Family Support Specialist

About the role

The Family Support Specialist (FSS) provides one‑on‑one mental health treatment strategies and services to high‑risk children, youth, and their families in home, therapeutic foster home, and community locations. The FSS acts as a first responder for crisis situations, implements prescribed mental health treatment strategies, crisis plans, and recovery‑oriented wellness and skill‑building strategies. Services must be Medicaid‑billable and documented in the FBH Electronic Health Record (Psych Consult) and any required Managed Care Organization records.

Responsibilities

• Act as a “First Responder,” providing direct crisis response, de‑escalation, emergency supervision, and redirection of children and youth experiencing behavioral crises in home, school, or community settings.
• Participate in clinical intake observation and multidimensional assessment of child/youth across home, school, and community, presenting observations to the treatment team.
• Collaborate with assigned clinician to identify and support consumer access to physical health and substance‑abuse treatment services in the community.
• Contribute to clinical decision‑making for high‑risk youth, helping develop and implement individualized treatment plans that address safety and mental‑health needs.
• Implement prescribed behavioral strategies and treatment services, modeling and teaching social behavior, self‑protection skills, coping, and social interaction skills.
• Provide skill‑building support to enhance youth’s ability to function safely in the community, addressing anger management, aggression alternatives, frustration tolerance, and socialization.
• Complete family and behavioral health assessments, including CANS (Child and Adolescent Strengths and Needs) and SNCD (Strength Need Culture Discovery); assist with CALOCUS when required.
• Assess family need for community resources, work with other Medicaid‑funded providers to connect youth and families to needed behavioral health and community resources.
• Analyze and assess home environments, performing safety sweeps for children/youth with suicidal ideation or other high‑risk safety concerns, and report information promptly to clinicians or supervisors.
• Gather child and youth intake information and assist in determining medical eligibility for services, demonstrating understanding of Medicaid requirements and State Access to Care Standards.
• Communicate agency philosophy, role, and responsibilities to children, families, and stakeholders to build trust and mutual respect.
• Engage families with compassion, support, respect, and enthusiasm for their recovery journey.
• Accurately complete documentation within required timeframes in the FBH Electronic Health Record and Psych Consult.
• Deliver direct therapeutic services using evidence‑based and promising practices (e.g., Cognitive Behavioral Therapies) customized to each youth and family’s uniqueness, culture, and treatment goals.
• Work with assigned clinician to evaluate treatment and safety plan effectiveness and recommend changes as needed.
• Coordinate healthcare by collaborating with families, primary care physicians, and specialists to support medical and behavioral health integration.
• Utilize Motivational Interviewing techniques to focus interventions on strengths, needs, and capacities of children, youth, and families.
• Use clinical tools from “Practice Wise” to plan treatment sessions, identify evidence‑based services, and provide those services directly in home and community settings.
• Maintain on‑call availability, including 24/7 rotating schedule, and provide immediate assistance and clinical supervision/consultation as needed.

Qualifications

• Age 21 or older (per DSHS requirements).
• Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, human development, or related field; OR Associate degree in social services, mental health, or related field plus three years of experience serving children and/or families (mental health, social services, education, etc.) which may substitute for a Bachelor’s.
• Eligibility to become an Agency‑Affiliated Counselor with Washington State (HIV/AIDS training required).
• Proof of negative TB test within the past 12 months.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Availability to work flexible hours, including evenings, nights, and weekends.
• Ability to conduct visual safety and well‑being assessments of family home conditions and crisis situations.
• Reliable transportation, valid driver’s license, automobile insurance, and an acceptable driving record per CCS driving policy (current driving abstract required).
• Successful completion of required background checks prior to an offer of employment.
• Maturity, professionalism, initiative, and ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Commitment to support and uphold the mission, beliefs, and values of Catholic Community Services and Catholic Housing Services.
• Demonstrated cultural competence and ability to work effectively in multicultural situations.
• Preferred: Bachelor’s degree in social services, mental health, or related field and at least one year of experience serving children and/or families.

Benefits

• 12 paid holidays plus 1 personal holiday each year.
• 3 weeks of vacation per year.
• 12 sick days per year.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Life insurance (equal to one times annual salary).
• Retirement plans: 403‑B Employee Savings Plan with employer contribution pension.
• Daily and weekly supervision and support; immediate clinical supervision/consultation available at any time.

Pay

Starting hourly range: $32.76 – $36.44.

Bilingual fluency in Spanish and English, or other languages as needed, qualifies for a language stipend of $100 – $200 per pay period (twice per month), tiered based on proficiency and youth/family needs.

Schedule

• On‑call availability, including 24/7 coverage on a rotating basis.
• Flexible hours required, including evenings, nights, and weekends.

Location

Aberdeen, WA – The City of Aberdeen is located in Grays Harbor County on the southern edge of the Olympic Peninsula at the convergence of the Wishkah and Chehalis Rivers. The area offers a mix of historic logging and fishing heritage, growing tourism, retail, top‑notch schools, and outdoor recreation such as beachcombing, birdwatching, kayaking, and forest walks.