Parent Partner-FT (69099)

DEFINITION: Parent Partners will be individuals who have previous involvement with Oklahoma Human Services (OHS) Child Welfare and have successfully overcome their challenges to become a mentor for parents currently involved with the juvenile courts and OHS Child Welfare. Meeting regularly with families, the Parent Partner will offer hope, appropriate guidance and advocacy to parents through shared experience.

SUPERVISION: Position is supervised by a Supervisor or Program Manager of Family Preservation Services

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

• Assists parents with the goal of the children returning home in the shortest, safely allowable time.
• Work closely with parents to engage cooperatively with the court process and OHS Individualized Services Plan (ISP)
• Provides hope for parents through encouragement, advocacy, and sharing of own experiences.
• Empowers parents to experience progress through supportive guidance and problem solving.
• Works to engage birth fathers in care taking of and relationship building with their children.
• Supports parents in regular contact and visitation with children as allowed.
• Provides support before or after scheduled visitation, however, will not supervise visits.
• Participate as a member of the parents’ multidisciplinary team to support their voice and update the team on parents’ progress.
• Collaborates with Child Welfare to ensure the safety and well-being of children.
• Supports engagement of the parent with Child Welfare staff and the court.
• Attends family team meetings, court, and other relevant gatherings with or on behalf of parents. However, will not offer legal advice to parents.
• Promotes connection and teamwork between foster families and children’s parents towards a shared goal of the children returning home.
• Provides transportation when necessary for the parents to become re-established in the community and engage with their service providers.
• Assists parents to develop and/or maintain relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and significant others in the community.
• Demonstrates the ability to teach communication and negotiation skills, link and refer the parents with needed community resources and support.
• Participates in public speaking and training opportunities to increase awareness and support for families impacted by the child welfare system.
• Willing to share personal experiences in a supportive manner with other parents, community partners, and child welfare.
• Promotes an organizational culture within Family Preservation Services and NorthCare that is warm and engaging, values excellent services, professionalism in presentation as a representative of the program and NorthCare.  Promotes such values through interactions with fellow staff, consumers, and community partners. 
• Conducts services that are sensitive with respect to each family’s culture, ethnic origin, race, language, gender, age, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, mental and/or physical challenges. Provides services in a natural environment convenient to the family.
• Spends 40-50% of work hours providing services to or on behalf of families. Completes progress notes within 48 hours of the service delivery.
• Coordinates services in a professional manner when collaborating with other service providers in order to maintain good working relationships in the community.
• Attends all agency and program required trainings, team meetings, clinical consultations, and supervisions. Participates in trainings/workshops related to the Peer Recovery Support Specialist process and professional development.
• Clocks in and out of PayCom daily. Works a flexible 40-hour full-time schedule being available to families according to their needs and availability. Evening and weekend hours will be required to accommodate the work schedule of each caregiver and school schedules of the children in the family when scheduling appointments.
• Utilizes the outlook calendar to submit a weekly schedule which outlines scheduled appointments for the week. The schedule must include the consumer name and KK number, current address and telephone number. The Parent Partner must notify direct leadership of any alterations to the schedule (cancellations, new appointments, missed appointments etc.).
• Abides by the agency policy on confidentiality and at all times and respects the integrity and confidentiality of the family.
• Performs other related duties as required and assigned by the Program Manager, Director and/or executive management.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

Position requires previous experience with an OHS Child Welfare permanency or Family Centered Services (FCS) case, must have one year passed since the end of the closed OHS case, and a high school diploma or equivalent. It is preferred that individuals will have a Peer Recovery Support Specialist (PRSS) certification or will obtain the certification within 90 days of employment with NorthCare.

Must display proficiency in the MS Word processing software and general computer skills. Must demonstrate good interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate verbally with English-speaking patients. Must be able to move about facilities freely. Casual professional dress is required with adherence to dress code requirements.  

Due to nature of contract, candidates & employees must report to NorthCare any current or prior confirmed record of child abuse as an adult.  Any such confirmed record must be reviewed by the NorthCare Executive Team for hiring approval or, for current employees, continued employment with NorthCare.  Must have access to reliable transportation. In state travel is required. Must possess and provide verification of valid driver’s license during employment with NorthCare.

Must maintain and provide verification of current automobile liability insurance including uninsured motorist coverage. Must carry a cell phone at all times and must respond to all work-related calls within 60 minutes of receiving a voice mail message and must read and respond to emails daily. 

Must possess and maintain CPR, First Aid and Therapeutic Options certifications; or obtain within 30 days of employment with NorthCare. Must have and/or complete all NorthCare Training within 30 days of employment. Must have TB test within 12 months prior to employment with NorthCare or obtain within 30 days of employment with NorthCare.

Every NorthCare employee is responsibility for adhering to any and all laws, professional standards and ethical codes that apply to his/her job responsibilities.