Family Advocate Worker - Maryville Academy

Make a difference to individuals and our community today and for many years to come! Maryville Academy has a full time opening for Family Advocate in the Crisis Nursery Program.

About Maryville Academy

For more than 134 years, Maryville has been committed to providing protection and guidance to children. As the world has changed, so have the needs of the families and children we serve. Maryville has adapted by focusing on our community’s most critical issues. Today, our range of programs includes residential care, mental health services, healthcare and family support services, as well as a variety of educational and youth development offerings. Maryville’s mission is to help children and families to reach their fullest potential by empowering intellectual, spiritual, moral and emotional growth.

About the Crisis Nursery

The Maryville Crisis Nursery provides free short-term care for children of families who are experiencing a severe disruptive crisis or a family emergency or to prevent that crisis from happening. Children ages newborn through six years receive round-the-clock childcare, up to 72 hours a stay. This safe and nurturing environment is designed to protect them from harmful experiences and the damaging effects of trauma. Issues that bring families to the Maryville Crisis Nursery include unemployment, parental illness or hospitalization, poverty and homelessness.

About the Family Advocate Position

The Family Advocate’s responsibility is to provide crisis intervention, referrals, support and assistance to families who are stressed and at risk of abusing / neglecting their children. This position requires advanced knowledge in the field of social work, and requires the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment. Must be open to reflective supervision.

Essential Functions:

• Completes a comprehensive assessment or reassessment of families calling the nursery for services, and determines if the family meets the criteria for placement;
• Determines appropriate intervention strategies with the family;
• Assesses immediate risk of abuse/neglect for the children;
• Makes reports to Child Protective Services, when appropriate;
• Provides hands-on information of community resources; assists families in the utilization of available resources in the community;
• Advocates for families and children within the community and governmental settings;
• Relates to, and takes direction from Program Director, or their designee, coordinating weekly;
• Provides timely follow-up as needed with individual families (7 days after discharge);
• Documents interactions with families and maintain case files;
• Attends staff / team meetings;
• Coordinates and completes paperwork for the intake and discharge process with families;
• Communicates with line staff regarding care and scheduling for the children;
• Represents and promotes the crisis nursery with outside agencies and within the community;
• Keeps intake office organized;
• Collects data for outcome measures;
• Develops ongoing resources for the program;
• Conducts assessments on the children;
• Helps coordinate and assists with the presentation of pre-service / advanced / parent trainings;
• Follows up with in-home visits as needed;
• Assists youth care workers when appropriate by modeling the crisis nursery philosophy of child care;
• Participates in continued performance quality improvement;
• Transports children in a Maryville van, as needed;
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

Education/Experience

• Two or more years experience working with families;
• Bachelor’s degree in social service or related field, from an accredited college or university;
• Knowledge of family systems and child development;
• Experience with crisis intervention.

Skills /Knowledge

• Proficient in Spanish (verbally and in writing), preferred;
• Cultural competency;
• Ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing;
• Strong interpersonal skills;
• Ability and desire to work as part of a team;
• Basic computer skills;
• Ability to problem-solve;
• Ability to work under pressure.

Physical Demands

• Required to frequently sit, stand, bend, stoop and walk, sometimes for extended periods of time;
• Required to lift/ move objects weighing in excess of 40 pounds;
• Must have visual, hearing, and learning capabilities sufficient to perform the essential functions defined above.

Environment and Scheduling

• Must have an automobile available on a 24-hour basis and a valid Illinois driver’s license;
• Must be flexible in training and scheduling and available to work evening and weekend shifts, and for crisis intervention services on a 24-hour basis;
• Will perform work in and in association with Maryville program settings, as well as, but not limited to schools, recreational facilities, court rooms, hospitals, correctional/detention institutions, and various community settings;
• Duties involve contact with parents and family members who may be hostile, dangerous, threatening, aggressive, suicidal, and/or under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Why Join the Maryville Family?

Maryville offers all full-time employees:

• PPO health insurance options
• Vision Insurance
• FSA and HSA
• 403(b)
• Paid vacation and sick days
• 9 paid holidays a year
• After one year of service you will be eligible for dental insurance, long term disability and life insurance and tuition reimbursement.

For more information about all of the services that Maryville provides, please visit our website at www.maryvilleacademy.org.

Maryville Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. No applicant for employment shall be discriminated against because of age, race, color, religion, sex, marital status, national origin, veteran status or disability.