Public Health Advocate II: Child Care and Operations Professional (Entre Familia)

City of Boston Residency Required

Mission Statement

The mission of the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) is to work in partnership with communities to protect and promote the health and well-being of all Boston residents, especially those impacted by racism and systemic inequities. The BPHC sets an expectation that all staff and leadership commit, individually and as part of the BPHC team, to hold ourselves accountable to establishing a culture of anti-racism and advance racial equity and justice through each of our bureaus, programs, and offices.

Job Description

The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) Recovery Services Bureau (RSB) offers comprehensive programming and resources aimed at reducing the harms associated with substance use, including providing treatment services, recovery supports, and youth prevention. RSB operates across the continuum of care, spanning outreach and engagement, harm reduction services, naloxone distribution, residential treatment, referral services, and more. RSB has over 150 personnel working across more than 10 programs.

Entre Familia: Entre Familia is a 6-to-12-month residential substance use treatment program that provides bilingual/bicultural, gender-specific, substance use disorder treatment to pregnant and postpartum women and their children. The program serves pregnant and postpartum women and their children in the State of Massachusetts and has the capacity to serve up to 19 women and 26 children.

Functioning as counselor, responsible for the oversight of program activities, within the residential milieu. This Includes parent/child interactions, physical and mental health, the overall well-being and safety of all residents and children of the program. Identifies and intervenes in actual and potential problem situations using a trauma informed perspective, in order to minimize disruption of the residential recovery environment.

Role

Functioning as counselor, responsible for the oversight of children-centered program activities, within the residential milieu. This includes:

Child Care

• Parent/child interactions, physical and mental health, the overall well-being and safety of all residents and children of the program
• Offering residents and their children services to support the parent’s ability to participate in onsite services and programming, attend telehealth appointments, support during mealtimes, strengthen transitions to bedtime
• Escorting and transporting clients to outside self-help groups and other activities as needed
• Ensuring that evening programming is maintained and participates in family activities as planned
• Welcoming of visitors and supervising the visits as needed and enforcing family visitation policies and procedures
• Performs other duties as required

Milieu Duties

• Functioning as support staff, responsible for the oversight of program activities, within the residential milieu
• This Includes parent/child interactions, physical and mental health, the overall well-being and safety of all residents and children of the program.
• Identifies and intervenes in actual and potential problem situations using a trauma informed perspective, in order to minimize disruption of the residential recovery environment. Connects program clients to clinical team as needed.Provides supportive listening and makes the Clinical Team aware as needed.
• Observes and records client behavior and reports pertinent client information to other
• Enforces all house rules, regulations, and policies and
• Maintains security of all physical areas of the
• Manages and exercises sound judgment in conflict
• Manages emergency situations and contacts the on-call clinical staff for specific
• Assists in drug screening tests and other forms of interventions to ensure a safe, trauma informed environment of recovery.
• Escorts and transports clients to outside self-help groups and other activities as
• Ensures that day-to-day programming is maintained and participates in family activities as
• Welcomes visitors courteously, supervises visits as needed, and enforces family visitation policies and
• Assists the evaluation team in data collection activities; Enters data in Pulsepoint app and/or in Carelogic.
• Conducts regular safety checks, including daily room
• Monitors resident progress and document observations accurately on census and shift
• Maintains awareness of safety and security protocols, including managing crises and de-escalating
• Ensures consistency and accountability in enforcing program rules and
• Contributes to creating a culturally responsive and Trauma Informed
• Provides individual and group support focused on recovery, relapse prevention, parenting, and family
• Maintains accurate documentation of resident interactions, incidents, and
• Participates in staff training, supervision, and professional development
• Transports and accompanies residents to self-help groups, medical, court, or DCF-related appointments as
• Completes documentation as needed regarding behaviors positive and/or challenging.
• Supports parent-child interactions through coaching and structured
• Models positive communication and problem-solving for residents and their children.
• Offers support to program clients in order to find a balance between parenting and living in a treatment
• Works to help BPHC advance as an antiracist organization by meeting or exceeding the standards set by the BPHC Anti-Racism Policy.
• Performs other duties as assigned

This job description is based on the Public Health Advocate job series. May be required to perform any and all duties and responsibilities of a Public Health Advocate II, as set forth in the Public Health Advocate job series.

Minimum Qualifications

• Associates or BA/BS required or equivalent experience may
• 2-3 years experience in health care, public health or social service
• Experience in the delivery of services to individuals with substance use and/or co-occurring disorders, mental illness, HIV risk, and/or criminal justice
• Experience in working with diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds preferred. Familiarity with operations of clinical projects, protocols, ethical standards, and staff training.
• Strong working understanding of, and ability to comply with, confidentiality and privacy
• Familiarity with area resources for use disorders and mental health including those for acute and crisis level of need. Knowledge of trauma and trauma-informed care principles and best-practices.
• Experience with individual and group treatment modalities, psychosocial assessments and comprehensive treatment planning.
• Demonstrated cultural competence with diverse ethnic, cultural and socio-economic
• Knowledge of Boston community social service organizations, the courts and government agencies
• Ability to work
• Good presentation, organizational and interpersonal skills required; must be self-directed. Good communication skills, both verbally and in writing.
• Must have a driver's license and suitable driving
• Computer Proficiency Required, preference for familiarity with SMART or other EMR
• Knowledge of or willingness to learn about the role of public health in addressing racism, the social determinants of health, and inequities in health outcomes as well as strategies to advance racial justice and health equity.
• Commitment to health equity and racial/social justice
• Bilingual/bicultural skills strongly

Additional Information

• City of Boston residency is required; Allston, Back Bay, Bay Village, Beacon Hill, Brighton, Charlestown, Chinatown, Dorchester, Downtown, East Boston, Fenway-Kenmore, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Mid-Dorchester, Mission Hill, North End, Roslindale, Roxbury, South Boston, South End, West End, West Roxbury, Wharf district.
• A Criminal Offenders Records Information request must be completed for this position. However, a record is not an automatic bar to employment but is reviewed in relation to the job applied for.
• Certain immunizations will be recommended and/or required prior to commencement of employment duties.
• Any position that requires an advanced degree will be subject to education verification.
• Certain positions at the BPHC may be Grant Funded.
• The Boston Public Health Commission is an EEO Employer and all applicants meeting the minimum requirements are eligible to apply.
• Certain positions at the BPHC may require Child Protective Service Background verification.
• The advertised shift and schedule are subject to change at the department's discretion.

Shift

Sunday; 7 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Friday and Saturday Off

Grant Funding Information

This position is dependent on grants / external funding sources.

Pay Range

$922.36 - $1,097.52 Weekly