A Mental or Behavioral Health Counselor works with patients to treat mental health problems. Assesses patients and assists with diagnosis, counseling and crisis intervention. Consults with nurses, doctors and psychiatrists. May work with specific populations, such as youth, senior citizens or substance abusers, in group settings, facilities or hospitals.
ATHENA Consulting is an award-winning staffing firm serving state and local governments. Our mission is to make lives better! We make our Clients' Lives Easier by engaging and supporting our clients and partnering with them to be the most knowledgeable staffing partner. We make our Employees' Lives Better by identifying and cultivating their talents and matching these talents with our customers' needs. ATHENA places a high value on customer service, accountability and getting the job done.
POSITION SUMMARY
This
FULL-TIME
Family Support Specialist position is located in Newport News, VA, and works Monday through Friday. The position provides coverage for staff on maternity leave and pays $25.00 per hour . The Family Support Specialist delivers in-home and site-based services to families participating in the Parents As Teachers program. This role focuses on parent education, child development, family well-being, and case management, ensuring continuity of services while maintaining compliance with program standards and departmental policies. Additional job duties may be assigned as needed. Due to temporary staffing coverage for maternity leave, this position plays a critical role in sustaining program quality, safety, and uninterrupted services to families.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions: Provide long-term, in-home, and site-based services to families in parent education and child development, including modeling, coaching, and delivering effective parenting instruction. Identify and respond to family needs through assessments and evaluations to track child milestones and development. Monitor health, safety, and overall well-being of children and families. Offer guidance and resources on family well-being topics such as budgeting, financial planning, parent effectiveness, child management techniques, literacy, school readiness, nutrition, housekeeping, family planning, transportation, and healthcare. Utilize evidence-based curriculum, screening, and assessment tools to teach basic concepts on parent-child interaction, prenatal care, breastfeeding, child development, domestic violence, and other family well-being topics. Receive comprehensive training on program curriculum, database systems, documentation standards, and assessment tools. Manage a caseload of approximately 18 families, providing case management services and ensuring all program requirements and timelines are met. Conduct regular home visits to deliver supportive services, complete assessments, and implement curriculum-based activities with families. Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential case records in the program database. Collaborate with supervisors and team members to monitor family progress, address needs, and coordinate additional resources as appropriate. Participate in team meetings, supervision sessions, and required professional development activities. Uphold program policies, safety protocols, and quality standards to ensure consistent and effective service delivery. Perform other related duties as assigned.
REQUIRED SKILLS/ABILITIES
Knowledge of family support principles, child development, parenting instruction, and evidence-based parent education practices Ability to manage a high caseload effectively while maintaining strict documentation and program compliance standards. Strong assessment, documentation, and organizational skills. Ability to conduct in-home visits safely while maintaining professional boundaries. Effective verbal and written communication skills. Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a structured team environment. Sound judgment and decision-making skills related to family safety, child well-being, and risk assessment.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
Requires a Bachelor's Degree in a Human Services or a related field with 1- 3 years of related experience providing services to children and families or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience providing evidence based home-visiting services, preferred. Infant Mental Health Endorsement preferred.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Ability to travel locally to conduct home visits. Must have a clean driving record. Prolonged periods of sitting for documentation and administrative tasks. Ability to navigate various home environments safely. Ability to lift and carry materials or files as needed. Successful ATHENA employees will display the following characteristics: You strive to be the best in your field currently and in the future. You like to make your employer look good. You find solutions, where others only see problems. You are proactive, you make and meet commitments, and you perform your duties exceedingly well. You are aware of the employer's needs at all times and are well-versed in what you personally and ATHENA can offer them as a whole. You have the ability to work with diverse, integrated, deliverable-driven teams to accomplish the larger mission. The benefits of working for ATHENA include a full Benefit package: Support from a team of professionals committed to making your life better. Medical, dental and vision insurance. Medical and dependent flexible spending account. Pet insurance. 401k with a generous employer match. Easy to use employee self-serve HR portal. The statements in this Job Posting are intended to describe the general nature and minimum level of work required. The content should not be construed as a complete list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required to meet the criteria for this position. Upon request, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Application for employment is not intended to and does not create a contract or offer of employment and if hired, employment with the company is on an at-will basis and could be terminated at the will of either party. ATHENA Consulting LLC does not discriminate in hiring based on federally protected classifications to include but not limited to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status, marital status or other characteristics protected by law. Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities. #
HYNN Pay:
$25.00 per hour
Benefits:
401(k) matching Dental insurance Health insurance Vision insurance