FIRST STEPS TOGETHER FAMILY RECOVERY SUPPORT SPECIALIST

Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or GED is required; Recovery Coach Certification preferred.
• Experience providing support to families with young children.
• Familiar with and able to work from a strengths-based, family-centered approach.
• Strong organizational and communication skills, including the ability to work well with a wide range of families and service providers.
• Must have a minimum of three years in recovery from substance use addiction.
• Basic computer proficiency skills are required to record and track activities, contacts and referrals.
• Valid Driver’s license and use of a vehicle is required.
• Bi-lingual strongly preferred.
• Knowledge and familiarity with DCF is preferred.
• Parenting or caregiving experience preferred.
• Flexible hours are necessary.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:

• Experience working with parents in perinatal period, pregnancy planning, birthing plan, labor and delivery and parent/child attachment.
• Provide parenting and peer recovery education and supporting families with children according to Parents as Teachers home visiting model requirements.
• Knowledge of substance use and understanding of harm reduction strategies, recovery support, and medication assisted treatment during prenatal, pregnancy, and breastfeeding support.
• Engage parents in services using Mothering from the Inside Out evidence-based approach.
• Use a formal goal-setting process to help program participant’s articulate family goals.
• Work collaboratively with other providers to support evidence-based services to families in recovery.
• Help families navigate the healthcare system and social service system; accompany parents/families to appointments and meetings as needed.
• Educate parents about child and parent development and utilize resources to increase understanding of age appropriate expectations, positive discipline skills, and connections to networks of support.
• Actively participate in required trainings and meetings as determined by Square One and DPH and SAMHSA.
• Maintain the strictest confidentiality of documents, discussions, resources and information when working with families.
• Perform other duties assigned by supervisor.
• Assist with planning, preparation and providing parent groups.
• Complete all record keeping as required by Square One, Parents as Teachers and program funders.
• Other duties as assigned.

Physical Demand

• Ability to stand or sit for long periods of time during working hours and on special occasions.
• Excellent auditory, verbal and sensory skills and abilities.
• Ability to travel to and from homes in the Hamden County area by conventional means including motor vehicle, in addition to required training sessions as identified by Square One.

Mental/ Visual Demand

• High attention to detail involving normal mental and visual attention.

Working Conditions

• Professional business office setting.