Position Title: Family Recovery Specialist (FRS) FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Primary Purpose: The Family Recovery Specialist provides a broad range of services to participants of ChooseWell Communities (CWC). These services include encouraging individual and family recovery through various educational services, encouraging and promoting participants in all things related to independent living, including housing, budgeting, mental and physical self-care, acting as a recovery resource and mentor, possible liaison to/with outside agencies and community resources. These efforts will require one-on-one, biweekly meetings with participants, direct assistance with obtaining housing and other needed services, and occasional crisis mitigation with the support of the Executive Director and other designated CWC staff.
Accomplishing some of these goals will also require providing transportation and accompanying participants to related appointments.
The Family Recovery Specialist typically completes work independently and in collaboration with participants’ mental health support team and in accordance with instructions, policies and procedures, previous training, and accepted practices. Must meet regularly with the Executive Director for support and supervision. Complex or otherwise challenging situations must be referred to the Executive Director for direction.
Essential Duties:
- Serves as a role model for participants, modeling the fundamentals of a committed recovery program, while balancing parenting, professional and self-care roles.
- Practices and maintains compassionate, professional boundaries. Elevates to the appropriate level of supervision, any circumstance where boundaries might be compromised.
- Develops, with participants, strengths-based recovery and family goals in conjunction with CWC’s Recovery Capital framework and policy/procedures supporting participant success. Meets no less than bi-weekly with assigned participants to review progress, navigate challenges, and connect to community and other resources.
- Supports participants in navigating the process of obtaining suitable housing through housing resources approved by CWC.
- Promotes and models appropriate skills for coping and managing physical and behavioral health symptoms.
- Provides advocacy support for participants, including assistance with benefits, food, housing, employment, healthcare coverage, and access to appropriate care in the community.
- With the Executive Director and participants’ mental health support team provides guidance and recovery support to participants who experience a temporary return to active use. Abides by CWC policy relative to program compliance and participant success.
- Maintains timely and accurate participant records in both narrative and statistical form (i.e. session notes and within a database).
- Participates in staff and organizational meetings as requested for care-coordination and adherence/refinement of policies and procedures.
- Maintains compliance with all organizational policies and procedures.
- Facilitates and co-facilitates weekly recovery meetings and other CWC-approved programming as directed by Executive Director.
- Completes office duties as needed/required, including filing, organization, and database maintenance.
- Assists with organizing physical in-kind donations (i.e. clothing, food, furniture, home goods, etc.) and distributing them to participants and their children.
- Assists in emergency situations as directed by the Executive Director.
- Understands and maintains confidentiality of participant/family information and records.
- Recognizes crisis situations and elevates based on CWC policy, professional training, and experience.
- Occasionally assists participants with transportation for applicable off -site appointments (e.g., housing navigation, in-person CWC programming sessions, legal or health-related appointments, etc.), or other related participant activities approved for staff transportation.
- Follows all laws as a mandated reporter for suspected child abuse and neglect.
- Performs additional relevant duties as assigned by the Executive Director.
Working Conditions: Hybrid. Occasional outreach or program opportunities that may be in an outdoor setting, along with home visits or site visits to support participant and organizational needs.
Work Hours: 35 hours per week. Actual hours may fluctuate based on participant and program needs identified by management.
Duties possibly require overtime and weekend hours,
Equipment Use: Computer and standard office equipment.
Mental, Physical, and Communication Demands:
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit. While doing outreach and/or home/site-visits, the employee is regularly required to stand and must occasionally lift and/or move more than 30 pounds. The employee must be comfortable with climbing stairs on a daily basis, as home visits do require step-climbing without access to elevators.
- Must model the recovery practices expected of CWC participants, including investment in mental health support, adherence to recovery principles, and balanced family, professional and personal well-being.
- Must have excellent organizational skills with strict attention to detail.
- Requires relating to others in a compassionate and professional manner with excellent oral and written communication skills to prepare clear and concise reports and to communicate effectively with clients, staff, partners, consultants, and representatives from similar programs and community agencies.
- Ability to effectively interact in a multi-cultural and diverse community.
- Must be able to analyze problems and develop effective solutions, at times on-the-spot.
- Demonstrate the ability to work independently as well as closely as a team. Must be able to offer support to participants and complete job duties with minimal supervision.
Minimum Qualification Requirements Skills and Knowledge:
- Passion for serving families with young children led by parents in recovery.
- Knowledge of Louisville, KY-based substance abuse recovery programs, and community resources.
- Knowledge of recovery management, family reunification, legal aid, community recovery programs, medical assisted treatment (MAT), child development, and early childhood issues and resources.
- Computer skills, with proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), Google Suite, and electronic communications tools (i.e. internet, email, Zoom, etc.) with willingness to learn new applications as needed.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, with a willingness to build on these skills as needed.
- Excellent family support and resource management skills.
- Ability to recite “elevator speech” regarding CWC and your role within CWC. ~
- Excellent organizational, time management, and self-starting skills.
- Experience establishing objectives and programming content for participants based on activities that can address medical, social, educational, or vocational needs.
- Identifies, networks with, and accesses community resources to address specific needs of individual participants.
- Attends and contributes to the Participant Success Committee in collaboration with CWC staff & the therapeutic and substance abuse treatment provider(s) of participants. Continuously exercises good judgment in handling participant issues and represents CWC with a positive and professional image.
- Possesses an understanding of normal growth and development, culture/ethnicity considerations, and mental health and/or substance use disorder diagnoses relevant to the populations served by CWC.
- Manages caseload and work to maximize staff and participant time to meet productivity standards.
- Possesses and demonstrates a positive attitude and professional conduct.
- Lives within a 20-mile radius of Jefferson County Kentucky
- Possesses a valid driver’s license, clean driving record, applicable car insurance, and access to an insured vehicle. The employee is required to use their personal vehicle and must be willing to travel to various locations to perform the abovementioned duties.
Education and Experience:
- High School Diploma/GED required.
- Desire to want to serve and support parents in recovery with young children.
- Valid and current Kentucky Peer Support Specialist Certification (APSS), CSA, and ideally CHW
- Completion of motivational interviewing, case management/service coordination (will train)
- At least one (1) year of full-time employment or volunteer experience working directly with a substanceabuse population (with direct daily contact) in a human service setting.
- Ideally at least (2) years of continuous sobriety
Pay: $18.00 - $22.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Bereavement leave
- Flexible schedule
- Health savings account
- Mileage reimbursement
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
Application Question(s):
- Do you have a driver's license?
License/Certification:
- Adult Peer Support Specialist, CHW, or CSA (Required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Louisville, KY 40214
