NICU Family Support Specialist

Job Title: NICU Family Support Specialist

Employer: Hand to Hold®

Location: Austin, TX

Status: Part-time, non-exempt position. Estimated at 10 – 30 hours per week.

Description:

Hand to Hold® is a national non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides compassionate in-person and virtual support to NICU and bereaved parents before, during, and after a NICU stay.  All programs are designed with the emotional, physical, and social needs of NICU families to help them feel more secure during a highly stressful time.  This early intervention mental health support is available at no cost to NICU families across the United States.

Job Role and Purpose:

The role requires leaning on one’s own personal experience and specific peer support training. Training to become a certified Mental Health Peer Specialist and to work with others on the Hand to Hold Programs team will be offered to prepare for this peer support role. 

Additionally, to fulfill our contractual agreement with local area hospitals, the Family Support Specialist will complete the hospital’s credentialing process that requires proof of vaccinations, including COVID-19, before orientation and training commences in a hospital setting.

The Family Support Specialist’s primary responsibilities include visiting families at the bedside one-on-one, facilitating weekly support groups, distributing resources, and hosting holiday events. There are also essential data entry and reporting requirements to supervisors and hospital staff about the interactions with families.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional work experience required.
• Personal experience with a child in the NICU is required.
• Certification in peer support by the State of Texas, or willingness to complete peer support training (virtual or in person) within the first 90 days, as well as completion of the state certification process.
• Proof of vaccinations and other supporting documentation for hospital credentialing processes.
• Awareness of mental health challenges NICU parents face and willingness to complete appropriate training in this area, as well as ongoing education on racial and ethnic disparities, trauma-informed care, and other relevant instruction, both online and in person.
• Ability to provide culturally competent support and education in English to diverse groups of people, including Hispanic/Latinx, subcontinent Asian, Asian, and Black families.
• Ability to work both independently and in teams.
• Demonstrated excellence in organizational, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated competence with a variety of office tools including virtual communication and meetings, time scheduling, video conferencing, organizational and project management, and CRM technology.

Preferred Qualifications:

● Bilingual in English and Spanish is preferred

Supervisor:

Program Manager and Director of Programs

Application Instructions:

Apply online or send a resume and cover letter to jobs@handtohold.org. Position open until filled.

Salary and Benefits:

Compensation is $20/hour; $21/hour if bilingual in English and Spanish. Hand to Hold® is not currently able to offer part-time employee health insurance or benefits. Paid time off is offered plus two office Holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas Day) after the employee introductory period.