Family Coordinator Mental Health

Who We Are

Founded in 1999, Maryland Coalition of Families (MCF) is a statewide nonprofit with a central office in Columbia, Md., and staff located in communities throughout the state. Using personal experience as parents, caregivers, youth and other loved ones, we connect, support and empower Maryland’s families. Our staff provide one-to-one support to parents and caregivers of people with mental health or substance use. We also advocate to improve systems that impact individuals with behavioral health challenges.

Overview

Maryland Coalition of Families (MCF) has a full-time (40 hours per week) employment opportunity for a Lead Family Coordinator to serve families in Prince George's County.

General Description: The Lead Family Coordinator must have experience as a caregiver a child, adolescent, or young adult with behavioral health challenges. The FPSS will work in collaboration with Prince George’s County Health department to provide peer support services to youth (ages birth through 21) who are at risk for or have been identified to have serious emotional disturbances. The FPSS will provide services to improve mental health outcomes for children and youth who are at risk of entering the child welfare system and juvenile justice systems. This position is Hybrid (2 days in office).

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• · Provide support, encouragement, and education to assist parents and caregivers who have a youth with behavioral health needs to navigate behavioral health, social, legal, educational and health care systems.
• · Promote the mission and vision of the System of Care (SOC) values and principles of families as partners throughout all aspects of care within the System of Care (SOC) team and externally with communities and systems.
• · Support and facilitate families to be engaged in all aspects of the System of Care (SOC), including oversight of a family engagement budget, advancing the parent peer support role, engaging in family leadership development, etc.
• · Inform the System of Care (SOC) about barriers families are experiencing in the system or its services and contribute to solutions and strategies.
• · Empower and support families through the local care team and support the creation and implementation of the plan of care for youth with special or intensive needs.
• · Utilize the Department of Social Services (DSS) Family Preservation intensive home-based services designed to meet the specific needs of individual families whose children are at imminent risk of an out-of-home placement.
• · Participate in the Collaborative and other related scheduled meetings and engage in trainings on evidence-based practices required to utilize in service provision.
• · Maintain accurate and timely documentation regarding delivery of services and collaborate with the University of Maryland Baltimore to complete data tracking tasks.
• · Conduct pre- and post-NOMS with parents and caregivers served.
• · Offer a strengths-based, non-judgmental, solutions-oriented approach to helping parents and caregivers identify challenges and needs and develop a plan to overcome them.
• · Provide opportunities for parents and caregivers to engage in activities which help and encourage them to build a natural support network.
• · Educate parents and caregivers about available resources and facilitate access as needed.
• · Educate parents and caregivers regarding their rights in various systems.
• · Advocate on behalf of the parents and caregivers with key stakeholders in various systems with they are involved to ensure needs are met.
• · Support parents and caregivers to be equal partners in planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating plans of care or service.
• · Facilitate educational workshops for parents and caregivers related to behavioral health topics or other subjects relevant to the community.
• · Build and maintain strong, positive partnerships with behavioral health, child-serving agencies, and other service providers.
• · Act as an ambassador to disseminate information and raise awareness about all MCF programs and services.
• · Act as an ambassador to families and share legislature updates and information that impact families in Prince George’s County at the monthly CORE meeting.
• · Stay abreast of emerging issues within the field of family peer support and specific program focus area through a commitment to professional growth and continued learning.
• · Represent MCF on various state and local committees, commissions and boards as assigned to increase awareness of family peer support and provide family voice as part of conversations related to policies, systems, and other issues that impact families, caregivers, and allies.
• · Contribute positively to a community of peers supporting each other in the delivery of high-quality services to families, caregivers, and allies.
• · Other duties as assigned

Qualifications: 

• Must live in PG County
• Personal, lived experience as a parents and caregivers of a child, youth, or young adult with a behavioral health challenge is required.
• High school diploma or equivalent required, Associates or Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Minimum one year work experience in an office.
• Familiarity with state and local resources and knowledge of how to access them.
• Prior experience assisting other families to obtain appropriate services and supports for their child or family members is desirable.
• Familiarity and comfort with public speaking and conducting outreach to the community.
• Ability to build and maintain partnerships with agencies and providers.
• Active listening skills for providing non-judgmental peer support to families with a strengths-based perspective.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Strong computer skills and the ability to efficiently utilize internet search to identify resources.
• Ability or willingness to learn how to use a database (Salesforce).
• Current Maryland driver’s license and access to own vehicle; in-state travel required.
• Successful completion of a background check.

Hours/Compensation

• Full-Time/40 hours per week.
• Salary: $22-24/Per Hour
• MCF provides equipment, mileage reimbursement, and paid training.
• Full benefits include generous paid time off (2-Weeks Vacation, 2-Weeks Sick leave, 3-Personal days, 2-Floating holidays, 11-Holidays per year), health plans, dental, vision, life insurance, FSA, long-term disability, 401(k), and EAP.

To apply

To be considered for this position, you must respond to the screener question about your relevant personal experience as the primary caregiver of a loved one with a substance use challenge.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer – all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other classification protected by applicable discrimination.

Visit our website for information about our organization: https://www.mdcoalition.org