Family Support Worker

Position Summary

Under the supervision of the Program Supervisor, the Family Support Worker (FSW) provides home-based clinical and social services to families referred through the SafeCare Program. The goal is to reduce the risk of abuse and neglect of children in the home. These services are designed to enhance parents’ skills and knowledge in addressing child development, bonding with their child, reducing child’s access to risky environments, and addressing the medical and health needs of the child. Services also identify risk factors of the parent/caregivers (including violence, substance abuse, and mental health issues), and assist directly in reducing risk as well as accessing more intensive services to address these risks.  The FSW also receives consultation in the service model which includes observing provision of services in the home of the families and providing direct consultation.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Implement the SafeCare (SC) model to families
• Provide written information about the program services including Consent for Services Forms and Families’ Rights and Confidentiality Policy to prospective participants
• Provide home-based parent education and support services
• Complete a Genogram of the families assigned to the caseload
• Complete the OSDH evaluation forms within the time frame established
• Administer, score, and report the different screenings use by the model
• Develop an individual Goal Plan according to family’s strengths and needs
• Maintain a weight caseload of 12 to 13 (based on full-time)
• Promote positive parent-child interaction, healthy childhood growth and development
• Improve the family’s support system by linking the family with needed services
• Provide transportation as needed
• Participate in a minimum of one hour of weekly individual supervision and in a minimum of one hour of weekly group supervision
• Collaborate with agencies for public awareness and advocacy through community outreach activities
• Maintain proper documentation, records on file, and Efforts to Outcomes (ETO) within 48 hours
• Comply with the guidelines of the Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) the Safe Care National Center and the Oklahoma State Health Department

Program Requirements

• FSW will meet fidelity to the SC model within six months of employment. Providers will have consultants shadow them on average of twice per month to ensure fidelity to model. 
• FSW will provide services which are sensitive with respect to culture, ethnic origin, race, gender, religion and sexual orientation. 
• FSW will provide services to Spanish-speaking families in their primary language. 
• FSW will provide motivational interviewing and problem solving in the areas of Substance Abuse, Domestic Violence and Mental Health.
• FSW will conduct themselves in a professional manner when dealing with other service providers in order to maintain good working relationships in the community and with consultants.
• FSW will attend all required trainings and participate in ongoing consultation with program trainers.
• FSW will spend at least 90% of work hours providing direct services to clients.

Training Provided

• Pre-service and orientation training
• Safe Care Models (Safety, Health, Parent Child Interaction, Parent Infant Interaction)
• Managing Child Behavior, Healthy Relationships, and Motivational Interviewing
• Parenting Interactions with Children: Checklist of Observations Linked to Outcomes (PICCOLO™)
• Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3/ASQ-SE 2)
• Efforts to Outcomes (ETO) Data System training
• Additional training given within the first two years of hiring: Domestic violence, Substance Abuse, Mental Health Issues, Child Abuse and Neglect Indicators, Grief/Newborn Screenings, Child Abuse-Medical Examiner-documentation, Family Planning, Home Safety, Car Seat Safety, Tobacco Cessation, Addictive Behaviors, Home Visitor Safety, Attachment, Maternal Depression, and Breastfeeding.

Position Requirements

• Position requires a bachelor’s degree in Social Work or closely related field
• 2 years of experience in human services
• Possess valid driver’s license and must maintain current automobile liability insurance
• Current (within past year) TB test, or obtain within 30 days of employment

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate verbally with Spanish-speaking families and with English-speaking trainers/consultants
• Proficient in the MS Word processing software and intermediate general computer skills