JOB DESCRIPTION – Family Support Program

Family Support Worker

QUALIFICATIONS:Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services or Associates degree with relevant work experience.

SUPERVISOR: Program Manager

DESIRED PERSONAL QUALITIES:

  • Have knowledge of the Family Therapy Perspective and other treatment philosophies, and an understanding of similar strength-based, in-home services training, knowledge, and skills in substance abuse issues, in home-based programs and human services in general
  • Worker must be able to respond empathetically to clients, to engage them as partners in the intervention, have good listening skills, a good sense of humor, a high level of energy, and a great deal of motivation to be able to engage families and to participate actively in the casework process.
  • Worker must have considerable self-awareness, must be perceptive, adaptable and courageous, and prepared to take personal risks to share in the casework process actively with the families.
  • Worker must maintain a positive outlook with objectivity.
  • Worker must be resourceful and creative, able to convey to families that people can grow and learn that change can occur in their lives.
  • Workers must have strong communication skills, including the ability to be assertive yet caring.
  • Social skills are a necessity, as is willingness to try different things and to move outside of one’s personal comfort zone.
  • Workers must convey themselves with sensitivity and credibility as helping professionals who believe in the family’s capacity for growth and change and be able to instill that hope and belief in their clients.
  • a positive, considerate attitude toward high-risk families
  • a sensitivity to cultural and ethnic differences

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Worker is required to complete case documentation for each case served in accordance with the Family Support Program contract stipulations.
  • Worker is expected to make contact with the referred family with in two business days of receiving a written referral to arrange a convenient time to meet face to face. The first face-to-face contact must be made with in 7 calendar days.
  • Workers must focus on specific behavioral descriptions rather than diagnostic labels in order to define problems in workable terms,

identify strengths,

formulate goals and strategies for change,

address risk issues

  • Worker maintains frequent contact with referring worker. This will be done as needed but no less than monthly. Provide the referring worker with a written monthly report.
  • The Worker will spend no less than 2 hours per week with each family. Incidental contacts with family members at court hearings, case coordination meetings such as Wraparound, etc. shall not be counted as meeting the minimum face to face time.
  • Worker must be flexible, and be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week;
  • Workers must keep in weekly contact with Family Support Program Manager;
  • Must attend the Families First of Michigan’s training
  • Maintain a caseload of no more than 12 families, serving 50 families per agreement period