Do you envision finding a meaningful role with an inclusive and compassionate team? At Children's Mercy, we believe in making a difference in the lives of all children and shining a light of hope to the patients and families we serve. Our employees make the difference, which is why we have been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top pediatric hospital, for eleven consecutive years.

Children's Mercy is in the heart of Kansas City - a metro abounding in cultural experiences, vibrant communities and thriving businesses. This is where our patients and families live, work and play. This is a community that has embraced our hospital and we strive to say thanks by giving back. As a leader in children's health, we engage in meaningful programs and partnerships throughout the region so that we can improve the lives of children beyond the walls of our hospital.

The Family Centered Specialist provides comprehensive psychosocial assessment of all families enrolled in Community Programs home visiting model, especially those affected by substance use and mental health disorders, and provides ongoing home-based parent education, support, and care coordination services to select pregnant and postpartum women and their families as assigned from Community Programs.

See a video here for more information on what a day in the life of a Children's Mercy Social Worker is like! https://bcove.video/3vNhN6f

Please Note:

Family Centered Specialists who are also LMSW/MSW's at Children's Mercy are offered benefits to aid in professional growth and development including:

Approximately 20 complimentary social work CEU opportunities per year from the Department of Social Work and additional CEU opportunities from hospital-wide education opportunities
• Eligible for clinical supervision for Social Work clinical licensure after six months of employment, waitlist times vary
• Certification pay for qualified credentials (LCSW or LSCSW)
• Annual stipend for qualified bilingual employees
• License renewal reimbursement
• Contribute to the education of social work students through field instruction
• Engagement in shared decision making through a variety of social work and hospital wide workgroups and committees

At Children's Mercy, we are committed to ensuring that everyone feels welcomed within our walls. A successful candidate for this position will join us as we strive to create a workplace that reflects the community we serve, as well as our core values of kindness, curiosity, inclusion, team and integrity.

Additionally, it's important to us that we remain transparent with all potential job candidates. Because we value the safety of the patients and families we serve, as well as the Children's Mercy staff, we want to let you know that the seasonal influenza and COVID-19 vaccines are a condition of employment for all employees in our organization. New employees must be willing to be vaccinated if found non-immune to measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) and chicken pox (varicella) and/or without evidence of tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination since 2005. If you become a finalist for this position, and have any concerns about receiving these vaccines, medical and/or religious exemptions can be further discussed with Human Resources.

Psychosocial Assessment:

• Receive referrals from Supervisor or Program Coordinator
• Coordinate time to visit family in their home.
• Conduct Parent assessments per program model guidelines using reflective practice techniques to engage parents in identifying strengths and challenges.
• Write up completed parent surveys and review with Supervisor or Program Coordinator.
• Share with assigned home visitor to offer information for setting goals and providing appropriate services to family.
• Additionally, conduct intake and ongoing assessment with parents and infants of all families for whom assigned per program and funder guidelines.
• Document according to program guidelines.

Care Management and Supportive Services:

• Meet with assigned families in their homes per program schedule to provide support, education, crisis intervention, and access to community services.
• Provide crisis intervention for stabilization.
• Provide ongoing assistance and education to families on child development, attachment, responsive parenting, and self-care using designated curriculum and other resources.
• Provide goal setting and problem-solving strategies, modeling, and assistance to support healthy family outcomes.
• With appropriate consent, communicate with other agencies (e.g. early childhood, health care) to promote coordinated services for families, including accompanying to health care and other appointments as appropriate.
• Document according to program guidelines.

Resource Mobilization and Advocacy:

• Identify appropriate resources to support families.
• Increase knowledge of resources and make appropriate connections to advocate for family needs, including public assistance programs.
• Identify and explore new resources and ensure optimal usage.
• Advocate within systems on behalf of families.
• Promote system improvement for families.

Team participation:

• Attend training, individual and group supervision, and community meetings as required.
• Assist with family support groups and other functions for families.
• Attend and contribute to the success of team, unit, department, and hospital meetings.
• Serve on hospital and department planning committees as requested
• Opportunities determined between supervisor and staff.

Note: Community Programs recognizes lack of reliable private or public transportation as a social determinant of health in our community. Home-based family support services may require the Family Centered Specialist to occasionally provide transportation to/from family health related appointments, required court appearances, alcohol and drug treatment centers, and other service agencies addressing the social determinants of health in their staff owned and insured vehicles.

• Master's Degree in Human Services, preferred Masters in Social Work, and 1-2 years' experience. Preferred experience working with families affected by substance use.
• Valid Driver's License in good standing.

Our pay ranges are market competitive. The pay range for this job begins at $28.25/hr, but your salaried offer will be determined based on your education and experience.

This is an intermittent remote position, which means that the person hired will work with his or her manager to determine a schedule that includes both at home and on-site hours at a Children's Mercy location. The incumbent must live in the Kansas City metro area.

The incumbent will travel to patient homes to perform assessments and deliver services.

Children's Mercy hires individuals based on their job skills, expertise and ability to maintain professional relationships with fellow employees, patients, parents and visitors. A personal interview, formal education and training, previous work experience, references and a criminal background investigation all are factors used to select the best candidates. The hospital does not discriminate against prospective or current employees based on the race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, creed, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, ancestry or veteran status. A drug screen will be performed upon hire. Children's Mercy is smoke and tobacco free.

CM is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workforce. Our patients and families come from all walks of life, and so do we. We know that our greatest strengths come from the people who make up our team so we hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it makes our hospital stronger and our patient care more compassionate.

If you share our values and our enthusiasm for service, you will find a home at CM. In recruiting for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring, including education, ideas, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, age, languages spoken, veteran status, color, religion, disability and beliefs.