Community Habilitation Advocate - Flexible Schedule

Location: Wallkill, NY
Pay Rate: $18.30-$19.50 per hour based on assigned cases
Hours: Flexible Schedules

OVERVIEW OF PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Community Habilitation Worker (CHW) will provide skill-building training, mentoring, and support to individuals with Developmental Disabilities to help them achieve personal outcomes, develop greater independence, and experience personal growth.

Support takes place in the community and/or in the individual’s home depending on the needs of the individual. The Community Habilitation Worker will work directly with assigned individuals several times per week based on coordinated service hours and will travel to location.

The Community Habilitation Worker will receive supervision from the Community Habilitation Supervisor and will be responsible for providing services in accordance with the individual’s plan, protecting individual rights, and accurately documenting services and progress.

PRIMARY FUNCTIONS:

• Provide mentoring and teaching services to individuals with developmental disabilities to help them achieve personal outcomes and growth.
• Teach daily living skills such as money handling, socialization, cooking, job search, and other skills identified in the individual’s plan.
• Work on the individual’s valued outcomes and identify steps to achieve those outcomes based on caregiver and community supports, behaviors observed, and the individual’s strengths and needs.
• Meet with assigned individuals several times per week depending on coordinated service hours.
• Provide supports in the individual’s home and/or community based on the needs of the individual.
• Assist individuals in accessing and participating in community activities and developing skills that promote independence.
• Document each training session in the appropriate databases.
• Report progress, barriers, and other relevant information regarding each individual served.
• Ensure that services and supports are provided in accordance with the individual’s plan and applicable requirements.
• Attend required trainings. – Complete all mandatory assigned trainings and document services contemporaneously.
• Know and protect the rights of individuals receiving services.
• Perform lifting and/or assist with hygiene functions for selected individuals, when required based on the individual’s needs and assigned responsibilities.
• Travel to assigned locations to provide Community Habilitation services.

ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONAL / ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT:

• Work collaboratively with the Community Habilitation Supervisor, caregivers, community supports, individuals, and other members of the individual’s support team.
• Communicate effectively regarding individual progress, needs, barriers, and changes in circumstances.
• Support individuals in developing and maintaining relationships and connections within their communities.
• Promote independence, self-determination, dignity, choice, and respect for individual rights.
• Maintain confidentiality and protect the privacy of individuals served.
• Participate in supervision and staff meetings as required.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of all services provided.
• Follow organizational policies, procedures, training requirements, and applicable regulations.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS AND ATTRIBUTES:

• Prior experience working with related populations, including individuals with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorders, preferred.
• Strong interpersonal and engagement skills.
• Ability to develop positive, supportive relationships with individuals with developmental disabilities.
• Ability to teach and reinforce daily living, social, vocational, and community-based skills.
• Ability to understand and follow an individual’s service plan and implement identified goals and supports.
• Ability to recognize and respond appropriately to individual strengths, needs, behaviors, and barriers.
• Ability to document services accurately and understand applicable regulations and requirements.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Caring, respectful, patient, and person-centered approach to supporting individuals.
• Commitment to protecting and advocating for the rights of individuals receiving services.
• Ability to work independently in community and home-based settings while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
• Must have a valid driver's license and a reliable vehicle available for work-related transportation.
• Must be willing and able to transport individuals in the employee’s personal vehicle as part of providing community-based services.
• Must maintain required automobile insurance and provide documentation as required by the organization.
• Bilingual English/Spanish speaking is a plus.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Prior experience working with individuals with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorders, or related populations preferred.
• Experience providing direct support, mentoring, skill-building, or community-based services preferred.
• High School Diploma or GED preferred/required based on program requirements.
• Valid driver's license and reliable personal vehicle required.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to perform the job's essential functions successfully. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions of the position, which are reviewed in each case.

• Must be capable of traveling throughout the community and accessing a variety of community-based locations, including individual homes, businesses, recreational facilities, public spaces, and other locations necessary to provide services.
• Must be capable of accessing all areas of an individual’s home, including homes with stairs or multiple levels, as required to provide services and supports.
• Must be capable of entering and exiting a personal vehicle and safely transporting individuals in accordance with organizational requirements.
• Must be capable of driving an assigned individual to community locations as required to support the individual’s goals and service plan.
• Must be capable of moving throughout the workday and navigating a variety of indoor and outdoor community environments.
• Able to work in a variety of settings, including private homes, community locations, businesses, recreational areas, and agency locations.
• Must be able to assist individuals with activities of daily living, including lifting and/or hygiene-related functions, when required based on the individual’s needs and assigned responsibilities.
• Must be able to stand, walk, sit, bend, reach, and perform other movements necessary to carry out essential job functions.
• Occasional lifting of >25+ pounds.