IDENTIFICATION Department Position Title Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority Healthy Family Program Coordinator Position Number(s) Community Division/Region(s) 47-13690 Inuvik Child & Family Services /Beaufort Delta PURPOSE OF THE POSITION Under the direction of the Regional Manager, Child and Family Services, the Healthy Family Program Coordinator is responsible for the development and implementation of a home visitation program for the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA). All duties will be performed on a shift basis with shifts developed to accommodate parent schedules and demands for meeting time during regular work days. The Coordinator will work a 37.5 hour work week. The goal of the Family Support Program is to optimize the home environment for the physical, mental and emotional well-being of children (ages 0-6 years) who are at risk of being developmentally delayed. The program assists in strengthening the parent-child relationship by improving parenting skills, reducing family stress and meeting the needs of parents. Home Visitors conduct visits to the parental home to focus on the parent child relationship and provides multi-sensory experiences for learning hands-on practice with activities, and repetition to integrate new information into what the parent already knows. Feedback from the Home Visitors to the parent will help them benefit from the interventions offered by the Home Visitor. Participation by the Home Visitor with the parent and child will contribute to the parent's increased awareness of the needs as they enter the exciting first years of their child's life. SCOPE The NTHSSA is the single provider of all health and social services in the Northwest Territories (NWT), with the exception of Hay River and Tłı chǫ regions, covering 1.2 million square kilometers and serving approximately 43,000 people, including First Nations, Inuit, Page 1 of 8
Metis, and non-aboriginals. Health and social services includes the full range of primary, secondary and tertiary health services and social services including family services, protection services, care placements, mental health, addictions, and developmental activities, delivered by more than 1,400 health and social services staff. While the Tłı chǫ Community Services Agency will operate under a separate board and Hay River Health and Social Services Agency will in the interim, the NTHSSA will set clinical standards, procedures, guidelines and monitoring for the entire NWT. Service Agreements will be established with these boards to identify performance requirements and adherence to clinical standards, procedures, guidelines and policies as established by the NTHSSA. Under the direction of the Minister of Health and Social Services, the NTHSSA is established to move toward one integrated delivery system as part of the government s transformation strategy. Under the supervision of the Regional Manager, Child and Family Services, the Healthy Family Program Coordinator is an integral member of the primary community care team. The Coordinator is responsible for. Day-to-day management and/or operation /in-services, program evaluation. Office management. On-going supervision of direct service staff. Program development within the community. Promotion of the program to the clients services by the NTHSSA. Supervision and training of Home Visitors. Complete Family Visitor Assessments as required. The Coordinator will also take on the role of the Family Support Worker on a limited basis approximately 50% coordination and 50% Home Visitor role The Coordinator will be responsible for providing leadership to staff in the process of receiving referrals, and interviewing/conducting a standardized initial assessment with families to determine program eligibility. The Coordinator will assist Home Visitors in determining who is eligible for the program and assign caseload to staff as well as providing supervision and direct service provision. As a Home Visitor, the Coordinator will provide regular long term contact and support of families primarily through visits to the clients' home. The interventions should be familycentered, strength-based, and directed at establishing a trusting relationship with families. RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Facilitates ongoing collaboration with community partners. Participates in multidisciplinary team meetings, program planning and other activities both Within the Beaufort Delta region and with appropriate external agencies. Page 2 of 8
Plans, organizes and implements program specific activities/sessions for groups (parent and tots program, parenting program, etc.). Participates as a member of the primary community care team in the assessment and reassessment of clients to determine the level of support services needed. Acts as a liaison with other agencies (CPNP, AHS, preschools, daycares) and monitors contact. Participates in public relations building and integration of community services. 2. Provides ongoing and intensive professional supervision for direct service staff. Provision of supervisory sessions that assure quality assurance of service provision and protection of the integrity of families served. Ensures daily availability for supervision of Family Support Workers, review of Parent Survey and weekly scheduled supervision of Family Support Workers. As indicated by the Government of the Northwest Territories the Department of Health and Social Services program requirements, ensures the program participates in an effective evaluation process. 3. Participates in staff selection, orientation, and training. In collaboration with Human Resources, conducts employment competitions, screenings and interviews to determine suitability of potential Healthy Family Program staff. Assists in the development of an orientation package for new employees. Conducts training for child development and parent child relationship building. Provide human resource management to staff including: recruitment, orientation, performance planning, etc. 4. Maintains all statistical information requirements to meet project obligations Inputs and maintains information to program database (when available). Maintains and updates quality management requirements for program evaluation. Provides required information to Regional Manager, Child and Family Services. Acts as caseload Coordinator for Family Support Workers ensuring that caseload standards are met. 5. Determines eligibility for the Program. Conducts interviews with families. Conducts Healthy Families Screen during prenatal period or shortly after birth. Conducts Parent Visitor Assessments on all positive Healthy Families Screens on families of infants. Works closely with Community Health Programs. Reviews with Community Based Home Visitor screening interviews and Parent Visitor Assessments that they have been completed by Home visitors in the Community. Initiates and maintains regular and long term home based support service with families in order to promote: positive parent-child relationships; healthy child development and; enhanced family functioning. Page 3 of 8
