Community Support Specialist (Family Services)

Compensation

• Salaried non-exempt starting at $62,928/year
• Competitive benefits include:
• Medical, Dental and Vision benefits
• Organization-sponsored Retirement plan (403b) matched at 5%
• Short-term/long-term disability 
• Organization sponsored Life Insurance policy
• 4 weeks of Paid Time Off
• Mileage reimbursement ($.65/mile)

Job Overview

Community Support Specialists in the Family Services Program provide relationship-based, client-centered services to families and youth involved in our programs. These families and youth are primarily Child Welfare involved. This is a direct service position that occurs primarily in the community, and workers provide supportive services that can include relationship building, system navigation, advocacy, resource connection, and skills training (among other things). PWI utilizes Trauma-Informed Care and strengths-based perspectives and expects all staff to work towards meeting the cultural needs of our participants. 

Responsibilities

• This is a full-time, 40-hour-per-week position.
• Provide ongoing services and case management to a caseload of approximately 10 participants.
• Participate in monthly staff meetings, individual supervisions, and required trainings
• Respond to emails and all work-related communications in a timely manner

Job Requirements

• A Master’s or Bachelor’s Degree is preferred and/ or professional experience that is relevant to the services we provide and the populations we serve
• Must have skill and capacity in case management to include meeting contract and program expectations on initiating new cases, timely case note practice, active correspondence with community partners, meeting regular weekly and monthly deadlines, and regular attendance and participation at case-related meetings such as Court hearings, IEP meetings, etc.  
• 2 years experience in Case Management and in working directly with youth and families, particularly those who have experienced oppression and are members of marginalized communities
• Strong engagement skills are essential in this position
• Has high integrity in their work ethic and can prioritize the needs of the youth and families they serve
• Must be available to work evenings and weekends often (based on the needs of the youth and families)
• Availability and skill set required to respond to and/or manage crisis involving youth and families
• Ability to utilize de-escalation techniques when necessary
• Competency in written and verbal communication
• Competency in Cell phones, Email, basic word processing, and site navigation. 
• Must be timely and responsive to team members and clients in regular correspondence regarding work-related matters.
• Must have access to a safe, working, insured vehicle, a clean driving record, and a valid driver’s license 
• The bulk of the work in the position is in the community, working with youth and families, and CSS staff often drive throughout the tri-county area each day that they work.  
• Must have a working cell phone with texting capability

Job Specifics

• Carries a caseload of approximately 10 cases
• Understand the unique needs of each youth and develop a service plan that aims to meet their specific needs.
• Understand Child Welfare expectations and create collaborative service plans
• Have the ability to understand Youth and Family needs and connect to appropriate community resources when needed
• Provide timely and professional documentation
• Participate in and contribute to team meetings and court hearings
• Attend all mandatory PWI meetings (staff meeting, supervision, etc.)

Family Services Program

PWI's Family Support Services are designed to facilitate safety and stability for Oregon Department of Human Services Child Welfare involved families. Our intention is to support parents so that their children are able to remain safely in the home and out of the foster care system. We attempt to connect families to community resources so that they can move beyond crisis and into a more balanced and secure home life. Our approach aims to work in collaboration to build upon strengths so that they are able to achieve their goals in parenting.

Child Specific Caregiver Support (CSCS) 

The Caregiver Support Pilot aims to understand the unique needs and challenges within the caregiver/youth relationship in order to develop a helpful plan for support and intervention. Through relationship and community building, this service aims to join families in hopes of moving beyond crisis and into a more stable and peaceful environment.

Youth Empowerment Services (YES!) 

The YES! Program offers long-term individual and group mentorship to youth in Foster Care. Through skillful mentorship, the YES! Program strives to establish trusting relationships and meaningful connections. It is our hope that youth involved in our program learn to identify an authentic sense of self, develop and sustain healthy relationships, recognize and participate in safe communities and live with intention.

About PWI 

Our Mission

Building strong connections for healthy communities. 

Our Values

Through skillful engagement, we strive to establish trusting relationships and meaningful connections so that individuals are empowered to find the voice to advocate for their needs and the confidence to pursue their aspirations. We believe healthy relationships are the vehicle through which our youth and families are able to grow and thrive. It is our hope that each person involved in our programs learns to identify an authentic sense of self, develop and sustain healthy relationships, recognize and participate in safe communities, and ultimately live their lives with intention. 

Our Commitment to Equity

At PWI, we recognize the institutional and cultural inequities that exist in history and continue to persist in the multiple systems of our lives. Individuals involved in the Child Welfare system are particularly vulnerable to these inequities. Lack of access to essential and culturally relevant resources further marginalize these communities and impact their success and wellbeing. We are committed to pushing equity forward and igniting change by supporting our youth and families as they work to achieve their goals. 

Our Agency Culture

PWI is a special and unique environment where ideas are valued, visions are shared and people are empowered. We are intentional about creating a workspace that values trust and collaboration and believe that individuals thrive when they feel cared for and supported. All positions at PWI encourage creativity and include flexibility in order to meet the fluctuating needs of the people we serve. Our team members work to establish healthy connections within their work relationships and operate from a strong commitment to furthering the Mission of PWI. We set ourselves apart by holding ourselves to a standard of excellence in the work that we do and the services that we provide.