Family Peer Advocate II – Healthy Families NY – Onondaga County

Job Summary

The Family Peer Advocate II is responsible for empowering families and assisting them in navigating and advocating in multiple children serving systems. This individual will support parents as they develop positive approaches and methods to meet the needs of youth and their families. This position also leads projects and mentors level I staff.

About the Role

This role requires “Lived Experience” and flexibility with working hours, including evenings, as determined by family needs that arise outside of regular service hours.

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.
• 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.
• 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 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.
• 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

• 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, productive relationships in order to help children/youth and families prepare for transitions, interact in the community, and promote respect and independence.
• Ability to recognize and address, often through referral, problems related to substance abuse, mental health, domestic violence, and child abuse and neglect.
• Ability to act as an advocate for children/youth/families in order to achieve the best possible children/youth/family’s outcomes; communicates reasonable expectations and facilitates the achievement of results.
• Demonstrates an awareness and sensitivity to cultural and social variations and shows respect for individual differences.
• Demonstrates and applies a working knowledge of applicable laws and regulations, an ability to identify and access community programs and resources as needed, and an understanding of public assistance access and eligibility.

Physical Demands & Work Environment

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Must be able to work a variable scheduling including evenings and weekends.
• The following daily physical demands are required:
  • Sitting (up to 6 hours)
  • Standing (up to 2 hour)
  • Walking (up to 2.5 hours)
  • Driving (several times a week up to 6 hours)
  • Continuous balancing (up to 8 hours)
  • Bending, stooping, climbing, kneeling, pushing, pulling, reaching forward or down, reaching overhead, running, and twisting (up to 2.5 hours)
  • Lifting up to 10-15 lbs. on a daily basis
  • Manual dexterity is required, including the frequent ability to grasp in both hands and continuous use of fine manipulation skills in both hands (approximately 1-2.5 hrs.)
  • Exposure to dust, fumes, gases, chemicals, or smoke is apparent
  • Ability to change positions as needed.

Pay

$19.50 Minimum pay rate, $28.00 Maximum pay rate, based on experience.