Family Advocate & Engagement Specialist at Gaudenzia, Inc.

We need hope-bringers and changemakers - because the work we all do matters. Join a team that shows up for each other as much as we show up for our clients. At Gaudenzia, your purpose fuels progress - for yourself and others.

Gaudenzia's Mission: Gaudenzia's Mission is to promote long-term recovery by providing comprehensive treatment and support to people with substance use disorder, co-occurring mental health disorders, and related conditions, regardless of individual circumstances.

This position will support Gaudenzia’s expanded comprehensive, dedicated 24-hour, Outpatient, Urgent Care, CCBHC Clinic in Baltimore City, by providing a continuum of prevention and direct crisis services to adolescent, adults, homeless populations, and/or individuals/families living with Behavioral Health and/or Substance Use Disorder needs. This individual will partner

with families experiencing to support them by building skills to heal from trauma, restore hope, through a trauma informed, empathetic approach that supports collaborative and non-clinical interventions that are delivered for family empowerment across the CCBHC walk-in clinic. This work is accomplished through interrelated departments. This individual will have lived

experience as a family member of an individual with behavioral health challenges and is personally familiar with the associated challenges and available community resources.

This position is responsible for outreach and engagement with families and natural support of CCBHC clients, providing clients with individual and group support to help promote the client’s recovery and access to care. The Family Advocate Engagement Specialist will perform case management and development of individual or family service plans with goals, objectives, and activities to meet individual client needs. This position will train clients and families in family engagement best practices. You will work within the community and with families, acting as an advocate for families, developing trusting relationships and ensuring that support services are available to meet individual and family goals. You will work on an individualized basis to identify goals, strengths, and necessary services and ensure clients have opportunities to enhance their skills and knowledge that aid in recovery. You will be responsible for community partnerships, service coordination as well as reporting. You’ll contribute to the success of our clients and the community we serve by working with clients and their families who are economically disadvantaged and help them prepare for success.

The Family Advocate Engagement Specialist will lead all efforts to develop opportunities for and perform comprehensive evaluations of the strengths and skills of each client. Establishing sustainability is key to the success of this position by servicing all clients who need assistance, educating the community at large on prevention in our community and providing resources and training to those in which we serve. The responsibilities of the Family Advocate/Engagement Specialist will be reviewed and monitored by the Program Director.

Provide advocacy, crisis support, and case management services to clients as they navigate the stress of the crisis treatment continuum

• Foster effective parent-professional partnerships and promote the practice of family-driven and youth-guided approaches
• Support and assist families in identifying coping strategies and parenting skills which could strengthen and assist with
  
  

modeling these skills to the families

• Carry out the family support portion, independently performing a variety of complex assignments involving identifying
  
  

family needs and parenting skills which could be strengthened to model these skills to fit the families needs

• Assist in developing, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive community engagement program that delivers
  
  

quality and diverse programming opportunities

• Deliver interventions and activities that meet needs, build on strengths, and achieve outcomes
• Maintain consistent, ongoing communication with the client’s multidisciplinary treatment team
• Actively participate in team meetings, care conferences, rounds and other forums designed to facilitate the delivery of
  
  

effective and efficient patient and family care and make regular monthly contact with clients

• Assist caregivers in all aspects of implementing services for children and families in care or at risk of coming into care
  
  

during service implementation processes, when needed

• Develop positive relationships with parent's that support their strengths and address areas of weakness through coaching,
  
  

role modeling, skill building, engagement, self-advocacy, self-efficiency, empowerment direct communication, teaching

and advocacy

• Provide outreach services to families of children in care and share essential information about children and their families
  
  

with care managers and caregivers

• Assist in providing for, arranging, or coordinating services required by children and their families
• Prepare and maintain records, data, forms, and documents pertinent to these job responsibilities
• Develop a working knowledge of and support parents in Juvenile Court System processes as needed and/or required.
• Educate clients about maintaining self-awareness, self-help techniques, symptom management. Clarify next steps within
  
  

the triage, treatment, or discharge process

• Serve as a liaison between families, schools, and community agencies through strengths-based, and individualized support
• Assist Other duties as assigned by the Program Director
  
  

Education/Training: High School Diploma or equivalent.

Experience: Lived experience as a family member of an individual with Behavioral Health needs. Ability to serve as an advocate for those served by the CCBHC. Sensitivity to and experience with the issues affecting addicts with a criminal justice background. At least one (1) year experience working in an outpatient Behavioral Health setting. Baltimore resident

preferred.

Bilingual is a plus. Flexible hours with one evening a week and occasional Saturdays

Gaudenzia is proud to be an employer of choice - and a treatment provider of choice - in the substance use and co-occurring disorders treatment field. We work hard to foster an inclusive, supportive environment where our employees and clients always feel safe and welcome.

Come work with us!

Our Agency is committed to the principles of equal employment. We believe in fostering a positive work environment in which every employee is treated with respect. Our staff hiring and recruitment practices are grounded in fairness, transparency, and merit. All employment decisions are based on job-related qualifications, relevant skills, experience, and alignment with our mission and values. We actively recruit from a broad range of educational and professional backgrounds to attract the most qualified candidates, ensuring equal opportunity for all applicants without preference or discrimination. Our process uses consistent and clear evaluation criteria to support objective decision-making. By emphasizing accountability, efficiency, and integrity throughout every stage--from job posting to onboarding--we build a workforce defined by excellence, professionalism, and commitment to our shared purpose. Gaudenzia is dedicated to the fulfillment of this policy regarding all aspects of employment, including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, placement, transfer, training, promotion, rates of pay, and other compensation, termination, and all other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.