MFT Advocate

Position Summary

The MiFamily Together (MFT) Advocate is responsible for adhering to the MFT philosophy, values, beliefs, and contract requirements while offering responsive, flexible services that meet families where they are. MFT fosters meaningful engagement and provides tailored support to help families thrive at any level of need. The MFT Advocate is responsible for delivering in-home services for up to 180 days, with approved extensions up to 270 days total.

This position will serve Lake, Newaygo, and Oceana counties.

Michigan’s Children’s Service Administration believes that children should live with their families whenever possible, and MFT will support the department’s goal to reduce the number of children who experience out-of-home care and the associated trauma of being removed from their family. MFT seeks to support the safety and wellbeing of these families such that risk to the child(ren) is reduced.

Wage:
Up to $47,715.20 annually; $22.94/hour based on relevant work experience.

Catholic Charities West Michigan (CCWM) is a community-based agency providing programs in Western Michigan and offering a variety of services in family preservation, behavioral health, child welfare, and community outreach.

• CCWM is committed to ensuring a diverse workforce and a work environment whereby all staff are treated with dignity, respect, and fairness.
• CCWM encourages persons of diverse backgrounds and faiths to apply for employment.

• Provides services in accordance with the MFT contract requirements.
• Delivers in-home services for up to 180 days, with approved extensions up to 270 days total.
• Maintains face-to-face contact with families in accordance with the contract-defined frequency and based on individual needs.
• Completes all required MDHHS and MFT documentation within established time frames.
• Engages family members using Motivational Interviewing to build rapport and assess strengths, needs, culture, and values.
• Conducts assessments with each family to gain a better understanding of prevention goals for each family member.
• Provides and assists families in accessing concrete supports and resources, including housing, transportation, employment, education, benefits, and other needs.
• Provides direct services to help the family strengthen protective factors and increase family well-being via practicing within the Two-Generation (2
  
  Gen) framework and attaining goals outlined in the Prevention Plan Reports.
• Creates proactive and reactive safety plans to address risk factors.qrstjs
• Teaches and models life-skills, household management, parenting skills, and community resource navigation.
• Makes appropriate referrals for caregivers and children to additional services and collaborates with all service providers involved with the family, as well as the referring case manager, to support the family in achieving identified goals.
• Maintains a flexible work schedule to ensure appointments are scheduled based on families’ needs and to allow for timely crisis intervention.
• Attends court hearings and provides testimony at the request of the family, MDHHS or Placement Agency Foster Care (PAFC) referring case manager.
• Attends training and meetings as required by MDHHS and Agency.
• Completes, and/or attempts to complete, face-to-face follow-up visits with each family served at three- and six-months following closure of the case to review sustained goal achievement and case closure safety planning and to assess if there is any further assistance needed to support maintaining the child in the home safely.
• Transports clients utilizing personal vehicle, as needed.
• Drives for agency business.
• All other duties as assigned per supervisor’s request.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this position, the staff member is regularly required to talk and/or hear. The staff member is occasionally required to stand;

walk; sit; use hands…