Bilingual (Spanish) Family Support Worker at MERCER STREET FRIENDS CENTER – TRENTON, New Jersey

JobOverview

The Bilingual (Spanish) FamilySupport Worker is responsible for establishing and maintaining stable andlong-term relationship with families. The activity will occur primarily in theclient's home but also in the community. Interventions will focus on issuesrelated to women, children, and family health outcomes through teaching, rolemodeling, and support of the Individual Family Support Plan.

Essential Functions/Responsibilities:

• Providesoutreach to locate and engage families assigned for enrollment.
• Assists inplanning/implementing activities to enroll families.
• Assists inthe tracking and reengaging of “lost to care” families.
• Assists families inenrolling in appropriate health insurance plans.
• Assists thefamily in developing problem-solving skills.
• Encouragesthe family to advocate for themselves and their children
• Providesintensive home visiting in compliance with the Healthy FamiliesCritical Element standards.
• Assists familiesin identifying goals related to their overall health andself-sufficiency within an Individual Family Support Planstructure.
• Assists andsupports parents in identifying issues related totrauma and mental health concerns that maybe impacting the ability to parent safely and effectively
• Provides primary parentingeducation to families (focused on parent-child interaction) in the home andthe community, modeling healthy behaviors and interactions.
• Providesinformation and support in essential health and life skills,e.g., prenatal care, immunizations, budgeting, andencourages appropriate utilization of needed health and socialservices.
• Teaches essential healthand life skills, e.g., prenatal care, immunizations, budgeting,etc., and ensures appropriate utilization of needed health andsocial services.
• Encouragesfamilies to enrich their home environment with books anddevelopmentally appropriate toys.
• Accompaniesparent as needed to prenatal/postnatal appointments and well-childappointments
• Providestransportation, as needed to medical and social serviceappointments.
• Assists inconnecting families with referrals and ensures follow-up.
• Attends ongoing training sessions and meetings. Upholds guiding principles of the project and maintains standards of quality care.
• Assists incenter-based actives as needed.
• Maintainsclient charts and records.
• Supports/complieswith all Program policies and procedures.
• Upholdsguiding principles of the Program and maintains Agency standards ofquality care.
• Creates, maintains, and adequately entersclient data into the FAMSYS data system as prescribed and according torequired timeframes
• Complieswith all program reporting and meetings required by the FSWSupervisor.
• Meetsas required with FSW Supervisor for a comprehensive reviewof the current caseload
• Meetsas required with caseworkers, supervisors, and ResourceDevelopment Specialists at DCP&P North and South locations for review ofwork with shared clients
• Reports immediately to the ProgramSupervisor any suspicion of incidents of child maltreatment and otherissues related to worker and/or child/family health and safety (mental health,substance abuse, and domestic violence)

Physicaland Mental Demands:

• 35%Pushing, pulling, bending, squatting, reaching, climbing stairs,
• 50%Driving an Automobile
• 100%Writing, speaking, and understanding English, standing unassisted, grasping,walking, finger manipulation and use of hand controls
• 100%Visual acuity, hearing memory, independent judgment, relating to others, andmanual dexterity.
• Liftinga minimum of 25 lbs.

Requirements:

• HighSchool diploma/GED with 2 years of experience working with children/familiesor
• Bachelor'sdegree with 1-year experience in Child Development/or parent educationor/community outreach in an urban setting preferred or
• Workingknowledge of local, State, and Federal
• Regulations relative tojob description.
• Adriver's license in good standing, reliable transportation &Automobile insurance for driving own vehicle
• Strongability to engage young families in educational and supportservices.
• Experienceworking with families in their homes and in an urban community.
• Currentlyneeded are Bilingual speakers of English/Spanish.
• Possessmaturity and experience working with families.
• Experiencein working with community agencies, including implementing a referralprocess.
• Stronginterpersonal skills/ability to relate to people withrespect for their individuality.
• Mustbe non-judgmental.
• Task-orientedbehavior supports beginning and completing a project/task within aspecific time frame.
• Demonstratestrong organizational and writing skills.
• Experiencein working with culturally diverse communities/families and the ability tobe culturally sensitive and appropriate.
• Mustbe able to maintain a schedule that is conducive to the participant'sschedule, including evening, and possibly, weekend hours.
• Commitmentto working in a style consistent with the Quaker values of equality, integrity,simplicity, and non-violent conflict resolutions.
• Commitment/experiencein working with culturally diverse communities/families and the ability to beculturally sensitive and appropriate.

Hazard: Driving in the community, going into clients' homes, interacting with parents who may become distraught or angry

Category II: Concerning occupational exposure to the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and the human immunodeficiency (AIDS) virus (HIV) as defined by the Department of Labor and the Department of Health and Human Services.