Parent Support Partner

*** $2,250.00 SIGNING BONUS ***

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Parent Support Partner (PSP) is the parent or primary caregiver of a child with emotional, behavioral and/or mental health challenges. Primary PSP focus will be to empower families to move toward independence through skill-building interventions, access to resources in the community including service providers, and increase their confidence in parenting while promoting an open and respectful attitude so that all family members can remain in the community.   

The Parent Support Partner participates in consultation and treatment plan coordination with mental health staff on a regular basis.  Community Mental Health Services Programs (CMHSP) provides for communication between the clinical staff and the Parent Support Partner to support the treatment process.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• High school diploma or equivalence preferred.
• Possession of a valid driver’s license.
• Must meet eligibility requirements for MDHHS State Peer Support Specialist Certification:
  • Must be 18 years of age or over
  • A parent or day-to-day caregiver who has or has had a child with emotional, behavioral and/or mental health challenges.
  • Experience navigating at least one agency serving children, preferably a public mental health agency.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Learn families’ story, culture, strengths, and concerns.
• Coach families to navigate the system by building their skills, providing information, and teaching them how to access and obtain community resources.
• Provide skilled interventions as part of the treatment plan.
• Meet with families in their home, community, or other setting to work on identified goals.
• Provide parents and caregivers with needed information about the CMHSP, the Parent Support Partner role and other related services.
• Provide a consistent source of non-judgmental support, encouragement, and hope.
• Support families in identifying and learning techniques and strategies for use by parents and caregivers.
• Supports family strengths in problem-solving and solution seeking.
• Support the Child and Family team to ensure and promote the family’s voice and choice. 
• Support links between families and community partners.
• Complete and maintain accurate, timely, required documentation.
• Attend staff meetings, supervision and training as scheduled.
• Participates in consultation and treatment plan coordination with child & family team member(s) (i.e. wraparound coordinator, home-based therapist, case manager, etc.) on a regular basis.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

•            General knowledge of the public mental health system, special education system, juvenile justice system, child welfare and other community resources.

•            Able to relate to, socially interact, communicate, with and engage others.

•            Able to partner with families, youth, professionals, other community members, to plan and implement services. 

•            Ability to integrate own experience when it is helpful to the family.

•            Demonstrates comfort working with people having different life experiences, as well as people from diverse socio-economic backgrounds and cultures.

•            Maintains a respectful, non-judgmental attitude toward the family and others.

•            Able to protect the confidentiality of families and the information that they share.

•            Possesses good communication skills, such as: Listening skills, written, and verbal communication skills

•            Ability to complete the reporting requirements of the CMHSP.

•            Possesses knowledge of community resources. 

•            Possesses basic computer knowledge, such as familiarity with email, internet, and word processing.

•            Accepts direction, guidance and assignments made by the supervisor.

LICENSING AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS: 

• Valid driver’s license and / or reliable transportation.

Starfish Family Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer 

EOE/M/F/D/V