Family Navigator Role

Phase 3: Weeks 13-27 at School Site

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Phase Overview

In this training phase, Family Navigators will continue to develop a deeper understanding of school and community culture, while strengthening their role within larger district and school teams. They will collaborate with internal and external team members to assess and address the needs of clients, families, and the community, and deliver essential support. The focus will be on building and nurturing relationships with school, district, and community partners, and communicating with families to identify additional areas of need.

Phase Goals/Objections

  1. Continue developing understanding of school and community culture

  2. Continue developing understanding of role within larger district/school teams

  3. Collaborate with internal and external  team members to assess needs of clients, families, and the community

  4. Deliver support to clients and families

  5. Continue communicating with families and the community to identify additional areas of need

  6. Continue developing relationships with school/district and community partners

  7. Begin honorable closing with families receiving support throughout the school year

Role Development

Understand how to navigate the Family Navigator role while integrating diversity, equity, inclusivity, and belonging (DEIB) into your practices and interactions with students, families, school staff, and SBMHW team members. Learn the importance of introspection and self-awareness in handling uncomfortable situations and participate actively in regional and SBMHW team meetings, professional development, and relevant trainings provided by community and state organizations.

  •  Continue to navigate family navigator role and incorporate diversity, equity, inclusivity, and belonging framework into my practices and professional engagement

    • Apply awareness of DEIB lens across work with students, families, school staff and SBMHW program team members

    • Acknowledge the value of introspection and self-awareness when circumstances or conversations bring discomfort

    • Attend and collaborate in regional team meetings, SBMHW team meetings, professional development and training; supervision/consultation, and events within my school community

    • Attend training and collaboratives relevant to role, including those provided by community partners and local/statewide entities

Providing Support Services

Explore how to collaborate with clinicians on registration, provide confidential support, identify families needing resources, and engage in community outreach. Learn to plan for the closure of support services, ensure accurate documentation, and offer peer support to colleagues and staff. Additionally, gain insights into effective strategies for coordinating with all stakeholders to enhance overall program effectiveness.

  • • Work collaboratively with clinicians to complete registration packets

    • Listen and provide confidential support, including during school meetings to students and families

    • Collaborate with clinician and site staff to identify families in need of support or resources in the community, specific to holiday outreach programs and services 

    • Continue to participate in COST

    • Engage/outreach with community/families alongside clinicians

    • Begin discussing and planning for honorable closing with clinicians to identify clients who need support with resources after Spring Break (contingent on District calendar)   

    • Begin discussing and planning for honorable closing with any clients/families that have received family navigator supports throughout the school year

    • Ensure all documentation for support services provided are complete in Teams and that the referral list is updated

    • Provide peer support in one-on-one and group settings, to colleagues and on-site staff

School and Community Navigation

Gain skills in resolving calendar discrepancies between school and SCOE schedules, developing work plans for conflicts, and actively participating in school and community engagement, cultural recognition, and awareness events.

  • • Address discrepancies between school calendar and SCOE calendar with coordinator, and develop work plan for calendar conflicts

    • Participate in school and community engagement, cultural recognition and awareness events