Statewide Pediatric Legacy Care Specialist

The Statewide Pediatric Legacy Care Specialist is responsible for designing, developing, and implementing grief support, legacy making, and educational programs for bereaved children and families served by the Jo Elyn Nyman Anchors Programs for Children including Perinatal Care, Compass Support Services, and the James B. Fahner Pediatric Hospice program, as well as children and families needing care throughout the state of Michigan. This role will also serve as a resource and liaison to health professionals in hospice, palliative care, and grief support to build long-term therapeutic relationships for families. Essential Functions: Evaluates and assesses family response to grief and loss issues and the risk factors associated. telephonic and virtual anticipatory grief support and developmentally appropriate bereavement care for families served by the Jo Elyn Nyman Anchors Program for Children (Perinatal, Compass, Hospice) for a minimum of two (2) years after the death of a child; also provides these services to those received through community referral. Coordinates Legacy Building activities, both in person and virtually, for all Jo Elyn Nyman Anchors Pediatric Hospice families and coordinates with the Van Allsburg Pediatric Art Program for direction of projects. Participates in statewide pediatric IDT meetings and coordinates developmentally appropriate grief care with patient care teams. Assesses the community needs related to grief and loss issues; develops and implements community-based grief support programs including support groups, education, and database maintenance of grief support opportunities in Michigan. Provides and facilitates yearly pediatric memorial services in Southeast/Arbor and Southwest Michigan. Facilitates a minimum of two (2) virtual community educational offerings each year, during National Children Hospice Week and National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, focused on supporting children who have experienced sibling loss and parents who have experienced child loss. Develops relationships with other state and national hospice programs to offer education/support in caring for pediatric patients and bereaved families. Focuses on areas not served by NorthStar Care Community (NSCC) to ensure that every child and family has access to high quality grief care. Participates in internal and external education and training, quality improvement initiatives, in-services, development of protocols and standards and other activities to promote hospice practice as well as personal and professional growth. Adjusts to changes in workload, schedules based on changing departmental/organizational priorities. Adheres to organizational Code of Conduct, policies and procedures and all regulatory and legal requirements. Adheres to the NorthStar standards to care for every person, every time, 100% of the time. Qualifications: A Master Degree in Social Work (MSW) or Bachelor Degree with an accompanying Child Life Specialist Certification and documented training in grief and loss is required. Licensure requirements for Masters-Educated: Possession of an active license (Limited License - LLMSW or Licensed MSW) to practice social work issued by the State of Michigan is required. Certification requirements for Bachelors-Educated: Must be a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) as defined by the Association of Child Life Professionals. Must demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate anticipatory grief and bereavement care of children, teens, and adults with at least one (1) year of experience working with children and families affected by chronic, complex and/or terminal illness; three (3) or more years preferred. Must possess ability to independently manage different technologies used by NSCC critical for this role including but not limited to: Electronic Medical Record, Microsoft Office, and Telehealth technologies such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Must demonstrate creativity and enthusiasm for legacy building projects with families including but not limited to hand molds, silver jewelry, memory boxes as well as development of new legacy projects tailored to patient/family preferences. Must be able to cope with family/caregiver emotional stress and provide non-judgmental/culturally competent and respectful care to patients and families. Must be able to read, write and speak English fluently and be able to effectively communicate orally and in writing in internal and external relationships for all essential job functions. Must possess excellent interpersonal skills, sound judgment, effective organizational, prioritization and follow-through skills, attention to detail, tact, dependability, emotional intelligence, and the ability to maintain confidentiality and promote positive, constructive relationships with communication and collaboration at all levels. Must have reliable transportation and be willing to travel within HOM/Arbor territories, as well as select cases outside of these areas where pediatric hospice patients are served. Proof of current tuberculin testing required. Patient contact will not be allowed until tuberculin clearance is documented. The physical and sensory demands of the position include: vision, effective speech and hearing for extensive telephone contact; repetitive motion; traveling; driving or riding in motor vehicle; standing, sitting, walking, bending, reaching, and stretching; lifting up to forty five (45) pounds unassisted and the ability to assist in lifting patients using appropriate lifting techniques and/or devices. Must be eligible to work in the United States. The Statewide Pediatric Legacy Care Specialist is responsible for designing, developing, and implementing grief support, legacy making, and educational programs for bereaved children and families served by the Jo Elyn Nyman Anchors Programs for Children including Perinatal Care, Compass Support Services, and the James B. Fahner Pediatric Hospice program, as well as children and families needing care throughout the state of Michigan. This role will also serve as a resource and liaison to health professionals in hospice, palliative care, and grief support to build long-term therapeutic relationships for families. Essential Functions: Evaluates and assesses family response to grief and loss issues and the risk factors associated. Provides telephonic and virtual anticipatory grief support and developmentally appropriate bereavement care for families served by the Jo Elyn Nyman Anchors Program for Children (Perinatal, Compass, Hospice) for a minimum of two (2) years after the death of a child; also provides these services to those received through community referral. Coordinates Legacy Building activities, both in person and virtually, for all Jo Elyn Nyman Anchors Pediatric Hospice families and coordinates with the Van Allsburg Pediatric Art Program for direction of projects. Participates in statewide pediatric IDT meetings and coordinates developmentally appropriate grief care with patient care teams. Assesses the community needs related to grief and loss issues; develops and implements community-based grief support programs including support groups, education, and database maintenance of grief support opportunities in Michigan. Provides and facilitates yearly pediatric memorial services in Southeast/Arbor and Southwest Michigan. Facilitates a minimum of two (2) virtual community educational offerings each year, during National Children's Hospice Week and National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, focused on supporting children who have experienced sibling loss and parents who have experienced child loss. Develops relationships with other state and national hospice programs to offer education/support in caring for pediatric patients and bereaved families. Focuses on areas not served by NorthStar Care Community (NSCC) to ensure that every child and family has access to high quality grief care. Participates in internal and external education and training, quality improvement initiatives, in-services, development of protocols and standards and other activities to promote hospice practice as well as personal and professional growth. Adjusts to changes in workload, schedules based on changing departmental/organizational priorities. Adheres to organizational Code of Conduct, policies and procedures and all regulatory and legal requirements. Adheres to the NorthStar standards to care for every person, every time, 100% of the time. Qualifications: A Master's Degree in Social Work (MSW) or Bachelor's Degree with an accompanying Child Life Specialist Certification and documented training in grief and loss is required. Licensure requirements for Masters-Educated: Possession of an active license (Limited License - LLMSW or Licensed MSW) to practice social work issued by the State of Michigan is required. Certification requirements for Bachelors-Educated: Must be a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) as defined by the Association of Child Life Professionals. Must demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate anticipatory grief and bereavement care of children, teens, and adults with at least one (1) year of experience working with children and families affected by chronic, complex and/or terminal illness; three (3) or more years preferred. Must possess ability to independently manage different technologies used by NSCC critical for this role including but not limited to: Electronic Medical Record, Microsoft Office, and Telehealth technologies such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Must demonstrate creativity and enthusiasm for legacy building projects with families including but not limited to hand molds, silver jewelry, memory boxes as well as development of new legacy projects tailored to patient/family preferences . click apply for full job details