Job Description

San Diego Youth Services

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Youth and Family Support Partner

San Diego Youth Services seeks a Bilingual Youth and Family Support Partner in the HERE Now Program to be based at our Spring Valley office. This is a full-time, temporary & non-exempt position reporting to the HERE Now Program Manager.

San Diego Youth Services: Who we are

San Diego Youth Services has helped improve the lives of more than 780,000 homeless, runaway and vulnerable youth since its beginning in 1970. We provide safe places to live and long-term solutions through shelter, foster homes, community centers and housing to more than 28,000 youth every year at 100+ community and school locations. Through prevention, early intervention and treatment, we also help youth before they need higher levels of care or become homeless.

We aim to:

1. Meet the basic needs of youth. Hunger, poverty and youth homelessness are on the rise for many youth and their families today. We help meet these basic needs for youth. What could be more vital than food and shelter? We provide safe places to live and long-term solutions through shelter, foster homes, community centers and housing.
2. Create positive connection. We help youth focus on positive life changes and healthy relationships as part of providing needed resources and services. San Diego Youth Services has long provided foster homes and adoption support services for families considering adopting a youth in the foster care system.
3. Help youth develop life skills. In addition to a range of safe and stable housing options, we offer support to help youth develop the independent living skills necessary to become self-sufficient and keep off the streets.
4. Promote overall health and well-being. Early intervention and care for the whole child are critical. We provide a broad continuum of services to help youth overcome trauma and challenges that put them at risk, including case management, counseling, mental health treatment and educational support and resources .

SDYS has a staff of approximately 250 employees and 80 volunteers working across San Diego County and an annual budget of approximately $24 million. You can learn more about us at

DEPARTMENT DESCRIPTION OR PROGRAM DESCRIPTION HIRING FOR

The program, Helping, Engaging, Reconnecting and Educating (HERE) Now, focuses on increasing awareness, promoting conversations and inspiring connections to prevent suicide—one community, one school, one life at a time.

CONTEXT OF THE POSITION

Accountable to the Program Manager for providing comprehensive trauma-informed school-based suicide Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) services as part of the H elping, E ngaging, R econnecting, and E ducating (HERE) Now program. Youth & Family Partner is responsible for engaging families and caregivers in suicide prevention presentations, activities, initial risk assessments, and linkages with area mental health support and services as well as other needed services for youth with depression, other mental health problems, substance abuse or whose history of trauma would indicate a high risk for suicide or self-harm. Specifically, shall work with school staff, youth, and parents in creating an overall school environment conducive to appropriate learning that promotes positive mental health, stigma reduction, and suicide prevention.

Essential functions include:

• Work with diverse groups of middle and high school youth (7th-12th grade), transitional aged-youth and their families coming from a culturally sensitive and supportive family and youth support partner lens.
• Responsible for the implementation and delivery of the Signs of Suicide (SOS) presentation to students and caregivers, including sharing portions of their own lived experience to enhance connection and build rapport with students/caregivers in the presentation.
• Provide risk assessments and crisis intervention, resources, and support services to youth/families,
• Predominantly conduct low and medium assessments and provide individual intervention services to youth identified as “at risk” based on assessment.
• Support Program Manager in coordinating online documents needed for Check Your Mood Week presentations.
• Plan, coordinate and conduct trainings and presentations to school staff, gatekeepers and stakeholders.
• Assist Clinical Coordinator in training new hires and volunteers.
• Participate in crisis response including grief and loss counseling as needed.
• Work with school personnel and the community to reduce disparities and stigma in accessing mental health services and to provide high quality services to youth and families.
• Assist in supporting subcontractors in service implementation.
• Maintain accurate and timely uniform record documentation. Maintain data collection and contract compliance of records as required. Maintain clear, effective and open communication.
• Support the development, implementation, and evaluation of an integrated trauma-informed approach for youth and families with co-occurring psychiatric and substance disorders.
• Assist in updating program policy and procedures.

Perform other Duties as assigned or required.

PREFERRED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Bilingual (English/Spanish or English/Arabic) required.
• Bachelor’s degree in social work, Psychology, Sociology, or another closely related field, with a minimum of two years’ experience with youth, family, and community development.
• Must have direct experience as a consumer or caregiver of a consumer of children’s mental health services, the juvenile justice system, or Special Education.
• Must be at least 18 years of age and have a High School diploma.
• Knowledge of East and Central County resources is preferred.
• Able to work in a diverse environment and demonstrate cultural competence with people of all backgrounds, culture and orientation.
• Must be willing to develop or possess working knowledge of trauma-informed care and dual diagnosis treatment; experience working with at-risk youth preferred.
• Must possess excellent oral and written skills and be able to provide services to small and large groups of children and adults.
• Must be available to work weekends and evenings as assigned by supervisor and/or as needed.
• Must have a reliable vehicle and relevant auto insurance, plus a clean driving record.

SDYS EXPECTATIONS

• Adhere to and uphold the rigorous standards of SDYS as mandated by its mission, purpose, guiding principles and standards of quality.
• Maintain confidentiality and privacy standards of service partner protected health information and other applicable information and material in accordance to agency and center policies, and applicable regulations and laws including HIPAA.
• Welcome and support SDYS volunteers and assist them in accomplishing their services whenever applicable.
• Effectively communicate with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• Receive and give supportive feedback to foster equity and inclusion in working relationships.
• Recognize, nurture, and learn from strengths in co-workers.
• Maintain warm, welcoming and safe work environments.
• Possess flexibility to accomplish job responsibilities in several work environments, whether it be from home, on the road, or in an office.

Salary Range : $20-22/hour + up to $1500 annual bilingual differential based on proficiency

To apply, please send resume and cover letter through job posting on SDYS website.

SDYS offers a comprehensive benefits package to full time employees that includes generous PTO, personal holidays, health, vision, dental, life insurance, parental leave and a 403(b)-retirement plan with matching contribution. SDYS is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) employer. Read more about the PSLF program .

All are welcome at San Diego Youth Services.

As an organization working to meet the basic needs of youth, create positive connections, help youth develop life skills, and promote overall health and well-being, SDYS believes its practices and actions must reflect the highest level of commitment to access, equity, and social justice.

The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, innovation, self-expression, and talent that our members invest in their work represents not only part of the SDYS’ culture, but the SDYS’ reputation and achievements as well. SDYS remains open to feedback from all communities it touches and knows that input from those with direct experience of issues will make the SDYS more effective in achieving its goals.

SDYS is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

In compliance with the Immigration and Nationality Act as amended, all new employees must verify their eligibility to work in the United States.

SDYS is proud to be a company.

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