PPAL values those who have direct lived experience raising a child with significant mental and behavioral health challenges and gives hiring preference to individuals who have this direct lived experience.
Parent/Professional Advocacy League is a small but impactful nonprofit organization working to make things better for children with emotional, behavioral and mental health needs and their families. Based in Waltham and Worcester, PPAL works with families across the state who need help navigating services in behavioral health, juvenile justice and education. We work in close partnership with other community and state agencies with the goals of supporting families, nurturing parent leaders and improving systems.
Policy Coordinator
The Policy Coordinator must be able to gather the experiences of families whose children have mental health challenges and create clear messages that are easy to communicate to decision makers and the public. This involves being able to pull data from our surveys, focus groups and other discussions and translate it into reports, fact sheets and written material. We also need you to take complex data and distill it into clear information that are easy to communicate to families to strengthen their voice in policy. The Policy Coordinator will also participate on various committees and oversee social media and marketing efforts.
The Policy Coordinator is a full–time, 40–hour per week position with a hybrid schedule (remote/office). At times, it requires the ability to work both flexible and extended hours, and, post-pandemic, it may require travel throughout the state to meetings (reimbursement provided).
Responsibilities:
- Oversee the development and interpretation of surveys and polls
- Creates and distributes marketing materials, including anti-stigma campaigns
- Represent the agency in external committees and meetings
- Write clear, concise, message-driven reports
- Attend and report outcomes of meetings
- Provide support for legislative hearings, public education events
- Produce social media posts, fact sheets and other communications to disseminate the results of our research.
- Evaluate policy alternatives and work with advocates on the ground to develop policy principles and proposals.
Required Skills:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Excellent writing, communication and relationship-building skills
- At least two years of experience in one of the following areas: public policy, human services or public interest
- Excellent analytical, critical thinking, writing, interpersonal, and collaborative skills
- Proven problem-solving abilities
- Ability to develop creative work including flyers, email campaigns and marketing materials
- Ability to adapt to a changing environment and handle multiple priorities
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite
- Knowledge of Canva, Constant Contact and Surveymonkey is a plus
This is a full-time position. Salary range is mid- to high-40s. PPAL is a mission driven organization, focused on children’s mental health. A personal connection to mental health is strongly preferred.
Family Support Specialist: Juvenile Justice, Hampden/Worcester County
The Family Support Specialist is responsible for providing support to families that increases their ability to find and obtain services for their children and family and fosters their ability to participate as equal partners on treatment teams and community groups. The Family Support Specialist will lead family support efforts with PPAL staff, in partnership with individual families as well as community stakeholders.
Preference will be given to family members of children, adolescents and adults with mental health needs. Must have transportation. Bilingual preferred.
Duties:
- Provide information and referral to families and professionals around resources and services.
- Empower families to advocate for their own child and family by providing and/or creating skill building opportunities.
- Assist in creating a voice for families in Massachusetts in the implementation of system change.
- Prepare parents to represent the voice of families who have children with behavioral health needs on various committees.
- Assist Project Coordinator: Juvenile Justice in Family Support Leadership activities.
- Attend monthly meeting on steering committee’s with JDAI
- Attend and be involved in training families in telling their own story
- Attend detention facilities in the region to engage parents
- Collect data as required
- Assists with special projects, as needed.
Qualifications:
- Ability to relate to diverse groups of parents, professionals and policymakers
- Excellent organizational and communication skills.
- Ability to work in a demanding environment and the flexibility to adapt to frequent changes in priorities and daily activities
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
- Ability to work collaboratively with a wide variety of people in complex situations.
- Some college preferred
This is a 20 hour per week contractor position.
Family Support Specialist Juvenile Justice, Essex/Middlesex County
The Family Support Specialist is responsible for providing support to families that increases their ability to find and obtain services for their children and family and fosters their ability to participate as equal partners on treatment teams and community groups. The Family Support Specialist will lead family support efforts with PPAL staff, in partnership with individual families as well as community stakeholders.
Preference will be given to family members of children, adolescents and adults with mental health needs. Must have transportation. Bilingual preferred.
Duties:
- Provide information and referral to families and professionals around resources and services.
- Empower families to advocate for their own child and family by providing and/or creating skill building opportunities.
- Assist in creating a voice for families in Massachusetts in the implementation of system change.
- Prepare parents to represent the voice of families who have children with behavioral health needs on various committees.
- Assist Project Coordinator: Juvenile Justice in Family Support Leadership activities.
- Attend monthly meeting on steering committee’s with JDAI
- Attend and be involved in training families in telling their own story
- Attend detention facilities in the region to engage parents
- Collect data as required
- Assists with special projects, as needed.
Qualifications:
- Ability to relate to diverse groups of parents, professionals and policymakers
- Excellent organizational and communication skills.
- Ability to work in a demanding environment and the flexibility to adapt to frequent changes in priorities and daily activities
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
- Ability to work collaboratively with a wide variety of people in complex situations.
- Some college preferred
This is a 20 hour per week contractor position.
Send cover letter and resume to info@ppal.net to apply
PPAL is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Personnel are chosen on the basis of ability without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, marital status or sexual orientation, in accordance with federal and state law.