Parent Peer Support

Position Title: Parent Peer Support

Exempt or Non-Exempt: Non-Exempt

Program Assignment: Community Support Division; Children's Services

Assignment Location: 710 Broadway, Pittsburg

Scheduled Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 8:00am-5:00pm; Full-Time Hourly

Supervised by: SED Service Coordinator

Supervises: None

Position Description:

Parent Peer Support involves using lived experience as a parent or primary caregiver of a child with SED to provide encouragement, empathy, and guidance to other parents and caregivers. The goal is to foster empowerment and confidence in families as they navigate the mental health system.

Parent Peer Support is designed to benefit the Medicaid eligible client experiencing serious emotional disturbance who without waiver services would require state psychiatric hospitalization. This service provides the training and support necessary to ensure engagement and active participation of the family in the treatment planning process and with the ongoing implementation and reinforcement of skills learned throughout the treatment process. Training is provided to family members to increase their ability to provide a safe and supportive environment in the home and community for the consumer. For the purposes of this service, "family" is defined as the persons who live with or provide care to a person served on the waiver, and may include a parent, spouse, children, relatives, grandparents, or foster parents. Services may be provided individually or in a group setting. Services must be recommended by a treatment team, are subject to prior approval, and must be intended to achieve the goals or objectives identified in the child's individualized plan of care.

Wraparound Facilitation is a structured, team-based care coordination approach designed to ensure that families are at the center of planning and decision-making.

Credential and Experience Requirements:

• High school diploma or GED Required.
• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in the various behavioral health fields such as clinical psychology, social work, counseling, nursing, rehabilitation, or closely related degree is preferred.
• Incumbent must complete Kansas Case Management and parent peer support level 1 Training as a prerequisite for this position.
• Previous experience as a case manager in a community mental health center working with severely emotionally disturbed children is preferred.
• Experience in person helping professions and occupations is desired and helpful.
• Possess a valid driver’s license. Provide transportation to consumers of the center.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with severely emotionally disturbed clients.

Required Skills/Abilities:

Obtain Certification for Management of Aggressive Behavior (MOAB) training. MOAB is an in-depth training program that teaches individuals how to recognize, reduce, and manage violent and aggressive behavior. Training provided.

• MOAB training requires controlled movements, body positioning, and the ability to perform physical holds and restraint techniques.
• The focus of MOAB training is to use techniques that can be effectively applied by employees of varying physical capabilities while minimizing potential harm to both the individual being restrained and the trained themselves.
• First Aid CPR Certification.
• Complete all required trainings as assigned:
• Kansas Train
• On-Boarding traing from CCMHC
• Parent Peer Support

Primary Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Required to follow dress code policies of any alternative work locations, including but not limited to schools, jails, courts, detention centers, other community partners, etc.
• Building trusting relationships with families based on shared experience.
• Supporting families in understanding their child’s behavioral health needs.
• Assisting parents in advocating for their children across systems (e.g., school, mental health, child welfare).
• Providing emotional support to reduce caregiver stress and feelings of isolation.
• Helping families build natural supports and community connections.
• Delivering approved Parent Support and Training services as part of the child’s individualized waiver plan.
• Educating families about the SED Waiver, eligibility, services, and rights.
• Teaching parenting strategies that reinforce skills being developed in treatment (e.g., behavioral support techniques, coping skills).
• Supporting the family in developing and implementing effective home-based strategies to manage behaviors.
• Collaborating with the treatment team to ensure services are aligned with the child’s Plan of Care.
• Maintaining required documentation for waiver services
• Facilitating the wraparound process, including:
• Organizing and leading Plan of Care meetings.
• Supporting the creation of individualized, strengths-based, family-driven service plans.
• Coordinating services and ensuring that all team members (e.g., therapists, school staff, case managers) are aligned with the family’s goals.
• Ensuring family voice and choice are respected and prioritized in all phases of planning.
• Supporting the development of crisis/safety plans and transition plans.
• Monitoring progress toward goals and adjusting services as needed.
• Communicating and collaborating with internal staff, state agencies, and service providers to support the family’s needs.
• Assist in assessing needs for severely emotionally disturbed clients and their families.
• Assist families in accessing community-based resources.
• Provide transportation to consumers when indicated.
• Collaborate with personnel of state hospitals and other agencies to assist in follow-up treatment plan development and to assist in involving resources at an appropriate level when needed.
• Help establish appropriate goals in partnership with clients and aid successful reintegration into the community.
• Function as an advocate for the client to ensure that appropriate services are provided and necessary benefits are secured.
• Communicate directly with State agencies and Insurance companies on behalf of the clients and their families.
• Required to meet department productivity standards and Documentation Standards.

Physical Requirements:

• Be able to get on the floor and rise without assistance
• Have full mobility in both arms and shoulders.
• Be able to lift and carry up to 20 pounds occasionally.
• Prolonged periods of standing and walking
• Ability to move freely in the community and in a wide variety of circumstances. Special accommodation that can successfully assist an incumbent will be provided.

Additional Helpful Qualifications:

• Additional duties as necessary and as assigned by Administration.

I understand that I am an employee at-will and that neither this document nor any other document, writing, or manual creates, or is intended to create, a contract of employment between myself and Crawford County Mental Health Center. A contract of employment can only be created through specific written contract duly authorized and signed by the Executive Administrator of CCMHC and the Chairman of the Board of Directors. As an at-will employee I may terminate my employment with CCMHC at any time and my employment may be terminated by CCMHC at any time with or without cause.