CSO is looking for a Family Partner for our PACT-Youth team in Springfield. 

Are you the parent or caregiver of a child who has struggled with emotional or physical challenges? Was there ever a time that you felt like you were alone? There are many other care givers out there navigating their way through a similar journey, and they could use your support. CSO has a unique opportunity for you to share your lived experience and provide guidance and insight to those going through challenges similar to the ones you've already endured. 

Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) is an evidence-based intensive outpatient treatment program designed to assist youth overcome the barriers to their recovery from severe and persistent behavioral health disorders. 

The goal of the PACT-Y service is to provide Youth and their Families with a comprehensive range of behavioral health services and supports that ensure the Youth can remain living in their community and prevent the need for out-of-home, residential, and/or hospital levels of care.  For young adults, whether they choose to live with another adult or on their own, the goal of PACT-Y services is to help them establish the full range of supports needed for them to live successfully in the community, including support in transitioning to DMH adult services, if needed.

The Family Partner will help to ameliorate the referred youth's emotional or behavioral needs by improving the capacity of the parent/caregiver to parent the youth so as to improve the youth's functioning as identified in the PACT-Youth treatment plan.

Responsibilities

• Provide contact, as needed, with the parent/caregiver to deliver services in accordance with an existing PACT-Youth treatment plan.
• Provides peer support to parents/caregivers, and nurtures family engagement, and provides consultation to the Team about family driven practice.
• Deliver services in the parent/caregiver's home or community.
• Meet expected productivity level as required.
• Provide education, coaching, training and assistance to parents in navigating child serving systems (DCF, DMH, juvenile justice).
• Foster empowerment and building self-efficacy.
• Facilitate linkages to peer/parent support and self-help groups as necessary.
• Assist in identifying formal, natural support and community resources.
• Family Partners also provide their expertise to the PACT-Y Team, grounding the Team's work in youth-guided, family-driven principles and practices.
• Facilitate linkages between Youth Served, their Families (where indicated), and local parent and young adult mental health support and advocacy groups, such as but not limited to DMH Family Support Services parent groups, DCF parent groups, and DMH Young Adult Access Centers.

Minimum high school diploma or GED and two years' experience working with children, adolescents or transition age youth. Experience as parent/caregiver of a youth with special needs, and preferably a youth with mental health needs; willingness to share this experience/journey with child serving systems. Must be able to work effectively within the mental health system, with team members, and effectively empower parents/caregivers. Will be able to document activities in a manner that meets agency requirements. Willing to participate in job-related training when required. Ability to occasionally work evenings and weekends with some flexible hours.  Ability to work in unpredictable environments, occasional chaotic social settings, and with clients of varying cultural backgrounds. Computer proficiency required including ability to work with email, electronic health record and word processing software. 

Bilingual candidates are strongly encouraged to apply, (English/Spanish speaking.)

Benefits

We provide our employees with competitive salaries and a generous benefits package, including full coverage health and dental insurance and ample paid time off (vacation, personal, sick, and holidays). Additionally, we offer a 403B retirement savings plan, an employee referral bonus program, regular in-house training and professional development opportunities with free CEUs, and voluntary supplemental insurances at group rates, including short and long-term disability, cancer, accident and life. We also offer a premier employee assistance program (EAP) and personal cell phone plan discounts. Our work environment is flexible and supportive, with ample opportunities for collaboration within and across departments, programs and locations. 

Our Agency

Clinical & Support Options, Inc. is a behavioral health organization serving individuals and families across Western Massachusetts. From our early days as a child guidance clinic, we have expanded into a full service behavioral health agency, committed internally to excellence while we collaborate externally with community partners to participate in a comprehensive system of assistance and resources for the residents of our communities. We employ over 650 multi-disciplinary staff, helping thousands of families over the past 50 years. We have community based office locations throughout Western Massachusetts, including Springfield, Northampton, Greenfield, Orange, Athol, Gardner and Pittsfield.

Our expertise, in a nutshell, is to support people in their progress towards self-sufficiency, no matter what challenges they face on that journey. EOE/AA