Family-based Intensive Treatment Family Partner

To be considered, all applicants must have experience as a caregiver/parent of a child or youth with special needs and preferably with significant mental health needs

When you join The Home for Little Wanderers, you join a team of professionals dedicated to creating better, brighter futures for kids.

For over 200 years, The Home for Little Wanderers has helped build stable lives and hopeful tomorrows for vulnerable children and their families. Our 25 community-based and residential programs serve thousands of at-risk youths from birth to age 26. Many of these children have experienced abuse, neglect, trauma, or a disrupted family life. As the oldest child welfare agency in America, we provide them with safe surroundings, permanent loving relationships, and a secure path toward a better, brighter future.

To learn more about the incredible impact our employees have on the lives of children and families, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXedSArtYbg

About the Program

At The Home, we believe strong families are the backbone of strong communities. Our Community Service Agencies (CSAs) provide individualized, family-driven coordination of care to meet the complex needs of children and families who are involved in child and family-serving systems and may be experiencing emotional, behavioral, safety or mental health difficulties.

Each of our CSAs now offer a Family-Based Intensive Treatment (FIT) service which provides short-term, flexible, hands-on support at home, helping families navigate tough times, strengthen connections and keep kids in their communities. The FIT service is designed for MassHealth youth under 21 with serious emotional challenges. It is delivered by a specialized team of clinicians, paraprofessionals, family partners and includes access to prescribers and behavioral therapists

How You Will Be Making a Difference

Under the direction of the Program Director and Senior FIT Clinician, the FIT Family Partner provides support to youth under the age of 21 with a Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) SUD, ASD, IDD and their families under the CBHI framework. The FIT Family Partner uses their lived experience as a parent or caregiver of a child with emotional, behavioral, mental health needs to support caregiver to navigate systems to improve skill building, emotional regulation, and advocacy. The FIT Family Partner works closely with the FIT clinician and FIT paraprofessional to help implement identified tasks on the youth/family’s treatment plan.

• Provide caregivers with tools to build advocacy and navigate community resources and larger child-serving systems.
• Support caregivers with advocating for the needs of their youth
• Coach families on how to implement effective strategies to address emotional, behavioral, mental health needs
• Provide education around child development, parenting strategies, mental health and trauma
• Connect families to resources in their community to address the identified needs
• Participate in monthly meetings facilitated by the FIT clinician
• Complete progress notes in the electronic health record system
• Maintain regular communication with FIT team regarding status updates on progress and challenges
• Collaborate with CBHI service, emergency provider, families and other relevant supports identified by the family
• Provide coaching in support of decision-making in both crisis and non-crisis situations
• Work with assigned youth and family 3-5 times weekly managing a caseload of 5-6 families
• Participates in individual, dyad, and group supervision, weekly supervision, and regular staff meetings and training as required.
• Other duties as assigned

Driving Requirements

• Required to operate a vehicle with a valid driver’s license and satisfactory driving record.
• Required to have access to a personal vehicle for work.
• May be required to transport clients

Experience / Qualifications

• Personal experience as a parent/caregiver navigating child, family, or behavioral health systems, including advocating for family members.
• Preferably knowledgeable about the communities we serve
• Fluency in a second language (e.g. Spanish, Haitian Creole) is a plus
• Computer literate with the ability to learn new software applications
• Excellent written and communication skills
• Experience with CBHI services preferred but not required
• Knowledge of trauma-informed care service delivery and family systems theory preferred
• Bachelor's degree in a human services field and one (1) year working with target population preferred
• Associates degree in a human service field and one (1) year working with children/adolescents/transition age youth
• High school diploma or HiSet and a minimum of two (2) years of experience working with children/adolescents/transition age youth; and experience navigating any of the child and family-serving systems and supporting family members who are involved with the child and family serving systems
• Primarily home/community-based visits with office-based tasks

Valuing Diversity

We are committed to excellence in diversity, equity, and inclusion, while simultaneously creating a culture that supports those values. We believe the differences we bring enhance our ability to provide exceptional service and care to diverse children, families, and communities. Moreover, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging align with our values and our mission to help vulnerable children and their families build permanent, positive change.

What The Home Can Offer You

In addition to the chance to make a lasting impact on the lives of the youth we serve, The Home for Little Wanderers offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Generous time off including up to 15 days per year for new full-time employees, plus 11 holidays, and 5 sick days
• Health, Dental and Vision Insurance available
• Extensive training to new staff
• Tuition reimbursement of up to $2,400 per fiscal year
• 403(b) Retirement Plan with employer match
• Employer paid Long-term and Short-term Disability Insurance, plus Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
• And more!

Pay Range Positioning Summary

The pay range listed represents the company’s good faith estimate of the salary or wage range for this position at the time of posting, as required under applicable law. Actual compensation will be based on a variety of factors, including a candidate’s relevant experience, education, skills, and internal equity relative to other employees in similar roles. Candidates with less directly related experience may be placed toward the lower end of the range, while those with extensive or specialized experience may be placed toward the higher end. Market conditions and budget considerations may also influence final pay decisions.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.