Family Peer Advocate

NOTE: All applicants must comply with ICL's vaccination policy. Individuals selected for employment cannot begin working until they provide verification that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (with an FDA-authorized vaccine).

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE: Bilingual in Spanish Required

Minimum: New York State Credentialed Family Peer Advocate (FPA) or Certified Recovery Peer Advocate with a Family Specialty (CRPA-F).

Demonstrate ‘lived experience’ as a parent or primary caregiver who has navigated multiple child serving systems on behalf of their children with social, emotional, developmental, health and/or behavioral healthcare needs Demonstrate lived experience as a primary caregiver of a youth who has participated in (or navigated) the addiction services system. They provide education, outreach, advocacy and recovery support services for families seeking and sustaining recovery on behalf of a child or youth; or High school diploma or General Equivalency Degree (GED) preferred or a State Education Commencement Credential.

JOB SUMMARY:
Our Philosophy of Care: for 35 years, ICL has been providing care that is changing lives. In addition, every year, people coming to
ICL do get better with us. Regardless of where they start, we believe all people have the ability to change and grow to lead the
most fulfilling and self-supporting life possible. Moreover, we stand by each person every step of his or her journey, regardless of
how difficult it may get. Working here is much more than a job. ICL is a place where you'll have a real and lasting impact on the
lives of the people we serve. The Children and Family Treatment Support Services (CFTSS) Family Peer Support Services are
an array of formal and informal activities and supports provided to families caring for/raising a child who is experiencing social, emotional, medical, developmental, substance use, and/or behavioral challenges in their home, school, placement, and/or community. FPSS provide a structured, strength based relationship between a Family Peer Advocate (FPA) and the parent/family
member/caregiver for the benefit of the child/youth. Services are delivered in a trauma informed,
culturally and linguistically competent manner. Family is defined as the primary caregiving unit and is inclusive of the wide diversity of primary caregiving units in our culture. Family is a birth, foster, adoptive, or self-created unit of people residing together, with significant attachment to the individual, consisting of adult(s) and/or children, with adult(s) performing duties of
parenthood/caregiving for the children even if the individual is living outside of the home.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

List all essential job duties. (To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty listed satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with a disability to perform the essential duties unless this causes undue hardship to the agency.)

Engagement, Bridging, and Transition Support-

1. Serving as a bridge between families and service providers, supporting a productive and
   respectful partnership by assisting the families to express their strengths, needs and goals.
2. Based on the strengths and needs of the youth and family, connecting them with appropriate
   services and supports. Accompanying the family when visiting programs.
3. Facilitating meetings between families and service providers.
4. Assisting the family to gather, organize and prepare documents needed for specific services.
5. Addressing any concrete or subjective barriers that may prevent full participation in services
6. Supporting and assisting families during stages of transition which may be unfamiliar (e.g.
   placements, in crisis, and between service systems etc.).
7. Promoting continuity of engagement and supports as families’ needs and services change.
   Self-Advocacy, Self-Efficacy, and Empowerment
8. Coach and model shared decision-making and skills that support collaboration, in addition to
   providing opportunities for families to self-advocate.
9. Supporting families to advocate on behalf of themselves to promote shared decision-making.
10. Ensuring that family members inform all planning and decision-making.
11. Modeling strengths-based interactions by accentuating the positive.
12. Supporting the families in discovering their strengths and concerns. Assist families to identify
    and set goals and short-term objectives.
13. Preparing families for meetings and accompany them when needed.
14. Empowering families to express their fears, expectations and anxieties to promote positive
    effective communication. o Assisting families to frame questions to ask providers.
15. Providing opportunities for families to connect to and support one another
16. Supporting and encouraging family participation in community, regional, state, national
    activities to develop their leadership skills and expand their circles of support.
17. Providing leadership opportunities for families who are receiving Family Peer Support
    Services. Version 2021-1 February 2021 31
18. Empowering families to make informed decisions regarding the nature of supports for
    themselves and their child through
19. Sharing information about resources, services and supports and exploring what might be
    appropriate for their child and family
20. Exploring the needs and preferences of the family and locating relevant resources.
21. Helping families understand eligibility rules
22. Helping families understand the assessment process and identify their child’s strengths, needs
    and diagnosis.
    Parent Skill Development
23. Supporting the efforts of families in caring for and strengthening their children’s mental, and
    physical health, development and well-being of their children
24. Helping the family learn and practice strategies to support their child’s positive behavior. o
    Assisting the family to implement strategies recommended by clinicians.
25. Assisting families in talking with clinicians about their comfort with their treatment plans.
26. Providing emotional support for the family on their parenting journey to reduce isolation,
    feelings of stigma, blame and hopelessness.
27. Providing individual or group parent skill development related to the behavioral and medical
    health needs of the child (i.e., training on special needs parenting skills).
28. Supporting families as children transition from out of home placement.
29. Assisting families on how to access transportation.
30. Supporting the parent in their role as their child’s educational advocate by providing:
    information, modeling, coaching in how to build effective partnerships, and exploring
    educational options with families and school staff.
    Community Connections and Natural Supports
31. Enhancing the quality of life by integration and supports for families in their own communities
32. Helping the family to rediscover and reconnect to natural supports already present in their
    lives.
33. Utilizing the families’ knowledge of their community in developing new supportive
    relationships. Version 2021-1 February 2021 32
34. Helping the family identify and become involved in leisure and recreational activities in their
    community.
35. In partnership with community leaders, encouraging families who express an interest to
    become more involved in faith or cultural organizations.
36. Arranging support and training as needed to facilitate participation in community activities.
37. Conducting groups with families to strengthen social skills, decrease isolation, provide
    emotional support and create opportunities for ongoing natural support.
38. Working collaboratively with schools to promote family engagement.
    

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

1. Ability to work with recipients/residents, families, and staff in a caring and respectful manner, and with due understanding of and consideration for cultural differences.
2. Ability to serve as a role model to residents/recipients.
3. Ability to complete written forms and reports in an accurate and timely manner.
4. Ability to communicate effectively with staff, recipients/residents, families, and the public.
5. Ability to prepare accurate and timely documentation, reports and other written material as assigned.
6. Ability to secure the cooperation of and work effectively with others
7. Ability to work independently, and to conform to all applicable safety and accountability measures
8. Knowledge of how disabilities can adversely affect functioning and ways to cope with or overcome such effects
9. Basic knowledge of mental illness and serious emotional disturbances and substance abuse disorders.
10. Basic knowledge of treatment, rehabilitation, and community support programs as they relate to consumers/residents, families, and staff.
11. Basic knowledge of routine clinical procedures and medications.
12. Basic knowledge of techniques for identifying and preventing potentially violent behavior, including crisis management
    techniques
13. Ability to read and write at least at a 12th grade level and to follow written and oral instructions
14. Ability to accompany or transport residents (some assignments may require possession of a valid driver's license).
15. Ability to be empathetic and supportive to residents instructing, demonstrating, modeling, and encouraging appropriate
    behavior and skills.