Behavioral Health Specialist (Recast)

Families First is a Georgia non-profit family service agency. We assist over 21,000 children and families each year, and we have been serving metro Atlanta for 133 years. Our mission is to build resilient families so all children can thrive.  

Everything our agency does is about strengthening families-all kinds of families with all kinds of needs. To foster strong communities, we deliver empowering and sustainable solutions to children and families-solutions that improve child well-being and family self-sufficiency. Families First accomplishes our mission by focusing on three impact areas: 

• Behavioral Health Counseling: Our services strive to assist families, individuals, youth, and children to express, understand, and cope with life events.
• Navigator Services: Families First Navigators provide intensive and personalized case management by connecting individuals and families with community services and resources while building on their resilience to help them thrive.
• Parenting and Adoption Support Services: Our services include parenting classes and services for divorced/separated parents, family reunification for families impacted by adoption, comprehensive support for Georgia's adoptive/foster families.  

POSITION SUMMARY:                                                                         

The Behavioral Health Specialist (BHS) is accountable for providing counseling and other social services to high-risk youth and their families as part of the ReCast project within the city of Lawrenceville. The needs of this population are based on education, mental health and improving their social determinants of health. The BHS will work closely with the partnering staff to improve the quality assurance of individuals and families within Lawrenceville.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Serve as liaison for the ReCast project.
• Provide clinical services to individuals and families, to enable them to cope effectively with everyday problems and to improve social functioning.
• Observe and assess clients' behavior.
• Develop and implement treatment plans to address specific goals and behavioral issues.
• Identify, link and form partnerships with community resources and other nonprofit organizations to further program development.
• Provide the Families First Resiliency Needs Screening (FFRNS-14)
• Communicate with clients' interdisciplinary team on progress.
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date case records and other documentation according to established Agency procedures.
• Contribute to the accomplishment of the Program and Agency goals and objectives through regular attendance and participation in meetings and regular communication with supervisor and other staff.
• Adhere to agency time, attendance and information technology procedures.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's Degree (Master's Preferred )  in mental health, psychology, or a related field.

• Experience with clients that are considered high risk.
• Strong working knowledge of behavioral theory and applied behavior analysis.
• Understanding of the characteristics and behaviors associated with disorders.
• Excellent computer skills, Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Comfortable in low-income, inner-city communities and able to travel throughout metro Atlanta.
• Competent in cultural diversity.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written.

UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Spanish speaking is a plus.

EEO Statement:

It is the policy of Families First not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability or because he or she is a protected veteran. It is also the policy of Families First to take affirmative action to employ and to advance in employment, all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status, and to base all employment decisions only on valid job requirements. This policy shall apply to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, upgrading, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, recall, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation and selection for training, including apprenticeship, at all levels of employment.

Families First is an Equal Opportunity Employer dedicated to Affirmative Action and Workforce Diversity. 

Families First participates in E-Verify.

 www.familiesfirst.org