Housing Support Specialist (76213)

Position Summary:

Under general supervision, provides a broad range of paraprofessional social services to Patients/clients/consumers and their families. Conducts Patient/client/consumer intakes, participates in treatment Team planning, and performs crisis intervention. Assists in Dealing with personal and social problems. May provide Supportive counseling to consumers and families and/or Serve as a liaison for social services. May perform case management duties.

Job Responsibilities & Performance Standards:

• Assists clients in locating and utilizing community resources including legal, medical, financial assistance, and other referral services

• Provides appropriate oral interpretations and written translations to CMS staff, health care professionals and families regarding medical issues, social services, problems and needs.

• Interprets or translates (at the direction of medical professionals) evaluations and therapies, directions for taking medications, treatment plans and follow-up care in an accurate manner.

• Interprets program guidelines for families of children with special needs to ensure understanding of services and to maximize active family participation in the program.

• Informs appropriate medical personnel of family's needs, preferences, concerns, misunderstanding, beliefs, or cultural practices which may impact the health of the child.

• Records the family's primary language and need for interpreter services in the child's chart.

• Provides translation of forms, pamphlets, signs, newsletters, and other written materials used in Children's Medical Services.

• Uses a bilingual medical dictionary and proofreads translated material for correct grammar, terminology, and sentence structure. Strives to continually improve interpretation skills.

• Completes patient/client/consumer intakes based on interviews with patients/clients/consumers, their families, significant others and appropriate community agencies

• Completes the CMS application on children during the family interview according to established guidelines.

• Assesses the environmental, economic, social, emotional or other needs of the family and connects them to community resources or appropriate information.

• Provides psychological support to families of children with special needs through listening skills and discussion of their problems and concerns.

• Provides assistance to families, when necessary, with scheduling medical appointments and arranging transportation.

• Encourages families to be self-reliant and to inform CMS staff if appointments need to be changed.

• Advocates for children with special needs when there is a need.

• Works cooperatively with other community agencies which may be serving the same child (school system, DFCS, Migrant Education, etc.)

• Acts as a liaison between health care professionals and the limited English proficient family.

• Occasionally makes home visits to ensure family compliance in cases where the family may have no phone or otherwise may need an in-home evaluation for services.

• Assist limited English proficient families during on-site clinic visits to receive services in a timely manner.

• Charts all telephone contact, parental concerns, address changes, appointment failures, or other relevant information in the child's record.

• Maintains the strictest confidentiality of all information related to the child's health care. Does not discuss the child's case outside of the CMS office. Obtains a signed release from the family before sharing information with others.

• Answers the telephone and in-person inquires in a pleasant manner.

• Counsels clients living in group homes and halfway houses; assists in pre-release and release planning

• Assists the CMS social worker in compiling and distributing health care and social services information, in languages other than English, which may be of benefit to the families.

• Provides information on CMS and other child health programs to the general public in English and other languages through contacts with community agencies, and programs targeting specific limited English proficient communities.

• Represents Children's Medical Services at community agency collaborative meetings, forums or multicultural collaborative when needed.

• Implements and organizes the delivery of specific social services within the community

• Assists clerical staff with answering the phone or filing in situations when all other job requirements have been met and time permits.

• Attends staff meetings, conferences, workshops, or other meetings as required by the supervisor.

• Works cooperatively and in a professional manner with all CMS staff, health care professionals and families served by the program.

• Keeps CMS staff informed of all changes which may impact the health care of a particular child.

• Works with a minimum need for close supervision.

• Maintains knowledge of child development and chronic medical conditions which are treated by the CMS program through reading and outside training.

• Implements life skills workshops and programs in behavior management, youth services, community, and social services

• Maintains contact with other social service agencies and health care providers involved with clients to provide information and obtain feedback on client's overall progress

• Maintains program statistics for purposes of evaluation and research

• Monitors patient's/client's/consumer's progress towards treatment goals

• Provides crisis intervention and emergency shelter services

• Provides short-term case management and referral services to clients with emergency situations