Job Information

LOCATION OF (1) POSITION TO BE FILLED: DEPARTMENT OF INTELLECTUAL & DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, TN EARLY INTERVENTION SYSTEM DIVISION, WEAKLEY COUNTY

Qualifications

Education and Experience: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree.

Necessary Special Qualifications: Applicants for this class must:

• Possess a valid driver's license if driving is an essential function of the position;
• Complete a criminal history disclosure form in a manner approved by the appointing authority;
• Agree to release all records involving their criminal history to the appointing authority;
• Supply a fingerprint sample prescribed by the TBI based criminal history records check;
• Submit to a review of their status on the Department of Health's vulnerable persons registry.

Examination Method: Education and Experience, 100%, for Preferred Service positions.

Summary

Responsibilities

Getting Information:

• Learns to investigate and/or report abuse, neglect, or exploitation of adults and/or children who are mentally or physically impaired, or incapable of self-care due to disability or age to determine if there is a need for protective services.
• Learns to conduct pre-assessment/developmental screening to determine needs, strengths, and/or level of risk for client.
• Learns to ask client, family members, neighbors, alleged perpetrators, or other involved parties questions that relate to the allegations in order to gather case information and determine causes of current situation as appropriate for specific agency functions.
• Learns to ask clients/caregivers open-ended questions about client's health, living arrangements, financial stability, family involvement, needs, strengths and other risk factors.
• Learns to interview individual making initial referral and/or interviewing family with concerns regarding their child.
• Learns to request relevant documentation such as educational, medical, psychiatric, criminal, and financial records, as needed, to assess needs and risks of clients.

Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings:

• Learns to identify potential risk factors such as unsanitary living conditions, lack of utilities, any form of abuse, neglect, exploitation or self-neglect in the client's home environment, as appropriate, for specific agency functions.
• Learns to conduct regular home visits/targeted case management to monitor progress of the service plan/client status.
• Learns to identify each form of maltreatment or needs of the client alleged in the referral as appropriate for specific agency functions.
• Learns to identify developmental risk factors that would inhibit a child from future educational growth, as appropriate, for specific agency functions.
• Learns to review relevant documentation such as educational, medical, psychiatric, criminal, and financial records, as needed, to assess needs and risks of clients.

Communicating with Persons Outside the Organization:

• Learns to refer and/or coordinate services for clients which may reduce client risk, increase autonomy and/or demonstrate educational progress.
• Learns to respond to clients, collaterals, stakeholders, or caregivers according to department policy.
• Learns to respond to professional or public casework inquiries through telephone calls, e-mails, letters, and face-to-face visits.
• Learns to testify or provide necessary documents in legal proceedings.
• Learns to give presentations for public awareness and/or child find activities, as appropriate, for agency functions.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards:

• Learns to evaluate case information according to agency guidelines.
• Learns to ensure client confidentiality is maintained according to agency policy.
• Learns to determine the validity of referral based on analysis of all collected information, as appropriate, for specific agency function.
• Learns to complete entrance and exit assessment according to agency standards.
• Learns to compare information from referral source with agency guidelines to determine if other agencies should be contacted or if the referral meets criteria for further assessment.

Documenting/Recording Information:

• Learns to record in client files and computer databases the services implemented, observations made during home visits, changes that occurred related to progress noted or reduced risk, and the level of function/protection achieved for each client.
• Learns to record information regarding client-oriented contacts including the date, method, purpose and outcome of the contact, and the level of client progress in meeting the goals or objectives in the service plan.
• Learns to maintain a copy of all relevant records and service plans for clients.

Analyzing Data or Information:

• Learns to analyze and review all information gathered about the client situation to prioritize risk and implement appropriate plan per agency standards.
• Learns to collect and analyze data from standardized evaluation tools to determine if client meets agency eligibility guidelines.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others:

• Learns to implement a service plan that identifies goals for addressing needs or concerns of the clients.
• Learns to coordinate delivery of services for individual needs of clients.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems:

• Learns to prioritize needs or concerns of the client/ family (i.e. electricity, food, medical, educational, etc.).
• Learns to coordinate and conduct meetings with appropriate personnel to develop a safety and/or transition plan for clients as appropriate for agency standards.

Developing Objectives and Strategies:

• Learns to develop a service plan to address the needs of the clients who are victims of abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or exploitation and/or children with special needs.

Scheduling Work and Activities:

• Learns to schedule all necessary activities within agency timelines to meet policy objectives.

Developing and Building Teams:

• Learns to brainstorm solutions for concerns and/or priorities as related to the client by participating as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.

Provide Consultation and Advice to Others:

• Learns to discuss situations with the client, family members, caregivers, collaterals and/or stakeholders to decide what resources or actions are needed to reduce risk, facilitate change and/or demonstrate educational progress.

Controlling Machines and Processes:

• Learns to use appropriate audio-visual equipment, as needed, to assess and/or implement client services.

Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment:

• Drives vehicle to conduct agency business.

Training and Teaching Others:

• Learns to educate government departments, local regional agencies, law enforcement, nursing home staff, and the general public about agency programs.

Competencies

Tools & Equipment

• Vehicle
• Personal Computer
• Fax Machine
• Copier/Scanner
• Phone
• Camera