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    ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ Social Service Specialist works collaboratively with Communities in Schools (CIS), Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Crisis Interventionist, and Site Coordinators. With students as our main focus, we provide support to students, parents, staff, and the community.

    Social Service Specialist:
    Addresses the psychological and social well-being of students
    Advocates for students to receive needed services
    Conduct assessments to determine which services will help students
    Facilitates conflict resolution with students experiencing difficulty to help solve problems
    Provides crisis intervention and support services
    Provides information and counseling to help students, parents, and school staff work collaboratively
    Maintain accurate case files and reports to track student issues and progress
    Help students function effectively in a school environment
    Participate in the IEP process as necessary
    Conduct home visits
    Train staff on topics such as crisis intervention, trauma-informed care, mental health services, etc.

    VOCA Crisis Intervention Specialist:
    Advocacy - ensures that students and families voices are heard and they receive the appropriate assistance.
    Assessing Victims’ Needs – determines the services that will help victims in the aftermath of a crisis. Conducting a thorough needs assessment, identifying a victim’s specific needs, and referring the victim to the most appropriate resources.
    Conflict Management - manages conflict effectively, negotiates with others when conflict arises, and helps resolve conflict by negotiating an outcome that is acceptable to all parties involved.
    Crisis Intervention - Identifies when a crisis has taken place, helps those who have experienced traumatic situations, understands what constitutes a crisis, and provides intervention when necessary.
    Bullying – helps children and youth who are bullied through short-term and long-term interventions.
    Trauma Informed Care – Ensuring the emotional health of our students, staff and families, through education, empowerment, support, and trust.
    SEL – Social Emotional Learning support including establishing a trusting RELATIONSHIP, intentional RELEVANT activities and discussions, while creating a goal of lasting RESILIENCE.
    Mental Health Support – Professional support to those students, staff, and families whose thoughts, feelings, moods, and ability to relate has been disrupted.

    District Substance Abuse Counselor
    Serves as a resource/advocate to help schools, families, and students locate and obtain appropriate community resources.
    Keep current and updated on information and services available to youth and their families.
    Keeps current with trends in the chemical dependency treatment field to provide quality intervention and support services to students.
    Implement and monitor students counseling plans.
    Provide substance abuse related training for students, staff, parents, and the community.
    Provide transition and follow-up counseling to students after they return to their home school from alternative placement.
    Assist families seeking outside resources for students when other alternatives have failed.
    Act as a liaison with juvenile probation and other outside agencies.
    Provide basic substance abuse information regarding risk factors, risk reduction strategies and counseling to students and parents.
    Facilitate monthly community collaborative for proactive parenting meeting.

    CIS Site Coordinators
    Provides adult education, family literacy, parent/family events
    Provides tutoring, STAAR support, homework support, and study skills
    Provides career fairs, college field trips, career counseling, college nights
    Provides mentoring, character, education, goal setting, team building, and conflict resolution
    Provides activities such as; fine arts, sports, field trips, leadership training, and games
    Provides dental/health screenings, backpack buddies, personal hygiene, school supplies, safety awareness, and life skills