System of Care Family Partner (Ashe, Alleghany, Stokes)

LOCATION: Remote - must live in or near Ashe, Alleghany, or Stokes County, North Carolina.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB

The Family Partner is or has been a primary caregiver (e.g., parent; legal guardian) of a child with serious emotional, intellectual/developmental, behavioral, substance use or mental health concerns who has knowledge of the behavioral health system and provides coaching, modeling and education of system protocols and processes. The Family Partner adheres to System of Care (SOC) values while supporting children, youth and families in situations necessitating collaboration between multiple service providers, providing individualized, trauma-informed advocacy for caregivers of children and youth with complex needs. The Family Partner collaborates with community stakeholders and supports the development and optimal functioning of local Community Collaboratives, ensuring Collaboratives include active representation from youth and families. The Family Partner provides training, support and leadership opportunities to families in need and agencies who serve or could serve these families. In collaboration with the SOC Coordinator, the Family Partner serves children, youth, families, Community Collaboratives and other SOC stakeholders in a three-county catchment area.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Family Support/Child and Family Teams

The Family Partner is an active participant on Vaya members' Child and Family Teams (CFTs), supporting and enhancing the utilization of SOC values in member care and service provision to ensure:

1. Children, youth and families are prepared in advance of CFT meetings, either by the Family Partner or meeting facilitator, and know what to expect and who has been invited.

2. Family members are encouraged to contribute to the meeting agenda and list of invitees.

3. Children, youth and families take an active role in CFT meetings, self-identify family members' strengths, needs, and goals, and agree with all objectives and services proposed by CFT.

4. Plans created by the CFT align with the child, youth and family's culture, language, and values/beliefs.

5. Proposed services to meet child, youth and family needs are strength-based, flexible, individualized, and available in the family's home and community.

6. CFTs have balanced representation between the family's Natural Support system and community agencies and providers.

7. CFT members communicate using child- and family-friendly language.

8. Interventions and services developed to meet child, youth and family plan goals involve both evidence-based practices and informal services from Natural Supports.

9. CFTs address issues, gaps, and concerns identified by the children, youth and families, adjusting proposed services as needed.

The Family Partner provides ongoing support to children, youth and families, including, but not limited to:

1. Accompanying children, youth and families to appointments, meetings, court hearings, and other relevant events, at the request of the family, to provide advocacy, support, and service navigation assistance.

2. Consulting with, advocating for, educating, and providing linkages to relevant resources to children, youth and families as needed, including during periods of transition (e.g., placement; services).

3. Working in collaboration with CFT members and Vaya Health Complex Care Managers and other staff to best meet the needs of children, youth, and families.

4. Linking children, youth and families to activities and organizations in their communities to support sustained community connection and support.

The Family Partner utilizes strategies to provide and enhance leadership opportunities for children, youth and families involved in the behavioral health system, including, but not limited to:

1. Recruiting youth and families to actively participate on local Community Collaboratives and/or "lived experience" collaboratives.

2. Linking youth and families with local family and youth advocacy organizations.

3. Advocating for and supporting the inclusion of youth and families in SOC-related policy-development workgroups and legislative processes at both local and state levels.

4. Linking youth and families to training opportunities related to SOC, behavioral health, and self-advocacy.

If applicable, the Family Partner works collaboratively with the SAMHSA System of Care Expansion and Sustainability grant team working in the Family Partner's counties to support the grant project's goals and objectives.

Local Child Collaborative Development and Support and Community-Based Outreach and Networking:

The Family Partner, in collaboration with a Vaya SOC Coordinator, ensures each Community Collaborative includes membership and active participation from all SOC stakeholders, including, but not limited to: children, youth, and families who have received or are receiving behavioral health services; child, youth, and family advocates and advocacy agencies; public and private behavioral health providers; government representatives (e.g., Department of Social Services; Department of Juvenile Justice; Health Department; County Commissioner); school district personnel; and all other relevant child-serving agencies. When gaps in representation are identified, the Family Partner engages in active outreach and recruitment in the local community to ensure Community Collaboratives represent all facets of SOC. The Family Partner works with Community Collaboratives to develop strategies to promote and enhance family and youth participation. The Family Partner serves on Local Interagency Coordinating Councils (LICCs) and other youth- and family-focused community-based groups and attends youth- and family-focused community events, offering education and outreach regarding Vaya Health and SOC as well as links between youth, family members, other SOC stakeholders, and community groups.

