Family Support Specialist

Description

The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) is a non‑profit organization established in 1976 to serve immigrants, refugees, and the broader community in Portland, Oregon. Our mission is to welcome, serve and empower refugees, immigrants and people across cultures and generations to reach their full potential. Find out more o.org.

POSITION: Family Support Specialist

JOB CLASS/GRADE: Specialist 1 / Grade 8

WAGE: Starting at $48,600 per year

FLSA; EEO; WC: Non‑Exempt;
Professional; 8864

LOCATIONS: IRCO Eastern Oregon, 723 S. Oregon St, Ontario, OR 97914, (On‑site position)

FTE; FT/PT; STATUS : 1.0 FTE;
Full‑Time with Benefits;
Regular

NUMBER OF POSITIONS: (1)

APPLY AT: (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..org

STATUS: Full‑Time with Benefits

PROGRAM(S): Healthy Families Eastern Oregon

SECTOR: Home Visiting / Early Learning Services

REQUIREMENTS:

• High School Diploma/GED required
• 1-2 years of experience in working with or providing services to children and families
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and verification of current auto‑insurance and have full use of automobile during work hours
• Bilingual in English and Spanish required

This job announcement is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed in this job. This is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required.

Program Summary
Healthy Families Eastern Oregon is a free, voluntary home visiting program that supports expectant parents and families with young children by promoting early childhood relational health and positive parent‑child relationships. Trained Family Support Specialists (FSS) partner with families through regular home visits to support healthy child development and strengthen family well‑being.

The program follows the Healthy Families America (HFA) evidence‑based model. It is funded in part through the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program, a federal initiative that supports evidence‑based home visiting services nationwide. Through this framework, families receive strengths‑based, family‑centered support and connections to community resources tailored to their specific needs and goals.

Position Summary
IRCO is seeking a Family Support Specialist (FSS) to align with the priorities set forth by the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC), Healthy Families Oregon (HFO), the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), and the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program.

The Family Support Specialist (FSS) initiates and maintains regular, long‑term (up to three to five years) supportive relationships with families. Services are primarily provided within the family’s home, with each visit lasting at least one hour. Home visits are family‑centered and strengths‑based, focusing on building trusting relationships, strengthening the parent‑child bond, promoting healthy childhood growth and development, and enhancing family well‑being by supporting protective factors and reducing risk factors.

Working as an FSS in the Healthy Families program involves engagement with families experiencing complex and intersecting challenges, including multi‑generational trauma, child welfare involvement, poverty, housing instability, chronic stress, and mental health and/or substance use challenges. The FSS partners with families while honoring differences in family structures, community traditions, and parenting practices.

Essential Functions

Home Visits (53%)

• Conduct regular, planned home visits using a strengths‑based, family‑centered approach to support positive parenting, child development, and family well‑being
• Apply working knowledge of parent‑child interaction, child development, and the impact of stress, trauma, and adversity to support protective factors and reduce risk factors associated with child abuse and neglect
• Administer approved screening and assessment tools in accordance with HFO and MIECHV protocols, including the Family Resilience and Opportunities for Growth (FROG) Scale, Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ, ASQ‑SE), depression screenings, and intimate partner violence screenings
• Use assessment and screening results to…