Establishes a trusting relationship with program families by providing regular contact through home visits. Applies working knowledge of parent-child interaction and child development to help clients improve their parenting skills, reduce family stress, and increase parental knowledge of age appropriate activities for their children. Assists parents in learning problem solving and coping skills by teaching and modeling these skills and/or by referring them to appropriate agencies. Establishes, evaluates and monitors an individual family support plan with the family, identifying goals, objectives and activities to help meet the family's needs. Provides support to the family regarding day-to-day child care/parenting issues. Assists parents in making and attending appointments for medical/health, social service agencies. Assists with the follow up and/or administration of the Nipissing District Developmental Screen of the child's growth and skill acquisition with Public Health WORKING CONDITIONS Physical Demands Lifting and carrying moderately heavy bags (toys, supplies) and lifting children 10-15 lbs. on a daily basis, moderate intensity Bending, kneeling (when working with child) required on a daily basis with each home visit, moderate intensity Stairs in and within house, lifting children in and out of car seat, assisting children with mobility 6-7 hours moderate intensity Risk for dangerous and abusive situation is present on a daily basis for 6 hours duration, high intensity Potential exposure to falls, car accidents, dog bites and assaults in a client's home while performing home visits on a daily basis, low to moderate intensity Temperature extremes in the work environment on a daily basis Sitting at desk while working on the computer Travel to outlying community to supervise staff on a quarterly basis Environmental Conditions Exposure to communicable diseases (Tuberculosis, Hepatitis C, HIV) on a daily basis, moderate intensity, due to the nature of the clients Home Visits done alone going into unpredictable situations on a daily basis, moderate intensity Page 4 of 8
Work with high risk families that may be associated with aggressive and/or violent times on a daily basis, moderate intensity Office space may be small, shared with at least one other worker, low to moderate intensity Traveling in adverse weather conditions throughout the day, moderate intensity Exposure to allergens (i.e. cigarette smoke, dust, pet dander) on a daily basis Sensory Demands Sense of hearing for verbal communication required on a daily basis for 7.5 hour day, moderate intensity. Sense of vision for nonverbal communication, parent/child interaction, observation skills for unusual signs and symptoms of illness, and assessing the physical environment, required on a daily basis for 7.5 hour day, moderate intensity Sense of touch for handling infants and children, manual dexterity for computer use/written communication Sense of smell to detect unusual odors from physical surroundings required on a daily basis, moderate intensity Mental Demands Support for families who are overburdened on a daily basis, moderate to high intensity Making decisions quickly that could have far reaching impact on the client's well-being is required on a daily basis, ranging from moderate to high intensity Support for families who may be angry, frustrated, anxious, depressed and/or difficult to work with required on a daily basis throughout the day, moderate to high intensity Working in a cross cultural setting for clients with different value systems and/or language is required on a daily basis for a duration of 7.5 hours, moderate intensity Counseling and supervisory support to Family Support Workers who provide direct service to overburdened families KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES Maternal-infant health, infant and child growth and development, parenting stressors and management of child abuse and neglect issues Community resources in the region and in the N.W.T. Infectious Diseases management and maintenance of universal precautions Page 5 of 8
Primary Community Care Principles and Practices Parenting skills for children 0-6 Intervention strategies for high risk families Awareness and understanding of the cultural history of the community especially with regards to parenting Knowledge and belief in non-violent approach to child discipline Knowledge of community resources Basic knowledge of the Child and Family Services Act Basic knowledge of addictions, mental health, family violence and its impact on children and families Strong verbal and written communication skills Computer skills (word processing, data entry, power-point, basic excel) Strong supervisory and counseling skills Experience in providing services within culturally diverse communities Strong team orientation Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to form supportive relationships Ability to assess situations of risk and make appropriate referrals Facilitation skills Ability to work as a member of a primary community care team Ability to speak aboriginal language of the community is an asset Ability to teach and communicate effectively with clients and colleagues Typically, the above qualifications would be attained by: University Degree or diploma in human services preferred (social work, nursing, rehabilitation, psychology, early childhood) 1 year experience working with children aged 0-6 and their families Experienced in providing program management, evaluation and training in related program areas is desirable Valid class 5 vehicle driver s license Current First Aid and CPR (including infant) certification or willing to attain Experience in home visitation with strong background in primary prevention to the 0-6 age population is desirable Personal injury Prevention Training (WHIMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System), Lifting and Carrying Techniques) or willing to attain Successful Criminal Records check ASIST (Applied Suicide intervention Skills training) or willing to obtain Page 6 of 8
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS Position Security (check one) No criminal records check required Position of Trust criminal records check required Highly sensitive position requires verification of identity and a criminal records check French language (check one if applicable) French required (must identify required level below) Level required for this Designated Position is: ORAL EXPRESSION AND COMPREHENSION Basic (B) Intermediate (I) Advanced (A) READING COMPREHENSION: Basic (B) Intermediate (I) Advanced (A) WRITING SKILLS: Basic (B) Intermediate (I) Advanced (A) French preferred Aboriginal language: Aboriginal Language - not specified Required Preferred Page 7 of 8