Family Support Specialist

Multnomah County - Portland, OR 97232; Washington County - Hillsboro, OR

• Salary Range: $24.00 - $27.00 Hourly
• Position Type: Full Time (30+ hours per week)
• Education Level: High School
• Travel Percentage: Up to 50%
• Category: Children's Mental Health Services

At Albertina Kerr, we believe that all people thrive in nurturing and inclusive communities. Our mission is to empower people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental health challenges to lead self-determined lives in their communities.

As a Family Support Specialist, you'll use your personal lived experience and professional skills to help parents and caregivers navigate challenging systems, build confidence, access resources, and advocate for their children and families.

This role is ideal for someone who has firsthand experience raising or caring for a child with behavioral health or related challenges and is interested in turning that experience into meaningful support for other families. You'll provide peer-based services that inspire hope, strengthen resilience, and help families feel heard, understood, and empowered.

What You'll Do

• Build trusting relationships with parents, caregivers, and families through peer support and shared lived experience.
• Partner with families to identify goals, develop advocacy skills, and strengthen their voice in treatment and service planning.
• Help families navigate behavioral health, education, healthcare, developmental disability, child welfare, and community support systems.
• Attend meetings alongside families, including treatment team meetings, school meetings, IEP meetings, and community-based services meetings when appropriate.
• Connect families with community resources such as housing supports, benefits, respite services, transportation assistance, and support groups.
• Collaborate with therapists, care coordinators, medical providers, schools, and community partners to support engagement, stabilization, and successful transitions in care.
• Assist with safety planning and crisis prevention efforts as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Maintain timely, accurate documentation and support families in achieving their identified goals.

Work Environment

• Hybrid work environment with both remote and in-person responsibilities.
• Services are provided in family homes, community settings, Albertina Kerr locations, and through approved virtual platforms.
• Some local travel is required to support families in the community.

Why Join Albertina Kerr?

At Albertina Kerr, you'll be part of a mission-driven team dedicated to helping children, adults, and families overcome barriers and thrive. Your lived experience is valued, respected, and recognized as a powerful tool for creating positive change. Every day, you'll have the opportunity to support families, build connections, and help create stronger communities.

• Paid medical, dental, and vision employee benefits
• Paid basic life & accident insurance
• Paid internal training and career development
• 7 paid holidays and generous time off
• 401(k) retirement savings plan
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) that provides resources for everything from mental health to pet insurance and financial counselling
• Satisfies employment requirement for student loan Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PLSF)

If you're passionate about empowering families and using your experience to make a lasting impact, we'd love to hear from you!

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Oregon Health Authority (OHA) certified Family Support Specialist and active Traditional Health Worker (THW) Registry status, or ability to obtain certification and registry enrollment within 90 days of hire. This includes:
  • Meeting qualification criteria under ORS414.665.
  • Be a selfidentified individual with direct experience parenting a child who is a current/former consumer of mental health or addiction services, or who has faced barriers to education, health, and wellness services due to mental/behavioral health issues.
  • May be a Peer Support Specialist or Peer Wellness Specialist certified under Oregon’s Traditional Health Workers rules.
  • Complete an Authorityapproved training program (e.g., 40hour foundational training) and provide proof of completion
• Lived experience as a parent, caregiver, or family member of a child or youth with behavioral health, mental health, substance use, developmental, or complex healthcare needs.
• High school diploma or GED required.
• Demonstrated knowledge of community resources and family support systems.
• Ability to work effectively with families from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, and linguistic backgrounds.
• Strong communication, advocacy, and relationship-building skills.
• Proficiency with electronic health records and basic computer systems.
• Ability to work occasional evening hours based on family needs.
• Ability to respond effectively in situations involving emotional distress or behavioral health crises.
• Ability to meet background check, and reference check requirements, and organization's driving requirements of having a current and valid driver's license and no more than two driving infractions in the last two years.