Family Stabilization Specialist

Founded in 1933, the IRC is a leading nonsectarian, voluntary organization providing relief, protection and resettlement services for refugees and victims of oppression or violent conflict. The Denver office opened in 2016 to provide reception and placement services to newly arrived refugees and is slated to resettle more than 600 refugees in the coming year. We provide wraparound program services and integrated supports to positively impact clients’ safety, health, education, and economic wellbeing. Our approach is client-centered, empowerment-focused, trauma-informed, and multigenerational.

Since launching its first psychosocial support programs in response to needs expressed by clients in the wake of anti-refugee and anti-immigrant policies implemented in 2017, the IRC in Denver’s programming to promote client safety and wellness has grown significantly. Within its Health and Wellness Department, the IRC in Denver delivers a continuum of services that includes:

- The Family Stabilization Program (FSP) works in coordination with other resettlement services to care for individuals and families facing safety or severe mental health concerns. - The Survivor Wellness Center promotes full rehabilitation for primary and secondary survivors of torture through a holistic model that combines case management, psychosocial support, legal representation, medical and mental health services. - Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services (MHPSS) provides preventative support to help individuals build healthy coping skills, as well as group programs and community interventions. - The Health team coordinates initial health screenings and health education for newly-arrived refugees.

Job Overview

As an integral part of the IRC in Denver’s Health and Wellness services, the Family Stabilization Program (FSP) cares for clients who face barriers to thriving in the United States due to safety or severe mental health concerns. This includes survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, clients living with severe and persistent mental illness, those experiencing suicide ideation, elder abuse survivors, child abuse survivors, people struggling with substance abuse, and people who experience marginalization, discrimination, and other significant challenges related to LGBTQI+ identities.

Utilizing a trauma-informed framework to empower clients and promote self-efficacy, the Family Stabilization Specialists (FSS) provide compassionate care to help refugees navigate safety or severe mental health needs. Setting goals together with the client, the FSS provides emotional support, psychoeducation, safety-planning, coaching, cultural orientation and resource-navigation to help each client reach their unique goals. The FSS position operate with moderate daily supervision and requires an ability to apply clinical skills and independent judgement within non-clinical settings. FSS’s take initiative in designing strategies and tactics that meet client needs and satisfy program requirements, drawing on clinical best-practice to determine the best path forward in partnership with clients.

FSP staff work in close coordination with one another and with multidisciplinary teams within the IRC, colleague resettlement agencies, external providers, and Colorado Refugee Services Program. The Family Stabilization Program is housed at IRC, but also provides care to refugees resettled through Ethiopian Community Development Council’s African Community Center (ACC) or Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains (LFS). As needed, Family Stabilization Specialists provide consultation to partner resettlement agency staff about concerns related to a client’s behavior or mental health needs.

Major Responsibilities

Major responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Client Services

- Providing trauma-informed and client-driven care to refugees and asylees with safety or severe mental health needs. - Building trust and rapport across cultural and language barriers. - Incorporating a multigenerational approach that holistically serves entire families. - Developing safety plans with clients as needed and working through crisis situations, such as suicide ideation or domestic violence, to restore and maintain client safety. - Maintaining service plans and goals in collaboration with client. - Pro-active resource navigation, coordination and advocating for client needs with ancillary service providers (court systems, shelters, mental health providers, food banks, resettlement agencies and others). As needed, providing education to clients about community resources and avenues for appropriate engagement. - Working independently to manage individual schedule a d triaging client needs.

Service Coordination and Capacity-Building

- Working collaboratively with resettlement agency staff and other refugee service providers to promote FSP client success and wellbeing, including engaging in consistent communication, building effective referral processes, and promoting shared expectations around FSP services. - Providing consultation and participating in case coordination meetings. - Partnering with resettlement agencies and other service providers to deliver training and technical assistance that increases their capacity to effectively serve clients who are higher-risk or working through complex needs related to safety or severe mental health. - Seeking out partnerships that increase FSP clients’ access to mainstream community services and acting as a liaison to build and sustain relationships with providers and resources.

Quality Assurance and Compliance

- Ensuring accurate and timely recording of case notes, client services, and other data and documentation in the ETO and Geneva databases. - Assessing, evaluating, and reporting program performance and escalating issues as needed. - Using evidence-based tools to gauge client progress. - Assuring compliance with Colorado Refuge Services Program guidelines, HIPAA, and IRC guidelines.

Other

- Actively participating in trainings, community-partner meetings, teams and work-groups within IRC and the broader community. - Maintaining positive working relationships with colleagues and contributing to a welcoming, client-empowerment driven work culture. - May supervise interns and volunteers engaged with the program. - Other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements

- Graduate degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or related field; or at least three years of equivalent clinical work experience. - Experience in refugee resettlement and/or direct service with refugees or a similar population. - Familiarity with local service provider landscape and resettlement context a plus. - Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, particularly when working cross-culturally and with individuals with limited English proficiency who require language assistance. - Superb organizational, time and task management, and logistical skills. - Strong decision-making capabilities, strategic thinker and creative problem-solver. - Fluent in English, both spoken and written; bilingual in one or more client languages an asset. - Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook), internet applications and databases. - Clinical licensure or desire to work toward licensure preferred. - Lived experience as a refugee or immigrant strongly preferred. - Use of a reliable personal vehicle required, with valid driver’s license and current insurance.

Key Working Relationships

Position Reports to: Clinical Supervisor

Working Environment

Standard office work environment combined with considerable time in the field and in neighborhoods where refugees live. Travel in and around the Denver metro area to facilitate service delivery, build community relationships and represent the IRC with community partners. Hours outside of typical office hours required regularly.

Posted pay ranges apply to US-based candidates. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirements.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity: IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Professional Standards: The IRC and IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

US Benefits: We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days (depending on role and tenure), medical insurance starting at $145 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus a 3-7% base IRC contribution (3 year vesting), disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.

Qualifications Update