Veteran Directed Care (VDC) Options Counselor

Position Summary

The Options Counselor works with Veterans authorized to receive services through the Veteran-Directed Care (VDC) program. The Counselor supports the Veterans in identifying their needs, developing a care plan, and managing their home and community-based services and budgets to hire and oversee their own in-home care providers, so that they may continue to live independently in the community.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Conduct person-centered assessments with Veterans in their residences.


• Work with veterans to assess and identify necessary support and services.


• Support Veterans in creating and managing their monthly spending plan.


• Provide ongoing advisement and support to Veterans, their families, and caregivers.


• Complete monthly and quarterly visits with Veterans.


• Document services and supports provided to Veterans.


• Submit reports to the Phoenix Veteran’s Center VDC Coordinator.


• Track Veterans’ monthly expenses to ensure they stay within the monthly budget.


• Review and approve the Veteran’s caregiver time sheets.


• Review and approve the Veteran’s reimbursement request for services.


• Collaborate with agency staff to provide additional services to Veterans, their families, and caregivers.


• Develop working knowledge of various benefits systems, such as Veterans Affairs, Medicare, Medicaid, Division of Health and Senior Services, Social Security, and others. Assist consumers in navigating these systems and advocating for services to meet their needs. 

Required Skills/Qualifications

• Verbal and written communication skills: Must speak clearly and professionally in positive or negative situations. Must write clearly and informatively and be able to read and understand written information.


• Math Ability: Must have the ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. 


• Reasoning Ability: Ability to apply sound judgment and understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. 


• Computer Skills: Proficient in Outlook, Excel, and Word.


• Customer Service: Manage difficult or emotional consumer situations; respond promptly to consumer needs; respond to requests for service and assistance. 


• Interpersonal: Maintains confidentiality of all sensitive information. Establishes sufficient rapport with consumers to assist them in addressing issues and providing all the necessary documentation. 


• Valid driver’s license & insurance.


• Clean criminal background.

Education and Experience 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services, Social Services, or a related field and one year of full-time relevant experience to include case management experience. 

Working Conditions: Position requires travel within Maricopa and Pinal Counties. 

Salary

A competitive salary commensurate with experience with a complete benefit package including health, dental, vision, 403(b) retirement plan with employer match.

Ability360's Affirmative Action Policy

Ability360 abides by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-1.4(a), 60-300.5(a) and 60-741.5(a). These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, disability, or national origin. Moreover, these regulations require that Ability360 take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability.

Further, Ability360 will not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of any protected status under federal and Arizona law, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, the Age Discrimination and Employment Act, State Executive Order No. 75-5, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

When applying for a job and being considered for employment, applicants are given a form prescribed by the US Department of Labor Office for Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) asking him or her to voluntarily disclose whether he or she has a disability. Applicants may complete this form understanding that the information on it is kept separate from their application materials or any subsequent personnel file. The information is for statistical purposes only as required by Federal law. An applicant who completes the form is not guaranteed a job or any special preference for a job.

 Reasonable Accommodation

Any employee, whether full or part-time, who requests a workplace modification or an alteration in policies, practices or procedures for purposes of providing an accommodation based on disability and performing the essential functions of the job is accommodated pursuant to Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

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