The Family Partner provides education and support to families receiving clinical services, attending care coordination meetings and helping caregivers articulate the youth's strengths and needs. Responsibilities also include educating caregivers on navigating child-serving systems and facilitating access to informal and community resources.
Requirements summary
Candidates must possess a High School Diploma or HISET along with a minimum of two years of experience working with children or adolescents, preferably including experience as a caregiver for a youth with special needs, ideally mental health issues. Applicants must also be bilingual in Spanish/English or Portuguese and have access to a vehicle and a valid driver's license.
high schoolDrivingMentoringProblem SolvingCare CoordinationReferralsCommunicationsCultural CompetencyMulti-disciplinary TeamworkSystem NavigationOrganizational CapabilitiesLived ExperienceBilingual English SpanishAdministrative CapabilitiesBilingual PortugueseWarm HandoffsCommunity Resources Identification
Job description
Why Work for Gandara
Explore the career pathways in Behavioral Health, Substance Use and Recovery, Community Based Clinical services, Adolescent and Family services, Adult Residential, Maintenance and Administration! Whether that is in an entry level or leadership role, Gandara will provide the tools and resources to better enhance your career growth. The opportunities are presented with the ability to transition your skills and experience in meeting the organizations mission. There is grand landscape of opportunities that supports the community we serve, so Join the Gándara team today!
Benefits
Retirement Plan 403(b)
Health, Dental, Vision, Pet and Life Insurance
Paid vacations
Paid holidays
8 discretionary days
Mileage Reimbursement
Salary
Salary Range | $50,000 - $55,000
Sign-On Bonus | $500.00
Additional Benefits
Career Growth Opportunities
Culturally Diverse population
Clinical Licensing Support
Job Title: Family Partner
Work Location: Holyoke, MA
*Bilingual Candidates Encouraged to Apply
*EOE M/F/D/V
*Union/Non-Union
Job Summary
The Family Partner works as part of a team directly with families who are receiving clinical services. Family Partners have lived experience because they were or still are a caregiver for a child with special needs, preferably mental health needs. Because of their experience, the Family Partner is able to work one on one with families who may be in a similar situation as they were. The Family Partner will mentor families and help them navigate the child serving systems and support them in trying to get services and follow a care plan.
Duties and Responsibilities
Provide education and support throughout the duration of treatment, attends care coordination meetings, and may assist the caregivers in articulating the youth's strengths, needs, and goals.
Benefits
Dental Insurance
Life Insurance
Paid Holidays
Health Insurance
Vision Insurance
Pet Insurance
Career Growth Opportunities
Paid Vacations
Mileage Reimbursement
Discretionary Days
Retirement Plan 403(b)
Clinical Licensing Support
Culturally Diverse Population Support
Educates caregivers about how to effectively navigate the child-serving systems and about the existence of informal/community resources available to them and facilitates the caregiver's access to these resources. This may include:
Support the parent/caregiver/guardian in navigating the child-serving systems and processes, fostering empowerment, including linkages to peer/parent support and self-help groups.
Provide care coordination as clinically indicated through phone calls, in-person meetings, and/or virtual meetings with collaterals throughout their work with the youth and family, including making appropriate referrals and "warm hand offs" to follow-up providers, as indicated.
Identify community resources and development of natural supports for youth and family to support and sustain achievement of the youth's treatment goals and objectives.
Work closely within a multi-disciplinary team that includes a clinical team lead and counselor to provide support and interventions that teach the caregiver to navigate the child-serving system and empower them to do so on their own.
Minimum Qualifications:
High school diploma or HISET and a minimum of two (2) years’ experience working with children/adolescents/transitioning youth.
Experience as a caregiver of youth with special needs, and preferably a youth with mental health issues.
Experience with children and youth, strength-based, family centered and child focused services.
Experience in navigating any of the child and family-serving systems and teaching family members who are involved with the child and family serving systems;
Demonstrated ability to be innovative, creative, analytical and decisive in problem solving.
Demonstrated communications, administrative and organizational capabilities.
Ability to work effectively with diverse populations and community agencies: School Dept., DYS, Juvenile Court, etc.
Understanding/willingness to be part of a Program that supports youth and families 24 hours per day, 365 days a year.
Must have a driver’s license and availability of vehicle to support Program needs.
Bi-Lingual Spanish/English or Portuguese
The Gándara Mental Health Center provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training
Market context
Bilingual family support role in Worcester
In Massachusetts, bilingual family support roles in Worcester are often competitive because employers look for candidates who can communicate clearly with families and bring direct experience supporting children or adolescents, especially in special needs or mental health settings. This role requires a high school diploma or HISET, two years of relevant experience, and bilingual English-Spanish or Portuguese skills. Review the AI-summarized requirements and benefits here to quickly confirm fit before applying.
