Peer Family Mentor - Counseling Office, Kent - Full-Time

Peer Family Mentor Counseling Office, Kent Full-Time, 40 Hours/Week $20.00-$23.00/Hour

SUMMARY:

The Ohio START Family Peer Mentor helps families navigate the child welfare and other systems by providing peer support and promoting healing to keep children safe and families together. The Ohio START Family Peer Mentor serves families referred to the public children services agency (PCSA) due to child maltreatment with substance use being the primary risk factor. The Ohio START Family Peer Mentor serves as a member of the local START team along with the child welfare caseworker, child welfare supervisor, and behavioral health service provider.

The goal of the entire team is to keep children safe and families together. The Ohio START Family Peer Mentor will have a caseload of no more than 10-12 families. SUPERVISOR: Clinical Director or Designee

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Participate as an active member of the Ohio START team.
• Assist with the safety of the child(ren) by working collaboratively with the Ohio START case worker and behavioral health provider to ensure the seamless and efficient delivery of intensive wrap-around services to the START families on their caseload.
• Participate in initial meetings, weekly status meetings and Family Team Meetings to review families’ progress and child safety in their respective cases.
• Provide continual exploration of family’s needs to empower the family to take ownership over their long-term successes and the safety of the child(ren).
• Support the parent(s) to achieve personal independence.
• Connect START families to community resources.
• Teach families skills to effectively navigate the child welfare system.
• Assist families to identify and access natural support systems in the community.
• Promote coordination and linkage among providers within local community.
• Coordinate access to crisis intervention services and assist with family stabilization.
• Teach START families self-advocacy and empowerment skills.
• Identify barriers (internal and external) to full participation in community resources and develop strategies to overcome those barriers.
• Provide input on court forms as needed; and
• Provide input on development of the case plan and child safety. Other duties as assigned. The Duties and Responsibilities above represent the most significant duties of this position, but do not exclude other assignments that would be within the qualification and responsibility levels of this position.