth/families in all behaviors including communication, hygiene, and appearance, management of self, response to stress / challenges and in the demonstration of positive relationships with others.
• Ability to engage children/youth/families in trust-based, produ