Family Partner - Holyoke

Why Work for Gandara:

Explore the career pathways in Behavioral Health, Substance Use and Recovery, Community Based Clinical services, Adolescent and Family services, Adult Residential, Maintenance and Administration! Whether that is in an entry level or leadership role, Gandara will provide the tools and resources to better enhance your career growth. The opportunities are presented with the ability to transition your skills and experience in meeting the organizations mission. There is grand landscape of opportunities that supports the community we serve, so Join the Gándara team today!

Benefits:

• Retirement Plan 403(b)
• Health, Dental, Vision, Pet and Life Insurance
• Paid vacations
• Paid holidays
• 8 discretionary days
• Mileage Reimbursement
  
  

Additional Benefits:

• Career Growth Opportunities
• Culturally Diverse population
• Clinical Licensing Support
  
  

Job Title: FIT Family Partner

Work Location: Holyoke, Ma.

• Bilingual Candidates Encouraged to Apply
• EOE M/F/D/V
• Union/Non-Union
  
  

Job Summary:

The Family-based Intensive Treatment (FIT) Program provides intensive short-term (on average, 4 to 6 months) in-home, community-based treatment to an identified youth and their family. The focus of FIT is to ameliorate the youth’s mental health issues and strengthen the family structures and supports, with the goal of safety transitioning the youth in to a less-intensive, community-based treatment. To do so, at risk youth and their families are provided medically necessary intensive family therapy and robust care coordination. The clinical goal of this program is to provide youth under 21 and their parents/caregivers with the intensive short- term treatment needed to maintain the youth at home safely and to (re)connect them to ongoing outpatient and/or community-based services.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• The Family Partner provides education and support throughout the duration of treatment, attends care coordination meetings, and may assist the caregivers in articulating the youth's strengths, needs, and goals.
• The Family Partner educates caregivers about how to effectively navigate the child-serving systems and about the existence of informal/community resources available to them and facilitates the caregiver's access to these resources. This may include:
• Supporting the parent/caregiver/guardian in navigating the child-serving systems and processes; Fostering empowerment, including linkages to peer/parent support and self-help groups.
• The FP will provide care coordination as clinically indicated through phone calls, in-person meetings, and/or virtual meetings with collaterals throughout their work with the youth and family, including making appropriate referrals and "warm hand offs" to follow-up providers, as indicated.
• The Family Partner FIT Service provider supports identification of community resources and development of natural supports for youth and family to support and sustain achievement of the youth's treatment plan goals and objectives.
• The FP will work closely within a multi-disciplinary team that includes a clinical team lead and counselor to provide support and interventions that teach the caregiver to navigate the child-serving system and empower them to do so on their own.
  
  

Administrative Responsibilities/Record Keeping

• Requirement to keep current on all Agency, Government and Funding trainings and health requirements (OSHA, Sexual Harassment, etc)
• Completes all the necessary paperwork in a strength-based manner per Agency requirements, (i.e. court letters, change of placement forms, Referrals, ICP, Progress Notes, evaluation instruments, consent forms, etc.)
• To complete time sheets, mileage forms etc. and submit them accurately and in a timely manner.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or associates degree in a human services field (preferred) and one year of experience working with the target population or high school diploma or HISET and a minimum of two (2) years’ experience working with children/adolescents/transitioning youth.
• Experience as a caregiver of youth with special needs, and preferably a youth with mental health issues.
• Experience with children and youth, strength-based, family centered and child focused services.
• Experience in navigating any of the child and family-serving systems and teaching family members who are involved with the child and family serving systems;
• Demonstrated ability to be innovative, creative, analytical and decisive in problem solving.
• Demonstrated communications, administrative and organizational capabilities.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse populations and community agencies: School Dept., DYS, Juvenile Court, etc.
• Understanding/willingness to be part of a Program that supports youth and families 24 hours per day, 365 days a year.
• Must have a driver’s license and availability of vehicle to support Program needs.
• Bi-Lingual Spanish/English preferred
  
  

The Gándara Mental Health Center provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training