Navigator Teen Support Specialist (TAPP)

Families First is a Georgia non-profit family service agency. We assist over 37,000 children, women and families each year, and we have been serving metro Atlanta for more than 130 years. Our mission is to ensure the success of children in jeopardy by empowering families.

 Everything our agency does is about strengthening families—all kinds of families with all kinds of needs. We foster strong communities by delivering empowering and sustainable solutions to children and families—solutions that improve child well-being and family self-sufficiency. Families First accomplishes this by focusing on three impact areas: 

• Child & Youth Permanency – to ensure long-term stability and support, we provide adoption, foster care and residential group homes for children whose lives have been disrupted.
• Family Sustainability & Empowerment – we work collaboratively with other organizations to provide self-sufficiency through housing and supportive services for chronically homeless families.
• Healthy Families & Relationships – we offer training and affordable counseling solutions to equip parents and families with critical skills to build healthy and strong relationships.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Navigator Teenage Pregnant and Parenting Program services are dedicated to supporting pregnant and parenting youth and young women in achieving a healthy pregnancy, delivering healthy babies, completing their education, parenting effectively and safely, postponing a second pregnancy, developing leadership skills, life goals, and measuring and building resiliency. This is accomplished through our comprehensive case management and Navigator services. The Navigator Teen Support Specialist is a full-time position that provides services in the homes, communities, and schools of pregnant and parenting teens.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Provide the following services to pregnant and parenting participants via individual, family and group interventions, including:

• Participant Identification and Outreach – including linkages with schools, health centers, networks
• Individual Assessment – provide leadership in conducting a comprehensive bio-psycho-social assessment that includes youths’ current and potential support network
• Service planning – develop, implement, update, and monitor high-quality service/ treatment plans and services
• Linkage with Services, Supports and Opportunities – identify and engage information, resources, supports and opportunities for participants; and actively provide connections with services, including healthcare, childcare, transportation, educational, vocational, employment, mentoring, etc.
• Counseling and family engagement – engage youth’s familial, school, community and peer support systems and biological father when appropriate.
• Parenting Education – Provide education on developmental stages, bonding, nurturing and safety.
• Youth Development – provide peer- and family-based learning, recreational and psycho-social opportunities for pregnant and parenting teens and their families and friends, including input on program design and development.
• CQI and Reporting - Maintain accurate, up-to-date and high-quality case notes, statistics, and documentation of services; administer assessment tools, and generate reports.
• Professional Representation - Contribute to the success and accomplishments of the Program through positive internal and external representation and communication, teamwork, problem-solving, on-time and consistent attendance, preparedness, and participation in community relationship-building.
• Program Development - Develop work skills, knowledge, expertise, and professional abilities by staying abreast of and incorporating lessons learned from professional literature, research, best practices, grant trends and opportunities, networking, and attending professional exchanges, trainings and conferences.
• Pregnancy Prevention Curriculums-Complete applicable training courses that support the service delivery of teen pregnancy preventions and healthy choices.
• Other duties as assigned.

 Requires Knowledge and Ability to:

• Attend all professional development trainings as required by the agency or Healthy Starts Department.
• Participate as a positive, productive team member within the Navigator Program Team.
• Work effectively with diverse populations.
• Organize and work independently.
• Work flexible hours.
• Traveling between work sites.
• Operate agency vehicle and transport Families First clients when necessary.
• Effectively communicate and partner with children, families, community agents, residents, co-workers and other entities as appropriate.
• Complete Motivational Interviewing training and other required training essential to work performance.
• Possess flexibility to adapt to various working styles.
• Work as a self-starter, creative problem solver and solution focused approach.
• Work in a fast-paced environment.
• Accept program performance feedback and constructive criticism. 

Other Duties:

• Home visitation, as deemed appropriate.
• Attend community meetings.
• Assist with outreach through community events, and other venues that help build awareness of program.
• Report and manage a database. 

• Master’s degree in social work, public health, education or related field preferred with (2) years of family work experience or bachelor’s degree with (3) years of family work experience to include working with pregnant and parenting teens
• Experience working with complex families and individuals in need of pregnancy prevention, prenatal care, teenage parenting services, adolescent/youth development and/or maternal child health
• Experience working with diverse families that may have multiple stressors and low resiliency scores.
• Ability to develop and maintain trusting relationships.
• Ability to work on a flexible schedule which could include evenings and at least one weekend a month.
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries when providing supportive services.
• Ability to recruit, and present the programs to applicable families, community organizations, fairs, etc.
• Ability to approach families from a strength based and family-centered perspective.
• Provide linkage to community resources and support
• Conduct monthly reporting duties
• Excellent listening, case management, crisis intervention and conflict resolution skills.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Knowledge of best, promising and evidence-based practices

• Case management and interactive, group facilitation skills.
• Knowledge of best, promising and evidence-based practices.
• Proficient in Microsoft and other software applications.
• Bilingual Spanish a plus.
• Previous experience utilizing an Electronic Clinical Record (ECR) a plus.

EEO Statement:

It is the policy of Families First not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability or because he or she is a protected veteran. It is also the policy of Families First to take affirmative action to employ and to advance in employment, all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status, and to base all employment decisions only on valid job requirements. This policy shall apply to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, upgrading, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, recall, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation and selection for training, including apprenticeship, at all levels of employment.

Families First is an Equal Opportunity Employer dedicated to Affirmative Action and Workforce Diversity. 

Families First participates in E-Verify.

The salary range for this position is commensurate with experience. Compensation includes a benefits package with medical, dental, vision. Vacation and sick leave, a generous holiday schedule and a 401(k)-retirement plan with organization match after 1 year of employment.

 Interested candidates can apply at www.familiesfirst.org