Residential Program Specialist

Job Title

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage a Caseload of Diverse Individuals
• Provide each individual with the opportunity to live his/her own Everyday Life
• Coordinate schedule for residential sites and assist with day program schedules
• Develop a rapport with individuals' families and county representatives to facilitate communication in all aspects of individuals' lives
• Schedule and attend team meetings as necessary to provide input on an individual's progress
• Assist in updating the Individual Support Plan to meet the individuals' needs
• Update annual assessments for the ISP and SIS assessments as necessary
• Advocate for individuals to maximize their independence in multiple capacities of their lives
• Provide direct service as needed to ensure quality of program
• Search for and provide opportunities for individuals to advance their lives
• Coordinate with Behavior Specialist regarding individual behavior plan implementation
• Provide emotional support to individuals through difficult life situations
• Model and encourage a healthy lifestyle for individuals during program hours
• Assist in identifying individuals' strengths and how they can use them in the community
• Work closely with Crawford County Human Services on all proceedings
• Inform Support Coordinators of any changes for the individuals as they arise
• Summarize and document individual client progress as required
• Ensure that all files and client interactions remain confidential
• Assist in all emergencies and carry the on-call phone during assigned times

Supervise Direct Service Professionals and Residential Support Professionals

• Develop rapport with Direct Support Professionals and Residential Support Professionals
• Track and monitor attendance and performance and address disciplinary issues as needed
• Ensure individuals are happy with their services and conduct monthly Quality Assurance Monitoring
• Conduct monthly group home house meetings
• Teach required annual trainings and assist in maintaining training records
• Train new and existing Direct Support Professionals and Residential Support Professionals on the specific needs of each individual on your caseload and the home procedures
• Monitor Direct Support Professionals and Residential Support Professionals to assess their work performance and facilitate positive change by providing verbal and written corrections when behavior goes against agency policy
• Mentor Direct Support Professionals and Residential Support Professionals having difficulties
• Complete critical, strength-based employee evaluations to assess DSP and RSP performance
• Coordinate schedules and fill shifts as necessary and as directed by Program Manager
• Maintain all individual files and house files to meet Chapter 6400 Regulations and requirements
• Conduct self-assessment of all community homes and files at least once per year as required by licensing
• Ensure staff are meeting all training requirements
• Monitor monthly program-specific paperwork coming from the community homes

Office Duties

• Update ISPs, assessments, HRSTs, and individuals' records as changes are made
• Organize and store individuals' files securely
• Collect and assess monthly progress reports from DSPs and RSPs to ensure outcomes are met
• Approve mileage and business expenses of Residential and Direct Support Professionals
• Approve employees' timesheets on an ongoing basis
• Approve Residential Support Professionals' timesheets biweekly
• Schedule and attend office, program specialist, house, and direct care staff meetings for agency updates and to provide input on changes going on in the agency
• Report incidents to HCSIS in a timely manner and follow-up when appropriate
• Track utilization and client attendance
• Maintain client files for regulations and Provider Monitoring
• All other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

• A Master's Degree or above from an accredited college or university and one (1) year work experience working directly with persons with intellectual disabilities.
• A Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university and two (2) years work experience working directly with persons with intellectual disabilities.
• An Associate's Degree or sixty (60) credit hours from an accredited college or university and four (4) years work experience working directly with persons with intellectual disabilities.

REASONING ABILITY:

Ability to apply understanding and problem-solving skills to carry out detailed written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems in a constantly changing environment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand and walk for long periods of time.

JOB-RELATED EXPECTATIONS:

• Proficient with MS Office including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access
• Excellent organizational skills
• Flexible schedule
• Ability to communicate (verbally and written) professionally with individuals at all levels of the organization and external contacts
• Problem-solver
• Self-motivated
• Dependable
• Manage time efficiently
• Self-starter
• Ability to multi-task
• Regular attendance required
• Ability to maintain the integrity of highly confidential information
• Occasional driving expected

Qualifications

Education

Required: Associates or better.

Equal Opportunity Employer This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.