Community Engagement Specialist I

The position builds relationships with healthcare providers, behavioral health providers, County Health Councils, health departments, workforce organizations, educational institutions, social service agencies, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, and other partners serving rural individuals and families. Core Competencies: Community Partnership Development: Builds and sustains collaborative relationships with healthcare providers, community organizations, educational institutions, workforce agencies, faith-based groups, and local stakeholders to strengthen regional support networks.

Tennessee Voices Inc. is Tennessee's collaborative leader in mental health and family well-being. Each year, we serve thousands of children, parents, and adults across all 95 counties with services that prevent crisis, heal trauma, and build long-term stability. Our model works because it's whole-family, trauma-informed, and community-driven. By healing parents alongside their children, providing critical resources like housing and mental health support, and advocating for systemic change, TN Voices helps families thrive and communities grow stronger. Summary: The Community Engagement Specialist is responsible for developing and strengthening the community infrastructure necessary to support Rural THRIVE Tennessee within an assigned region. The position builds relationships with healthcare providers, behavioral health providers, County Health Councils, health departments, workforce organizations, educational institutions, social service agencies, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, and other partners serving rural individuals and families. The Community Engagement Specialist conducts ongoing resource mapping, identifies gaps in available services, establishes and maintains referral pathways, increases awareness of Rural THRIVE Tennessee, and supports strong connections between Family THRIVE Coaches and local resources. Essential Duties & Responsibilities Community Engagement and Partnership Development Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with organizations serving individuals and families throughout the assigned rural region. Engage County Health Councils and local health departments within Rural THRIVE service areas. Establish relationships with primary-care providers, hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers, behavioral health providers, substance-use and recovery organizations, and other healthcare partners. Establish relationships with workforce agencies, Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology, educational institutions, employers, Community Action Agencies, Family Resource Centers, housing organizations, food resources, transportation resources, faith communities, and other community-based organizations. Represent TN Voices and Rural THRIVE Tennessee at community meetings, coalitions, health councils, events, and outreach activities. Maintain routine communication with community partners and serve as an accessible TN Voices point of contact for Rural THRIVE collaboration. Resource Mapping and Gap Identification Conduct and maintain comprehensive resource mapping for counties within the assigned region. Identify available healthcare, behavioral health, preventive care, social service, workforce, educational, economic mobility, transportation, housing, food, childcare, and other community resources. Identify eligibility requirements, service availability, referral procedures, geographic limitations, and other information necessary for Family THRIVE Coaches to successfully connect participants with services. Regularly update resource information to maintain accurate referral options. Identify gaps in services, waitlists, transportation barriers, provider shortages, and other access challenges. Communicate identified gaps and emerging community needs to Regional Program Managers and the Rural THRIVE Director. Work with partners to identify cross-county alternatives when needed services are unavailable locally. Referral Pathway Development Develop and maintain referral pathways between community organizations and Rural THRIVE Tennessee. Educate community partners about the purpose, eligibility, services, and referral process for Rural THRIVE. Encourage appropriate referrals from healthcare providers, behavioral health providers, health departments, schools, workforce organizations, and community agencies. Support warm handoffs and closed-loop referral relationships between Rural THRIVE staff and community partners. Coordinate with Family THRIVE Coaches to troubleshoot difficult or unsuccessful community referrals. Identify opportunities to improve access and reduce duplication or fragmentation among service systems. Outreach and Program Awareness Develop and implement regional outreach strategies to increase awareness of Rural THRIVE Tennessee. Conduct presentations for community organizations, providers, agencies, councils, and other stakeholders. Participate in health fairs, community events, provider meetings, and regional outreach opportunities. Distribute approved program and referral information to relevant community partners. Work collaboratively with TN Voices leadership and communications staff to ensure consistent program messaging. Identify outreach opportunities in communities experiencing low program utilization or limited referrals. Regional and Program Coordination Work collaboratively with the Regional Program Manager, Family THRIVE Coaches, Intake Coordinator, Workforce Development Specialist, Economic Mobility Coordinator, Data Coordinator, and other Rural THRIVE staff. Provide Family THRIVE Coaches with updated information regarding regional resources and community partners. Coordinate community engagement activities with program implementation and expansion priorities. Participate in regional team meetings, statewide Rural THRIVE meetings, supervision, training, and continuous quality improvement activities. Assist with onboarding Rural THRIVE services into new counties as the program expands. Support community readiness assessment and partnership development prior to expansion into additional rural counties. Documentation, Data, and Continuous Quality Improvement Maintain accurate records of outreach contacts, partnerships, community meetings, presentations, resource mapping, referral pathways, and other required activities. Track community-engagement activities and partner participation. Document identified service gaps and emerging community needs. Provide information needed for grant reporting and program evaluation. Review referral and utilization patterns with Rural THRIVE leadership to identify areas requiring additional community engagement. Participate in continuous quality improvement activities intended to improve community access and referral completion. Compliance and Confidentiality Maintain