Family Services Specialist

ARIZONA COMMISSION FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING

The purpose of the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing (ACDHH) is to ensure, in partnership with the public and private sector, accessibility for the deaf and hard of hearing to improve their quality of life.

FAMILY SERVICES SPECIALIST

Job Location:

100 North 15th Avenue, Suite 104

Phoenix, Arizona 85007

Posting Details:

Salary: $58,000 - $72,000 DOE

Grade: 21

This position will remain open until filled

Job Summary:

The Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is seeking a Family Services Specialist to work with the community on the delivery of services to improve overall outcomes for children who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or DeafBlind and their families. The ideal candidate will be a warm, outgoing, and congenial person who gets along comfortably with most people, meets new people easily and enjoys doing so, and works as well in group situations as well as one-on-one.

The Family Services Specialist is responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing programming and services to assist with early identification of hearing loss, effective communication access, developmental screenings, equal educational opportunities, and workforce development and support for children who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing and DeafBlind and their families. This position is responsible for improving the collaboration, participation, and leadership of families within the Early Childhood education systems including Part C Services, Early Head Start/Head Start Programs, and other Community-Based programs to strengthen family-friendly models. Ultimately this position will work towards improving overall outcomes for children who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind and their families while working collaboratively with other service providers throughout the road map of Arizona services and programs.

This position may offer the ability to work remotely, within Arizona, based upon the department's business needs and continual meeting of expected performance measures.

Job Duties:

Coordinate integration of family engagement into all aspects of communication and development of materials in a family-friendly model. Coordinate and develop strong partnerships with families of children who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind in collaboration with other systems serving children and families.

Participate in a collaborative, multilingual, culturally diverse work environment with family-centered, strengths-based best practices, and community partnerships. Participate in collaborative meetings with community partners in the development and implementation of a system of universal developmental screenings, including language and literacy assessments that meet national standards for children who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind.

Coordinate with other State agencies, community partners, and other stakeholders responsible for providing services to families and children who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind to ensure equitable access to services for all children and families. Participate in Statewide meetings for Early Learning, Interagency Council Commission, Child Welfare, Family Leadership, Parent to Parent Programs, and others as needed.

Provide training and technical assistance with linkage and ease of navigation to systems for families to include eligibility, advocacy, healthcare, access to services, etc. Develop program policies/procedures with internal/external partners around the inclusion of services for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind children.

Coordinate family engagement and leadership council to include parents and family members of children who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind, community partners, and other family advocacy groups. Partner with state/local agencies that support families and children from birth to 21, with the goal of raising them to success. Host monthly collaborations with Latino Unidos community partners to share resources and events throughout the state for families and children in Early Childhood Education programs. Host family/parent workshops/training and support groups.

Link families to Newborn Hearing Screening resources for supplemental screening services. Support families with eligibility for Early Childhood Education Services and navigation of educational programming. Connect families and children to Family. Support Services that provide parent-to-parent or peer-to-peer support. Support families in the navigation of systems of care and connection to Community and Clinical resources and supplemental services. Provide resources to and connect with rural audiology services.

Coordinate with internal specialists in the development and implementation of a systematic structure that will provide support and technical assistance to community members, stakeholders, and families of children who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind. Collaborate with internal partners to review and modify current reporting and tracking systems to include integration of other monitoring features that will identify areas of support and follow-up.

Comment and draft rules regarding family/children who are deaf, e.g. vision/hearing screening, IEP, etc. Maintain a level of knowledge regarding statutory requirements protecting and supporting families and children who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind participating in educational and community program settings.

Provide training and educational support regarding systems linking families to appropriate resources that include education, advocacy, healthcare, and other community services. Coordinate the implementation and development of materials in a family-friendly model that includes different levels of accessibility for language and access needs.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs):

Knowledge:

• Methods and procedures in the area of specialization in which consultative services are to be provided

• Regulatory and statutory provisions of pertinent laws

• Instructional materials and their availability and applicability to the curriculum as appropriate to the area of assignment

• Principles and practice of such specialized areas of professional development, curriculum development

• Issues faced by deaf and hard-of-hearing parents and children

• Understanding of Americans with Disabilities Act; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

• Community resources available for the deaf and hard of hearing locally, statewide, and nationally

• State government policies

Skills:

• Expressive and receptive ASL interpreting services

• Interpretation of laws, rules, and regulations pertinent to the area of assignment

• Assessing program effectiveness with consideration of, methods, curricula

• Initiating effective consultative action when needed

• Interpersonal relationships

• Oral and written communication techniques

• Use of audiovisual and video equipment

• Use of various research techniques

• Public speaking

• Excellent communication skills including, knowledge of technology available to enhance communication

• Excellent leadership, administrative, positive decision-making, planning, analysis, organizational and time management

Abilities:

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships

• Conduct effective program assessments

• Assess communication needs and skills

• Maintain effective relationships with those contacted in the course of work

• Provide culturally sensitive and empowerment-based advocacy services

• Intermediate to advanced computer skills

• Conduct research

Selective Preference(s):

• Fluent in American Sign Language (ASL)
• Experience and Education: A Bachelor's degree in social work, vocational rehabilitation, deaf and hard of hearing education, sociology or related

human services field and one year of experience working with persons with disabilities in advocacy or rehabilitation; or a four-year degree in one of the

areas noted above or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience; and intermediate American Sign Language skills

• Any combination of education, training, and experience that demonstrates the required knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to perform the job

Pre-Employment Requirements:

• Driving an essential function of this position

• This position requires a criminal background (fingerprint) check in accordance with A.A.C. R2-5A-303

• This position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job to conduct State business, then the following requirements apply: Driver's License Requirements.

Benefits:

The State of Arizona offers a comprehensive benefits package to include:

• Optional employee benefits include short-term disability insurance, deferred compensation plans, and supplemental life insurance

• Life insurance and long-term disability insurance available

• Vacation with 10 paid holidays per year

• Health and dental insurance

• Retirement plan

• Sick leave

• Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave pilot program here. For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona, please visit our benefits page

Retirement:

• Positions in this classification participate in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS)
• Please note that enrollment eligibility will become effective after 27 weeks of employment

Contact Us:

• If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Brian Westerberg at brian.westerberg@azdoa.gov for assistance