Community Support Specialist - MYPAC - Meridian / Starkville, MS

Founded in 1912 as an adoption agency, Canopy Children's Solutions is Mississippi’s most comprehensive nonprofit provider of children’s behavioral health, educational, and family support solutions. Canopy employs a diverse group of mission-driven individuals committed to honoring the voice of Mississippi children and families. Being an integral part of the Canopy team involves committing to the Core Values that drive our organization forward:

• The voice of our children and families always comes first
• Relationships matter and our differences make us stronger
• We take great joy in service to others
• Our families and communities deserves our very best

Canopy has been recognized as a Great Place to Work® for the fifth consecutive year and is one of only nine companies in Mississippi to earn this certification for 2025–2026. At Canopy, employees are committed to fostering a healthy workplace culture built on trust and driven by a shared mission: helping children thrive and empowering families to overcome extraordinary challenges.  

We offer a comprehensive benefits package for all eligible full-time employees. Benefits include, but are not limited to: 

• Competitive Compensation
• 403b Retirement Plan with Match
• Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
• PTO/Vacation
• Employee Wellness Program and Counseling Services

Community Support Specialist Overview:

• The Community Support Specialist (CSS) is a vital care service based on the individual needs of children and their families.
• The CSS is responsible for delivering an array of accommodating community services, assessing and linking children and families with social, educational, vocational, and recreational services.
• Collaboratively working with children and families, the CSS provides precise, measurable and individual services that focuses on the child’s and family’s abilities to assimilate within their community as well as to identify and access community services.  
• Since the CSS is an integral resource for children, families and their communities and because it reflects MCHS’ core values, the work functions are comprehensive and include, but are not limited to, identifying and accessing needed community services, implementing evident-based practices specific to individual children and families, connecting them within their communities and tracking their progress.

Job Responsibilities

Community Supports:

• Assists children and families to gain access to needed community support services including, but not limited to, education, medical, social, vocational, recreational, therapeutic and other social services.
• Assess the strengths and service needs of the children and families.
• Develop specific, measurable, individualized interventions and services to meet needs and measure progress.
•  Provides transportation for families in a safe and responsible manner.
•  Directs services in the home, school and community whenever possible.
• Provides and coordinates social services that are child focused and build on the family and community strengths.
• Provides crisis intervention services as needed within the scope of role and competency.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive, up-to-date community support resource manual.

Professional Standards:

• Implements service interventions based on the ISP and documents in Evolv.
• Implement evidence-based practices and interventions when possible
• Complete necessary documentation for each child and family based on program guidelines.
• Demonstrate flexibility and work with the family based on the family’s schedule, their availability and convenience which may require working some evenings and weekends.

Administrative Support:

• Attends weekly staff meetings.
• Works in collaboration with supervisor, therapist, and other MCHS staff to monitor progress.
• Assist with aftercare planning to ensure referrals are made, appointments are made, and services are available/accessible.
• Sits in on telehealth/telepsychiatry during scheduled times.
• Schedules medical appointments for families when needed.
• Relays changes in medical information including medicine changes to the PMHC nurse.
• Assures any new psychotropic medications have a release signed by the guardian consenting to the medication prescribed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in social work or related field and at least two years of experience working directly with children and families.
• Must meet the minimum requirements to be certified through the Mississippi Department of Mental Health as a Community Support Specialist.
• Demonstrate competence implementing evident-based practices, best practices working with children and families.
• Demonstrates competence in completing reports related to payment for services provided.
• Computer skills required.
• Must be available to work a flexible schedule to accommodate evening and weekend hours, as needed, to meet job responsibilities.
• Must be at least 21 years of age, have a valid Mississippi driver license, a good driving record, proof of legally appropriate auto liability insurance, and must be willing to use personal vehicle, as needed, for agency business.