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Job Title: Family Peer Support Specialist - Cattaraugus County

Department: Children and Family Treatment and Support Services (CFTSS)

Position Summary

The Family Peer Support Specialist is responsible for the delivery of direct services for the Family Support Program – Niagara Frontier Family Network. The Specialist provides an array of formal and informal services and supports to families caring for or raising a child who is experiencing social, emotional, developmental, medical, substance use, and/or behavioral challenges in their home, school, placement, and/or community. These services are designed to help the child remain in the community and achieve the goals or objectives outlined in the child or youth’s treatment plan.

•Family” is defined as the primary caregiving unit and includes a wide diversity of family structures. Family may include birth, foster, adoptive, or self-created units of people residing together with significant attachments, consisting of adults and/or children, where adults perform duties of caregiving or parenthood even if the individual lives outside the home.

Department

New Directions’ Family Support Programs empower caregivers through advocacy, education, and connection. They provide individualized and group supports that strengthen family systems, promote self-advocacy, and improve access to community-based services for children and families.

Agency

New Directions is an equal opportunity employer committed to championing the principles of anti-racism, justice, and equity. We welcome prospective employees from diverse cultures and backgrounds, for all positions, who will uphold our values and contribute to our mission. We aim to have a leadership and workforce that is reflective of the communities we work in partnership with.

Compensation

+ $35.00 per hour for service delivery

+ $15.50 per hour for administrative tasks

Hours/Schedule

+ Per Diem (0–25 hours per week)

+ Flexible schedule based on family and program needs

Professional Development Opportunities

New Directions invests in developing future leaders through training opportunities, professional credentialing support, and internal advancement pathways.

Position Specific Duties/Responsibilities

Individual Family Support:

+ Provide outreach and advocacy to parents/guardians of youth with emotional or behavioral challenges.

+ Use the Family Assessment of Needs and Strengths (FANS) to assess needs, strengths, and goals.

+ Support families in engagement, bridging, and transitions between systems or services.

+ Assist families with documentation, referrals, and overcoming barriers to service participation.

+ Serve as a bridge between families and service providers to promote productive, respectful partnerships.

+ Empower families to make informed decisions regarding supports and services.

+ Provide leadership and parent skill development opportunities.

+ Support transitions out of services as goals are achieved.

Group Family Support:

+ Coordinate and facilitate family support groups within the community.

+ Develop group topics around psychoeducation, self-advocacy, and parenting skill-building.

+ Identify and train parent leaders/facilitators.

+ Encourage peer-to-peer networking and mutual support among group members.

+ Organize guest speakers and activities based on aggregated family needs and feedback.

Collaboration and Documentation:

+ Collaborate with service providers, formal systems, and community partners.

+ Attend Single Point of Access (SPOA) meetings as needed.

+ Maintain accurate, timely documentation in New Directions’ electronic record system.

+ Ensure compliance with Medicaid documentation and billing requirements.

+ Conduct and record family satisfaction surveys and track outcomes.

Training:

+ Complete Levels One and Two of the Family Peer Advocate Core Training (PEP) or comparable approved training.

+ Complete FANS training.

+ Maintain 20 hours of continuing education every two years and renew FPA credential as required.

+ Attend all mandatory agency and DOH in-service trainings.

Agency Standards:

+ Participate in regular supervision and team meetings.

+ Maintain a flexible schedule based on client and family needs, including evenings.

+ Follow agency policies, procedures, and the Family Peer Advocate Code of Ethics.

+ Utilize normative culture and uphold agency standards.

+ Perform other duties as assigned by the immediate supervisor.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

+ Ability to work effectively with clients, families, staff, and community partners from diverse backgrounds.

+ Ability to relate to and support youth with behavioral, emotional, or mental health challenges and their families.

+ Strong communication, advocacy, and organizational skills.

+ Flexibility and adaptability in a dynamic work environment.

+ Valid NYS driver’s license, adequate auto insurance, and reliable transportation.

+ Ability to pass an annual physical for Category 1 job classification.

+ Compliance with agency safety and health standards.

Qualifications

+ Credentialing: Preference given to candidates with a Family Peer Advocate (FPA) credential or Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA) with Family Specialty.

+ Experience: Demonstrated lived experience as a parent or primary caregiver navigating multiple child-serving systems (e.g., mental health, social services, education, juvenile justice, etc.) on behalf of a child with social, emotional, developmental, health, and/or behavioral challenges.

+ Two letters of reference attesting to proficiency and suitability for the role of Family Peer Advocate.

+ Education: High school diploma or equivalency preferred, or State Education Commencement Credential (e.g., SACC or CDOS). The educational requirement may be waived if the individual demonstrates competencies and has relevant life experience sufficient for peer certification.

We want to emphasize that the preferred qualifications are not required and that we are committed to helping our future colleagues develop these preferred skills. We strongly encourage those who are passionate about fostering a diverse, inclusive and equitable human service organization to apply.