Family Assistance Specialist

Salary : $60,000.00 Annually

Location : Austin, TX

Job Type : Full Time

Job Number : 25-10331

Department : Medical Examiner

Opening Date : 10 / 29 / 2025

Closing Date : Continuous

Job Summary

Under general supervision serves as the main point of contact for family members interacting with the Travis County Medical Examiner's office (TCME). Provides information on TCME's processes in an empathetic, supportive manner to the grieving person(s) and offers community resources as appropriate. Serves as a liaison conferring with staff on case status and delivering proactive communication to family members. Releases cause and manner of death information to family members. Coordinates resources for grieving families. Provides support to staff dealing with death to promote mental health and emotional well-being.

Distinguishing Characteristics

This is a job classification within the Social Services job family. This classification is responsible for providing counseling and support services to family members interacting with TCME. This classification typically does not function in a lead capacity. This classification may include response at death scenes. This classification may require a flexible work schedule in order to meet the needs of the department.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Serves as the primary point of contact between family members / representatives and TCME, providing timely and accurate case status information, including cause and manner of death, and explaining the case status process
• Confers with medical examiner staff about case status and delivers proactive communication to family members; informs medical examiner staff of any requests or inquiries made regarding their cases
• Identifies resources and makes referrals to appropriate community agencies, crisis intervention services, victim assistance, grief counseling services, or other resources, as appropriate
• Coordinates prioritization and follow-up services throughout case until completion
• Tracks feedback from family members and uses this information to recommend changes to internal processes
• Collaborates with TCME leadership to develop materials for family support and outreach, to include but not be limited to the TCME informational brochure and website
• Provides support to staff and develops programs to promote the mental health and wellbeing of staff
• Coordinates identification measures, notifies next of kin and contacts next of kin regarding disposition of decedent
• Works to increase collaboration between local governmental and not-for-profit victim assistance service providers, academic institutions and advocates, which may include making recommendations for policy and procedure revisions as deemed necessary to improve the integrated work environment
• Actively participates in the department's emergency preparedness and response team
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

Education and Experience :

Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Counseling, Family Studies, Psychology or another closely related behavioral or social science AND two (2) years social work experience in crisis / trauma situations, crisis intervention, and / or another closely related field which includes case management experience.

Preferred Experience :

Experience in a Medical Examiner or Coroner's Office, bilingual in English and Spanish, and certification in grief counseling

Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements :

Valid Texas Driver's License.

Knowledge of :

Skill in :

Ability to :

Work Environment & Other Information

Physical requirements include the ability to lift / carry up to 25 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to standing, sitting, walking, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, crouching, kneeling, pushing, pulling, reaching, twisting, balancing, repetitive motion, driving, client / customer contact, and squatting to perform the essential functions.

Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions.

Work Hours : 8 am - 5 pm, Monday-Friday. May work some holidays, some nights, some weekends

Location : 7723 Springdale Rd. Austin, TX 78724

Department : Medical Examiner

Criminal, Driving, Education, and Employment Background Checks Required.

This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.

Benefits

Employment at Travis County comes with a full array of benefits. We offer comprehensive health insurance, a no-cost, on-site Health and Wellness clinic, longevity pay, paid vacations, sick time and personal holidays, not to mention an industry competitive salary structure and a friendly, stable work environment.

FY2025 Travis County Benefit Guide

In this valuable you will find benefit summaries, eligibility requirements, costs, contact numbers and addresses as well as other general information on the benefits available to Travis County Employees and Retirees.

Credit Union

Employees may join the Travis County Credit Union which offers low-interest loans, savings plans through payroll deduction, safe deposit boxes and other benefits.

Deferred Compensation

Employees may enroll in a tax- free sheltered investment plan through payroll deduction.

Direct Deposit

Employees may sign up for direct bank deposit.

Employee Assistance Program

Travis County provides a confidential counseling and referral service free of charge to county employees and their family.

Employee Organizations

Membership in the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Union is available through payroll deduction.

Employee Health & Wellness Clinic

Employees may access the clinic for a variety of wellness program and health care services with no co-pay, no deductible and no co-insurance costs.

Holidays

An average of eleven paid holidays are designated by the Travis County Commissioners Court at the beginning of each fiscal year.

Insurance

Employees may select from four plans : an Exclusive Physician Organization (EPO), Choice Plus Preferred Physician Organization (PPO), Consumer Choice or a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a Health Savings Account (HSA). All four options include a Pharmacy Plan. Travis County's current policy is to pay 100% of the employee's health insurance premium for the Consumer Choice and HDHP. Employees will pay a premium for both the EPO and PPO. Other insurance benefits include $50,000 Basic Life and AD&D paid by the County.

The following benefits are employee paid :

New employees are covered on the first day of the month following 28 calendar days of employment.

Longevity

Longevity pay is paid for each year completed after three years of continuous service. Peace Officers in a law enforcement activity, whose job requires state peace officer certification, receive pay after one year of certification.

On the regular payday on or after the employee's fourth and subsequent adjusted service dates, he or she receives a single payment for the previous year.

Parking

A limited number of assigned parking spaces are available to employees in the Courthouse Complex.

Personal Holidays

Regular, full-time employees are eligible for up to three paid personal holidays each calendar year. Part-time employees shall be granted personal holidays on a prorated basis. New employees earn personal holidays for the calendar year in which he / she begins employment, based on the month in which employment begins :

January - March

3 personal holidays

April - June

2 personal holidays

July - September

1 personal holiday

October - December

None

New employees are eligible to take personal holidays after 90 days of employment.

Retirement

Travis County is a member of the Texas County & District Retirement System with mandatory participation by certain classes of employees. Seven percent (7%) of the gross salary is deducted each pay period. An employee is fully vested after eight years of service. Benefits are prorated for part-time employees.

Sick Leave

Regular employees earn sick leave at a rate of eight hours per month with unlimited accrual during employment. Part-time employees earn sick leave on a pro-rated basis.

Parental Leave

Each Full-time Paid Parental Leave Eligible (PPL) Employee is entitled to a total of 320 hours of Paid Parental Leave in a 12 month period. Paid Parental Leave for Part-time PPL Eligible Employees is prorated based on the number of hours that they are regularly scheduled to work.

Tuition Refund

Certain classes of full-time employees may receive reimbursement for fees associated with pre-approved, job related course work completed satisfactorily.

Vacation

Based on years of county service, regular, full-time employees earn vacation time at the following rates :

0 to 5 years

4.0 hours per pay period

6 to 10 years

4.5 hours per pay period

11 to 15 years

5.0 hours per pay period

16 to 20 years

5.5 hours per pay period

21 plus years

6.0 hours per pay period

Part-time employees earn vacation leave on a pro-rated basis.

Workers' Compensation

The county provides all employees workers' compensation coverage with benefits in accordance with state statute, if the employee sustains an injury out of, or in the course of work.

01

Which statement best reflects your experience providing support or services in crisis, trauma, or grief-related situations?

02

Which best describes your experience managing client cases or coordinating social service resources?

03

Which statement best describes your professional certifications or training related to grief, trauma, or crisis intervention?

04

Which best describes your experience working within a Medical Examiner's Office, Coroner's Office, or similar setting?

Required Question