confidentiality of participant and family information. Adhere to TN Voices policies, security requirements, HIPAA requirements, applicable confidentiality standards, and applicable CARF standards. Maintain accurate and timely documentation, complete required training and professional development, and immediately communicate safety, compliance, or other significant concerns to appropriate program leadership. Perform other duties as assigned. Additional Requirements Valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and automobile insurance consistent with TN Voices policy. Ability to travel extensively throughout the assigned East, Middle, or West Tennessee region. Ability to attend daytime and occasional evening community meetings or events as required. Successful completion of required background checks and employment screenings. Ability to maintain confidentiality and comply with TN Voices policies and applicable requirements Certificates, Licenses, Registrations: Valid driver's license, proof of automobile insurance Other Skills and Abilities: Strong community-engagement and relationship-building skills. Ability to develop and maintain partnerships with diverse organizations and stakeholders. Knowledge of rural communities and barriers affecting healthcare and behavioral health access. Strong public speaking, presentation, and facilitation skills. Ability to conduct resource mapping and identify gaps in services. Understanding of referral pathways and coordinated service-delivery systems. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to independently manage outreach schedules across a large geographic service area. Ability to organize and participate in community meetings and collaborative initiatives. Strong documentation, organizational, and follow-up skills. Ability to work effectively with community partners, families, individuals with lived experience, and TN Voices staff. Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Teams, and other electronic communication and tracking systems. Core Competencies: Community Partnership Development: Builds and sustains collaborative relationships with healthcare providers, community organizations, educational institutions, workforce agencies, faith-based groups, and local stakeholders to strengthen regional support networks. Resource Mapping & Needs Assessment: Conducts comprehensive resource mapping, maintains current service information, identifies community resource gaps, and assesses barriers affecting access to care and support services. Referral Network Coordination: Develops referral pathways, facilitates warm handoffs, strengthens partner referral processes, and improves coordination across service-delivery systems. Community Outreach & Program Promotion: Leads outreach initiatives, delivers presentations, participates in community events, and increases awareness and utilization of program services throughout rural communities. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partners with internal teams, regional stakeholders, and community organizations to support program implementation, expansion efforts, and service integration. Data Management & Continuous Improvement: Maintains accurate documentation, monitors engagement and referral outcomes, identifies emerging community needs, and contributes to program evaluation and quality improvement efforts. Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, push, pull and carry/lift up to 50 pounds. The employee is occasionally required to climb, bend or crouch. Specific mental abilities required by this job include continuous concentration to detail; ability to remember multiple tasks, oral and written communication; and an attention span of 1+ hour(s) on a task. Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Performance Evaluation: Employees are evaluated on an annual basis. Performance Reviews are completed electronically by the employee's direct supervisor then reviewed and approved by regional or program leadership. Employees are given the opportunity to review their performance evaluation with their supervisor and will be required to acknowledge receipt of the annual review electronically. Core Values: V.O.I.C.E. V - Vulnerability and Integrity. We lead with truth and act with authenticity. We choose deeds over words and transparency over pretense. We hold ourselves and each other accountable by following through on our commitments. Trust is built through kind, honest, ethical, and clear communication. We know our strengths and share them with intention. O - Openness and Connection. We foster belonging and celebrate one another. We promote an environment where everyone feels safe, included, and heard. We value diverse perspectives, invite honest feedback, and lead with a welcoming spirit. We celebrate our wins--big and small--and lift each other up through support, presence, and shared pride in our work. I - Innovation and Growth. We cultivate curiosity and embrace change. We embrace lifelong learning and welcome questions, feedback, and growth. We keep an open mind and heart, recognizing there is always more to learn and new perspectives to consider. No idea is too small and no voice is too quiet. We lean into the unknown, explore bold ideas together, and support one another across roles because shared growth moves us all forward. C - Compassion and Hope. We lead with heart and serve with purpose. We show up with dedication, warmth, empathy, and humility. We listen with care and assume the best in others. We stay present and grounded, even when things are difficult, because we believe in the future we're building for every child, family, person, and community we serve. E - Experience and Insight. We believe in the power of lived and learned experiences. We rise by lifting others. We are driven by a deep passion for service and guided by the voices of those we serve. Our purpose is to help others flourish and build resilience and a better future. Grounded in joy, lifted by humor, and guided by vision, we stay focused on what matters to create lasting, meaningful change. Promotion & Advancement: To be considered for promotion to a higher position, the employee must have met the personal and professional development requirements established by the company and must have demonstrated strong on-the-job performance. Please see your supervisor or manager for additional details. Job Accommodations: If you need to request reasonable accommodations to perform the essential functions of this job, please contact Human Resources at hr@tnvoices.org. All employees are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct, comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and organizational policies (including HIPAA and confidentiality requirements), promptly report compliance concerns, and actively participate in required compliance and ethics training to support a culture of accountability and quality care.