Youth & Family Navigator

Families & Youth Innovations Plus (FYI+)
Position: Full-Time
Hourly Rate: $17.31 - $21.76 (3 levels based on experience and education)
Reports To: FRC Program Supervisor
Department: Family Resources Center (FRC)
Job Summary

The Youth & Family Navigator serves as a guiding light for youth and families in need, illuminating their path to accessing essential resources, vital supports, and clinical services. Their typical workday involves engaging with youth and families from diverse backgrounds, actively listening to understand the intricate challenges they face. With compassion and expertise, the Navigator conducts engagement activities, screeners, and assessments to identify each youth and family's unique needs – whether housing, food, healthcare, childcare, employment, program referrals, counseling, or other areas of need related to well‑being.

The Navigator comes alongside youth and families to collaboratively develop individualized success plans, carefully tailored to connect them with the appropriate assistance and benefits they qualify for through warm‑handoffs. Maintaining extensive knowledge of local, state, and federal programs, as well as community organizations, is crucial. The Navigator utilizes this information to guide youth and families through complex application processes, appointments, documentation requirements, and eligibility criteria, ensuring no opportunity for support is missed.

Acting as a steadfast advocate, the Navigator champions each youth and family's cause with service providers, articulating their needs with empathy and conviction. Regular follow‑ups and open communication allow for monitoring progress, adeptly addressing barriers, and adjusting plans as circumstances evolve. Meticulous documentation of each youth and family's journey, accurate case notes, and tracking accessed services are vital responsibilities. This data informs the work while fostering collaboration with case managers, social workers, and providers to promote a cohesive, holistic approach.

Strong interpersonal skills, cultural competency, attention to detail, and resourcefulness are invaluable assets in this role. Building trust and lasting connections with diverse youth and families goes beyond merely providing services. Ultimately, the Navigator's role empowers youth and families and guides them toward a brighter future through unwavering compassion and dedication. Interpersonal skills, cultural awareness, and a solutions‑focused mindset are essential to success.

• Provide confidential administrative support related to sensitive issues
• Triage customers' needs and guide them to the appropriate pathway of services
• Assist customers in completing all onboarding paperwork and filling out applications and other forms necessary to access other health care professionals, regional agencies, and community service programs
• Coordinate warm hand‑offs between providers for each pathway to services determined
• Serve as a community referral link for customers to internal and/or external services and service providers
• Monitor scheduled intakes daily; if there is a no‑show or cancellation, the navigation specialist will schedule another patient
• Manage agency data tracking systems for all referrals that flow through the Resource and Referral
• Utilize EHR clinical database to activate new clients and manage referrals for the agency
• Maintain a caseload
• May be required to occasionally travel and/or work non‑traditional hours

• Associate's degree in a human service field from an accredited college or have a minimum of two years of experience working with the targeted population
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Integrity and professionalism
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), Adobe Acrobat, and social media web platforms
• Ability to adapt to changes in the work environment, manage competing demands, and deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events without losing sight of objectives or completing tasks
• Ability to multitask, prioritize, and work under pressure without losing sight of objectives
• Communication, organizational, project‑management, bookkeeping, and time‑management skills
• Bilingual preferred

• Must pass background checks (fingerprint‑based criminal records checks and child abuse and neglect screening)
• Must maintain a full certification of the following trainings; CPR/First Aid and CPI
• Must maintain a valid NM Driver's License and clean driving record

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience, comprehensive benefits package, professional development opportunities
• Benefits compensation include health, dental, life insurance, short‑term and long‑term disability, supplemental plans
• 403(b), PTO, and 14 paid holidays