Habilitation Specialist 1

Job Title

Instructs and supports individuals in developing and/or enhancing life skills necessary to live more independently in home and community settings; and develops, implements, and modifies habilitation plans to help individuals achieve their valued outcomes.

Collaborates with individuals, family members, advocates, care managers, and service providers to determine strategies for service delivery (e.g., skill acquisition/retention, staff supports, and/or exploration of new experiences); and attends Life Plan meetings to assess the effectiveness of habilitation plans and services and establish objectives.

Assesses individuals' skill levels in relation to their valued outcomes and identifies appropriate methods to teach and assist individuals in acquiring, improving, and maintaining life skills.

Communicates with treatment team members and gathers information to plan and/or modify services to meet individuals' needs.

Implements appropriate safeguards and protective oversight measures to ensure the health and welfare of individuals while participating in programs and services.

Monitors, records, and measures individuals' progress in reaching their goals, including accomplishments and challenges; and modifies habilitation plans to ensure continual progress, prevent regression, and meet individuals' needs.

Schedules, transports, and assists individuals in participating in community.

Under the supervision of the Treatment Team Leader and the Day Program Supervisor, the incumbent will independently perform the following duties:

• On a daily basis, implement and execute Provider Assigned Habilitative Goals that were identified in the Life Plan
• Attend all annual and semi-annual Life-Plan meetings for approximately 15-25 individuals in the Day Hab
• Review all Life Plans for completeness and accuracy as detailed in the Life Plan meeting. Any discrepancies, weekly due diligence must be adhered to and seek assistance from the Life Plan Gate Keeper when needed.
• Develop Day Habilitation Plans/ Staff Action Plans for each individual based upon valued outcomes identified in the Life Plan. Ensure Gate Keeping form and Staff Action Plan Checklist are completed.
• Submit all Staff Action Plans to TTL for approval then to the Care Manager within 60 days of the Life Plan Meeting Date
• Review Staff Action Plans at least twice annually in conjunction with the Life Plan and revised as frequently as necessary based upon the Individual's needs.
• Will ensure all Day Hab. Plans Staff Action plans, Service Checklists are completed in the required time frame.
• Ensure Monthly Service Checklists are available at the beginning of each month
• Upload accurate documents into EHR and appropriately secure and file hard copies of required documentation.
• Write monthly summary notes detailing all services, support and individual's response to services.
• Provide training to DSA Day Hab staff on all Day Hab. Staff Action Plans
• Will attend and participate in all mandatory in-servicing and staff meetings.
• Will be up to date on all mandatory training.
• Trains and monitors direct care staff in implementation of day program goals: and may provide a full range of supervisory duties over direct care staff.
• Reviews and maintains data sheets and required documentation in accordance with ICF regulations
• Will ensure all data collection sheets are available at the beginning of the month
• Update goal plans as needed
• Prepare and implement structured program plans.
• Prepare and implement recreational calendars
• Complete quarterly assessments
• Participate in daily rounds.

The New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) Comprehensive Adult Transitional Home (CATH) program model provides intensive residential and day habilitation services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) discharging from campus-based and institutionalized settings.

The CATH is designed to provide acute, time-limited treatment to help the individual meet the behavioral and/or psychiatric stabilization needed for placement in community-based setting, which includes fading of the intensive supports and restrictive elements employed in the previous setting.

The CATH day program provides therapeutic services with a focus on individual goals and planning, activities of daily living (ADL) skills and abilities, creativity-based activities, mindfulness work, behavioral activation stabilization, healthy relationships, and in-depth therapeutic activities.

Minimum Qualifications:

Competitive:

Candidates must be reachable for appointment on the current Civil Service Eligible List for this title.

Open Competitive Qualifications:

A Bachelor's or higher-level degree in a human services field*

*For the purpose of these qualifications, a degree in a human service field includes the professional disciplines of audiology, community mental health, nursing, nutrition, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychology, rehabilitation counseling, vocational counseling, social work, speech/language pathology and therapeutic recreation (including concentrations in art, creative art, dance, drama, music, or physical education.) Also included are related academic disciplines associated with the study of human behavior (e.g., gerontology, human services, sociology, speech communication); or human skills development (e.g., counseling/guidance, education, human development.) Examples of non-qualifying degrees include but are not limited to: criminal justice, political science, liberal arts, and business.

Transfer:

Candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or 55-b/c status in the posted title and be eligible for lateral transfer; OR be eligible to transfer via Section 70.1, 70.4, or 52.6 of Civil Service Law. The transfer cannot be a second consecutive transfer resulting in an advancement of more than two salary grades.

To determine if your current Civil Service title is eligible for transfer to this title, visit the Career Mobility GOT-IT website:

Additional Comments:

This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS). HELPS Program titles may be filled via a non-competitive appointment. This means that you do not need to take an exam to qualify, but you do need to meet the minimum qualifications of the title.

At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), employees hired under NY HELPS are expected to have their permanent non-competitive employment status converted to permanent competitive status. You will not have to take an exam to gain permanent competitive status.

Preference will be given to OPWDD employees impacted by closures. If you are being impacted by closure, please indicate this on your resume.

All OPWDD employees must be eligible and maintain eligibility for full and unconditional participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Continued employment will depend on maintaining eligibility.

If you are employed by state government you may be able to receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on Direct Loans after 120 qualifying monthly payments have been made under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. For more information on PSLF, please visit

Employees on long term leave can bid on positions but must be able to report to work within fourteen (14) days and be able to perform the essential functions of their positions with or without reasonable accommodation (RA).

If an employee or job applicant believes that they need a reasonable accommodation, they should contact the Reasonable Accommodation Unit at View phone number on click.appcast.io or email View email address on click.appcast.io to obtain information and RA forms.

OPWDD is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer dedicated to creating and sustaining a culture of inclusion. We believe that we are most effective in managing and improving our service system with a diverse team of employees. With such a large workforce, we rely on the collective individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, self-expression, ideas and talent that our employees bring to their work. This speaks to our culture and is a key part of our successes. As we continuously recruit people for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that applicants bring in terms of their education, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran's status, color, religion, disability, sexual orientation and beliefs.

***All people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.***