Family Worker (Bilingual Spanish) - Good Shepherd Services

Good Shepherd Services is a leading multi-service agency with more than 85 programs that serve over 30,000 youth and families each year – and builds on their strengths to help them gain skills for success.  At Good Shepherd we respect the dignity and worth of every person and reject intolerance, inequity and injustice in whatever form it may take. Voted one of the top 100 places to work in NYC by Crain’s New York, Good Shepherd Services offers a fantastic work environment, a collaborative team dedicated to fulfilling our mission, and an amazing array of benefits. Join our team and help make a difference! 

For Full Time Employees Benefits/Perks:

• Tuition Assistance Program
• Generous paid time off (Including 5 Self-Care Days/Floating Holidays, 12 Sick Days, 15 Vacation Days, and 11 Holidays)
• Healthcare Plans (Medical, Dental, Vision, and Pet Care)
• 403(b) Plan (GSS contributes 3% of your salary to your 403(b) plan after 3 years of service, with contributions increasing over time) 

Candidates hired in this position will work in person but will have the flexibility to work remotely when program need allows

Reports To:               Social Work Supervisor

Location:                  503 5^th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11215 

Hours:                       35 Hours/Week; Non-exempt

Salary:                      40-45K Annually Based on relevant experience and education

Job Summary: The Family Worker provides a variety of home-based supportive services and case management activities for families participating in the Transitions Brooklyn prevention program in order to ensure child safety, well-being, and family stability. The Family Worker also carries administrative and organizational responsibilities to support the overall program operation.

Major Duties:

• Collaborate closely with and assist the Case Worker/Social Worker to conduct frequent home and office visits with families to monitor child safety and ensure family stability where indicated.
• Create and maintain linkages to important community resources and assist families in accessing these resources, including medical and mental healthcare, substance abuse treatment, affordable housing, childcare, and public benefits.
• Accompany participants to designated meetings and appointments for educational, medical, or treatment purposes, and/or to government and other community agencies in order to assist and encourage families in their progress towards meeting goals.
• Manage basic administrative and organizational tasks for the program including obtaining needed consent forms and medical/educational records to update case records, preparing case tracking lists, and monitoring report submissions to ensure the meeting of time-sensitive milestones.
• Complete statistical/written reports in required databases (Connections and PROMIS) including accurate and timely progress notes for contacts made with participants and summaries of school and treatment reports received.
• Greet and welcome visitors and participants and respond to calls while covering the reception area as needed to support program.
• Attend community-based and funder-provided training and informational sessions and share knowledge and resources with staff and participants.
• Engage in crisis intervention activities as needed during periods of family instability, helping to de-escalate conflict and ensure safety.
• Make State Central Register (SCR) reports when required to ensure responsiveness to immediate or impending child safety concerns.
• Support the use of the Solution-Based Casework and Family Treatment/Rehabilitation models with all families.
• Attend and participate in program staff meetings, as well as related agency training as appropriate.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualities Sought:

• Works to create and support a respectful and collegial environment.
• Handles administrative and clerical tasks with professionalism and competence, ensuring the success and effectiveness of the program at large.
• Creates, embodies and supports a learning environment, regularly participating in training and professional development to augment case management skills and knowledge.
• Offers and receives feedback and suggestions in a strength-based and constructive manner.
• Dedicated to being a team player and active contributor to achieve the vision and mission of the program and agency.
• Energetic, empathic, honest, genuine, professional, creative, and committed to making a positive contribution to families, the program, the community, and the agency as a whole.

Qualifications:  

• High School diploma is required; some college is preferred.
• Bilingual in English/Spanish required.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel, and Word) required.
• At least one year of related experience working with children or families in a community-based setting is preferred.
• Familiarity with Connections and PROMIS databases a plus.
• Must be able to travel and feel comfortable making home visits throughout Brooklyn.
• Willingness to understand and be sensitive to varied cultures & backgrounds.
• Must have a proven record of successfully navigating New York City entitlement programs.
• Must work a maximum of two evenings per week, as needed.
• Must work with participants from a strength-based, youth and family development, and trauma-informed practice approach.

Benefits/Perks:

• Tuition Assistance Program
• Monthly MetroCards or travel reimbursement for use of personal vehicle will be provided to staff conducting home visits to families
• Generous paid time off (Including 5 Self-Care Days/Floating Holidays, 12 Sick Days, 15 Vacation Days, and 11 Holidays)
• Healthcare Plans (Medical, Dental, Vision, and Pet Care)
• 403(b) Plan (GSS contributes 3% of your salary to your 403(b) plan after 3 years of service, with contributions increasing over time) 

Good Shepherd Services is an equal opportunity employer that is proudly committed to becoming an anti-racist and multicultural organization that stands up for justice and equity. We welcome prospective employees from diverse backgrounds, for administrative support and direct service and leadership roles, who will join us on that journey, uphold our values and approach, and believe in our mission. Additionally, we aim to have a racially representative leadership and workforce that is reflective of the communities we work in partnership with.

Good Shepherd Services is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, participants, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of our activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and termination of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services.

We are committed to providing a workplace that is accessible and accommodating to employees with disabilities. As part of our commitment to providing a barrier-free recruitment and selection process, we will provide reasonable accommodations upon request for candidates with disabilities. If you require any accommodations to participate in the hiring process, please inform us of your needs in advance. We value diversity and inclusivity in our workplace and encourage applicants of all abilities to apply.