Train/Co-train/Coach SOC Stakeholders and Family Members:

The Family Partner assists with or provides SOC-related trainings and coaching to community members and stakeholders around family-driven, youth-guided values and principals, CFT and other strength-based processes that promote family voice and choice.

Evaluation and Quality Improvement:

In collaboration with the SOC Coordinator, the Family Partner takes a leadership role in the ongoing evaluation and quality improvement of SOC, including:

1. Advocating with Vaya leadership and SOC stakeholders in each county to ensure the presence of accessible, timely, high-quality, evidence-based, effective behavioral health care for children, youth, and families.

2. Providing opportunities for family, youth, providers and community members to share identified issues and concerns with Vaya leadership and other SOC stakeholders and advocating for plans to be developed and implemented to address identified concerns.

3. Maintaining accurate records and ensuring appropriate documentation of work, including tracking required data as determined by Vaya Health's System of Care team.

Collaboration with NC Collaborative for Children, Youth, and Families and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Division of Child and Family Well-Being:

In collaboration with the System of Care Coordinator, the Family Partner:

1. Ensures representation and active at the NC Collaborative's biweekly statewide SOC meetings and on each of the NC State Collaborative's subcommittees, sharing updates from local communities.

2. Attends monthly Breeze Calls to ensure ongoing information-sharing and consultation with the Department.

3. Meets all Department standards and requirements, participating in all scheduled conference calls, webinars, meetings, trainings, conferences, and site visits.

Professional Development:

The Family Partner will receive the State SOC training curriculum and participate in appropriate professional development to support best practice in working with youth and families. The Family Partner will attend meetings and trainings conducted by Vaya and/or NC DMH/DD/SAS.

Other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL & ABILITIES:

* Ability to work effectively and collaboratively with a wide range of family members, stakeholders, providers and other Vaya staff

* General knowledge of family cultures, dynamics and needs

* Knowledge of Person-Centered Planning process and the ability to assist in the development of such plans as they relate to children, youth and families navigating the various child serving agencies

* General knowledge of DSS, Juvenile Justice, School, Health Department and other service agency protocols

* Knowledge and ability to document in electronic medical record and complete documentation in a timely manner in compliance with all privacy regulations.

* Must be able to maintain confidentiality and follow all agency policies and procedures.

* Maintain a valid NC driver's license.

QUALIFICATIONS & EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

High school diploma or GED is required. At least four (4) years of experience as a primary caregiver for a child or youth receiving Medicaid or State-funded behavioral health services.

Licensure/Certification Requirements:

Within twelve (12) months of employment with Vaya Health, Family Partner will complete System of Care: An Introduction to Child and Family Team - A Cross System Training from the Family's Perspective and other trainings required by NC DMH/DD/SAS.

MENTAL/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Person in this position is required to have close visual acuity to perform activities that include viewing a computer terminal, and extensive reading. Physical activity in this position includes crouching, reaching, walking, talking, hearing and repetitive motion of hands, wrists and fingers. Sedentary work with lifting requirements up to 10 pounds, sitting for extended periods of time.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT: This position is required to reside in North Carolina or within 40 miles of the North Carolina border.

SALARY: Depending on qualifications & experience of candidate. This position is non-exempt and is eligible for overtime compensation.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: Open Until Filled

APPLY: Vaya Health accepts online applications in our Career Center, please visit https://www.vayahealth.com/about/careers/.

Vaya Health is an equal opportunity employer.