Location: Glen Burnie,MD, USA
Title:Family Peer Support Specialist - Baltimore CountyLocation:Annapolis **We offer:** **flexible schedules
remote work
great benefits including generous paid time off****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 Marylands families. Our staff provide one-to-one support to parents and caregivers of individuals with mental health, substance use or gambling issues. We also advocate to improve systems that impact individuals with behavioral health challenges.
**Overview**
The Maryland Coalition of Families (MCF) has a full-time (40 hour/week) employment opportunity for a Family Peer Support Specialist (FPSS) to serve families in Anne Arundel County. The FPSS must have experience as a primary caregiver of a youth, adolescent, or young adult who has/had mental health or substance use challenges. The FPSS, after training and orientation, will provide family-to-family support, education, advocacy, coaching, information, referrals and follow-up to families involved with the Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) or families with a youth who has/had mental health or substance use challenges.
**Essential Duties and Responsibilities** * Provide education and support to families with youth, adolescents and young adults with mental health needs or who were referred from DJS to negotiate their way through the social, legal, educational and health care systems.
* Facilitate a process for families to develop a plan to: clarify the problem(s); provide emotional support and identify resources including appropriate levels of services, entitlements, community resources and other natural supports.
* Assist families and youth to build their own community based support network, and ensure that their goals are integrated into one unified plan as necessary.
* Facilitate families accessing supports and services by: sharing information about resources and supports; providing guidance in completing applications; supporting families to fully understand their rights; reviewing documents such as IEPs or reports with families to ensure they fully understand documents; empowering families to effectively articulate their concerns and needs; accompanying families to meetings; and educating families on laws, policies and procedures.
* Build and maintain strong partnerships with DJS staff as well as agencies and providers of services related to behavioral health and other child-serving systems.
* Facilitate training workshops in assigned region for families that are involved with DJS as assigned in contract deliverables.
* Facilitate open house events in assigned region for families and community partners as assigned in contract deliverables.
* Collaborate with other MCF staff to develop supportive and educational programs that empower families.
* Administrative duties to include maintaining client files, submitting required documentation, active participation in supervision and in MCF internal and external training opportunities.
* **Personal, lived experience as a primary caregiver of a youth, adolescent, or young adult who has/had substance use or mental health needs is required.**
* Personal, lived experience with the Department of Juvenile Services on behalf of a youth, adolescent, or young adult is desired but *not required*.
* High school diploma or equivalent.
* Must live in Anne Arundel County.
* Familiarity with state and local resources and how to access them.
* Willingness and strong ability to build and maintain partnerships with agencies and providers.
* Active listening skills for providing peer support and engagement to families.
* Able to work independently with strong organization skills
* Strong written and oral communication skills.
* Strong computer skills and the ability to efficiently utilize internet search to identify resources.
* Current Maryland drivers license and access to own vehicle; some in-state travel required.
* Successful completion of a background check.
* 40 hours/week
* Flexible work schedule
* Salary is $17.00 per hour with full benefits
**To apply**
To be considered for this position, you must submit (along with your resume) a cover letter describing your relevant lived experience as the primary caregiver of an individual with mental health or substance use challenges. Please provide details regarding what services and resources you have used to support your loved one.