Family Peer Support Partner

About the role

HopeLink Behavioral Health has been a beacon of support for individuals and families facing behavioral health challenges and life crises for over 60 years. We envision a world where hope is accessible to all. This Family Peer Support Partner is responsible for serving families with children/youth up to age 21 who experience one or more behavioral and/or mental health challenges.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a peer partner and coach to families navigating behavioral health systems and other formal and informal community resources, ensuring families have the information they need.
• Work collaboratively with team coordinators/facilitators, including Intensive Care Coordinators (ICC) to provide High Fidelity Wraparound care or other team-based care for identified clients, if the family is engaged with these services.
• Support the voice and choice of the youth and family through modeling the effective presentation of ideas and suggestions during team meetings.
• Assist the youth and family in strengths and needs discovery, and promote and reinforce strength-based strategies.
• Mentor and coach families to act on strengths and use setbacks to increase resiliency.
• Build trust with parents/caregivers by engaging in a confidential, respectful, nonjudgmental, and supportive relationships.
• Listen to and validate each family member's perspective, feelings and values, allowing everyone to be heard.
• Help families understand their child's needs and services.
• Help families understand and manage information received related to diagnosis, treatment, and services.
• Support parents/caregivers and encourage them to continue to have hope, effectively use family and community supports, and learn skills to parent children so they become empowered and effective adults.
• Participate in connecting family with a variety of support services for parents/caregivers such as support groups, family activities, and other resources.
• Participate in evaluation, monitoring and other evaluation processes, including but not limited to Wraparound Fidelity Monitoring, as appropriate.

Qualifications

• Must be the current or former biological or adoptive parent or person in the parent role who has been the primary caregiver of a child with emotional, behavioral, or mental health and/or substance use challenges.
• Must have experience navigating Virginia behavioral health systems with their child.
• High school diploma or GED; Certified Peer Support Specialist or Wraparound Facilitator Certification a plus.
• Bi-lingual - (Spanish) speaking preferred.
• Must be a self-starter who possesses strong interpersonal skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with demonstrated ability to build rapport with staff, clients, internal and external providers and highly organized.
• Ability to learn quickly Electronic Health Record (EHR) software.
• High degree of empathy toward individuals with serious mental illness with the ability to connect with individuals of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to work occasional early evening and/or weekend hours which may be scheduled.

Skills

• Adaptability to changes in environment and situations.
• Strong and effective communication skills and accepts criticism and feedback.
• Dependability by following instructions, responds to management direction and keeps commitments.
• Meets attendance punctuality guidelines.
• Maintains emotional self-awareness and manages relationships positively.
• Focuses on solving conflict, not blaming and building interpersonal relationships.
• Contributes to building a positive team spirit and exhibits objectivity and openness to others views.

Benefits

• Meaningful Work: Make a real difference in the lives of others.
• Competitive Salary: $20.00 - $23.00/hr.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, FSA, 403b Retirement plan with match; 12 paid holidays; PTO and sick time; birthday leave; employee assistance program; tuition reimbursement.
• Supportive Environment: Join a dedicated team committed to providing high-quality care.

Schedule

Schedule: Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, occasional work until 7 pm. This is a community-based position in Loudoun County. Some work from home/telehealth opportunities weekly.