Parent Peer Specialist; Wraparound

Job Code: 2025-SPECIALI-024

Location: Milwaukee

Department: Wraparound

FT/PT Status: Full Time

Engage the parents/caregivers of Wraparound Milwaukee enrolled youth in the Wraparound process. Utilize the unique lived experiences of parenting a child with significant mental health, substance use, co‑occurring, and life needs to provide hope to parents/caregivers currently enrolled in Wraparound programming. Enhance parenting knowledge and skills to minimize crisis and maximize the long‑term benefit of involvement in the Wraparound process through a focus on parent and youth strengths as part of the solution and family participation as partners in all aspects of care.

• Provide one‑to‑one peer support to parents/caregivers in a variety of community settings, including the family home.
• Utilize unique lived experience to build professional relationships with youth and families enrolled in Wraparound to assist in navigating the mental health/behavioral health, youth justice, and/or child welfare systems to walk with the parent/caregiver and youth to ensure their needs are being met and their voice is heard, understood, and respected by the Child and Family Team.
• Work directly with the parent/caregiver within the family system to proactively and reactively reduce crisis triggers, role‑model parenting and crisis management skills, provide education to the family, and support families during crisis.
• Role‑model recovery in all interactions and utilize lived experience to engage families.
• Support the team to understand and identify the family’s needs and develop strategies to meet the identified needs.
• Work closely with the family to identify a sustainable network of supports and resources in the community to meet the family’s needs.
• Partner with the Care Coordinator to build strong working relationships with community organizations that serve Milwaukee youth and their families.
• Collaborate closely with the Wraparound team to ensure the needs of the youth and family are met.
• Support youth and family to engage in mental health services by accompanying at appointments and community activities.
• Attend and actively participate in Child and Family Team Meetings including the development and implementation of the Plan of Care and Crisis Plan.
• Complete all necessary paperwork in a strengths‑based manner per Wraparound Milwaukee/Agency requirements.
• Attend and actively participate in weekly supervision.

• Attend in‑services and participate in staffing, weekly and monthly meetings and consultations.
• Assist with coverage for co‑workers as needed.
• Other job‑related duties as may be necessary to carry out the responsibilities of the position.

• High school or GED/HSED required.
• Graduate of state Parent Peer Specialist training.
• Possess current Certified Parent Peer Specialist certification or become certified within one year of employment.
• Meet all WCS and contractor requirements for criminal and caregiver background check, driving record, and references.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Complete all Wraparound trainings as required for the position.
• Ability to display cultural competence by responding respectfully and effectively to people of all cultures, languages, classes, races, ethnic backgrounds, religions, and other diversity factors in a manner that recognizes, affirms and values the worth of each individual.
• Knowledge and skills to work with children, young adults, and families.
• Lived experience of parenting a youth with mental health, substance use, co‑occurring, juvenile justice, and/or life needs.
• Valid driver’s license, automobile, and sufficient insurance to meet agency requirements is preferred.

Reports directly to the Wraparound Program Manager. Has contact with a wide variety of individuals including youth/young adults and family members, other program staff, consulting psychologists/psychiatrists, and other collateral contacts, neighbors, funders, Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services, Milwaukee County Delinquency & Court Services Division (DCSD), Children’s Court officials, MPS staff and…