Youth and Family Support Specialist

## Description ***Sign on Bonus - $500 (1yr commitment required)*** **Earn up to $1,350 in incentives each quarter!!** **GENERAL SUMMARY** | Provide support and rehabilitative services to children, adolescents, and young adults with emotional and behavioral health needs—and their families or caregivers—across all appropriate settings (home, school, clinic/office, community, telehealth, and other natural environments) as medically necessary. This is an intensive, community-based direct support program designed to engage families in their natural environments, meet them where they are, and address the complex needs that often place youth at risk for higher levels of care. The program is guardian-driven, requiring active collaboration with caregivers to identify and mitigate home environment stressors that contribute to behavioral or emotional instability. Staff work alongside guardians to strengthen family functioning, build safety and structure within the home, and increase the caregiver’s capacity to respond effectively to challenging behaviors. The overarching goal is to preserve permanency in the home, reduce safety risks, and prevent out-of-home (OOH) placements such as BHIF, BHRF, or inpatient hospitalization, while also supporting successful transitions for youth returning from these settings. All services are delivered within Arizona’s Children’s System of Care under AHCCCS, consistent with the 12 Principles and the Child and Family Team (CFT) model. The program aligns with the “Meet Me Where I Am” initiative—emphasizing flexible, family-centered, and community-based engagement that brings services directly to the environments where challenges occur. Practice is trauma-informed, culturally and linguistically appropriate, strengths-based, community-based and least restrictive, and coordinated with natural supports and other providers. Services focus on timely access, measurable outcomes, and meaningful, sustainable change for both youth and caregivers. | | --- | **ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS** | 1. Provides consistent, in-home and community-based direct support to youth and families at risk of higher levels of care, focusing on stabilization, skill-building, and maintaining permanency in the home. 2. Engages with guardians and family members to identify strengths, needs, and environmental stressors that inform individualized service planning within the Child and Family Team (CFT) process. 3. Teaches and models adaptive skills including daily living, social-emotional regulation, communication, problem-solving, self-care, and household management to children, adolescents, parents, and caregivers. 4. Participates actively in the CFT by sharing observations, progress updates, and recommendations that guide collaborative decision-making and treatment planning. 5. Identifies, connects, and integrates families into natural supports and community-based resources that reinforce stability, independence, and long-term well-being. 6. Demonstrates flexibility and critical thinking in dynamic situations—responding quickly and appropriately to emerging needs, safety risks, or behavioral escalations. 7. Provides transportation for youth and families to appointments, activities, and community resources as needed, always ensuring safety and professionalism. 8. Collaborates effectively with all CFT members, external providers, and community partners to ensure coordinated and seamless service delivery. 9. Completes clinical documentation accurately and within established timelines in Credible (EHR), ensuring all services meet agency, AHCCCS, and payer requirements. 10. Maintains regular communication with the supervisor to report updates, progress, barriers, and safety concerns, and participates in supervision to enhance performance and outcomes. 11. Works a flexible schedule that may include evenings or weekends to meet family needs and ensure continuity of care. 12. Meets weekly productivity and service delivery expectations as established by pro…