Director, Community Services

Description

Birch Family Services is a leading provider of education, employment, and community support services for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities and their families in New York City. Every year, the organization supports more than 2,000 people across multiple locations in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. From preschool to graduation, employment, housing, and beyond, Birch Family Services provides fully integrated programs and services to support individuals in achieving their goals across their lifetime.

Position Objective:

The Director, Community Services (CS) is responsible for assessing, monitoring, and directing community services programs to ensure quality and compliance with all regulatory and funding sources. The Director, CS will provide administrative oversight, supervision, and support to CS programs.

The Director, CS will have daily communication and interpersonal contact with a variety of stakeholders requiring effective interpersonal skills, including written and oral communication, listening, presentation, coaching, and mentoring. In addition, the person in this role will manage multiple deadlines and projects as needed and/or assigned. These responsibilities are completed under the leadership of the AVP, CS. The Director, CS will be responsible for CS operations in the absence of the AVP, CS.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Identifies, manages, coordinates, and improves services to meet the needs of the individuals supported within their residential, educational/vocational and community environments.
• Communicates important information to stakeholders including but not limited to: persons receiving services, parents/families; healthcare and other service providers as well as to agency, residential and educational/vocational staff etc.
• Monitors service delivery by agency staff, clinicians, consultants, and community-based vendors, ensuring services are person-centered, provided and documented in accordance with each person’s plan of service (e.g., CFA, Life Plan, Staff Action Plans, Plans of Protective Oversight, etc.). This includes conducting regular reviews of CS programs, making announced and unannounced visits, providing feedback and/or training as appropriate.
• Works with managers/coordinators in developing and monitoring staffing plans, work schedules and use of temporary staff, to ensure sufficiently qualified/trained are assigned to meet the safety and supervision needs of people supported.
• Collaborates with Human Resources (HR) on recruitment activities, assists with job fairs, site visits, and interviews. In addition, works with HR as needed regarding conflict resolution, grievance and other matters ensuring adherence to agency policies.
• Interviews, hires, trains, coaches, mentors, directly supervises, and completes performance evaluations for assigned staff.
• Collaborates with AVP, CS and other agency departments to assess, monitor and track staff and management development needs to ensure that all such needs are adequately and routinely addressed through training and professional development, using internal and external agency resources.
• Conducts, facilitates and participates in meetings including but not limited to: supervisory sessions, Coordinator, Manager, and IDT meetings, as well as regular meetings among school and residential personnel including families when appropriate.
• Assists the AVP, CS in planning, development, and pre-operational activities, as assigned, ensuring completion in accordance with regulatory, and program standards as well as individual and family need.
• Supports managers in the referral, admission, transfer, and discharge processes for all assigned services to maintain full capacity, ensure appropriate placements and completion of all required notifications and documentation.
• Regularly conducts site visits to review systems for service delivery, documentation, billing, petty cash, and management of personal needs allowance, to ensure consistency, proper implementation, and compliance with applicable federal, state and/or city regulations, mandates, and agency protocols.
• Participates in and reviews fire drill reports and emergency preparedness plans to ensure the health and safety of persons supported and staff as well as compliance with regulations and agency policies and procedures.
• Conducts regular site visits ensuring that the facilities are clean, well maintained, and free of hazardous conditions and that maintenance issues are identified, reported, and addressed in a timely manner. In addition, reviews each facility to ensure there is an adequate stock of food, household, medical and emergency supplies, and medication needed for the appropriate care of individuals supported.
• Develops, reviews and monitors various tracking systems related to persons supported (e.g., service plan reviews, etc.) and staff (e.g., certifications, training, vehicle usage, performance evaluations, etc.) to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and agency policies.
• Assists AVP, CS in developing plans to implement and train staff on new and/or revised policies, procedures, protocols, and/or forms. Monitors the implementation process to ensure continuity and consistency across all applicable programs.
• Works with managers/clinicians to ensure all staff complete required trainings including but not limited to initial orientation (agency and site specific), certification trainings, annual required training as well as on-going training needed to ensure the health and safety of persons supported and compliance with all applicable regulations.
• Participates in Audits, proposes solutions for areas of concern, and collaborates with administrators and management to develop POCAs as needed. Works with managers/coordinators to ensure timely follow-up of recommendations and/or corrective actions and where appropriate implements changes across the CS division.
• Participates in the incident reporting process ensuring incidents are reported, documented, investigated, and reviewed in accordance with regulations and agency policy. Ensures protective and preventive measures are implemented in a timely manner. Participates as a contributing member in agency committees (e.g., Incident Review, Human Rights, Risk Management and Safety), survey teams, and in the agency’s quality improvement process, including participation on other appropriate internal and external committees.
• Upholds regulatory and compliance requirements and adheres to all agency policies, procedures, and protocols.
• Completes other tasks and duties as assigned.
  
  

Qualifications

Job Requirements:

Education:

Bachelor’s Degree in a Human Service field with extensive clinical and/or managerial experience working with people (children, adolescents, adults) with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) including those on the Autism Spectrum is required.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years providing clinical services and/or working with people with IDD in residential, day, educational and/or vocational placements, 2 years of which must be in an administrative or supervisory capacity.
• Demonstrates a working knowledge and understanding of OPWDD, federal, state and city regulations governing services for persons with IDD.
• Valid Driver’s License is preferred. The ability to travel to various locations throughout the NYC region is required.
  
  

Skills:

• Excellent management, communication, and organizational skills with the ability to handle multiple projects concurrently.
• Demonstrates professionalism, represents the agency in a positive manner and develops strong working relationships with both internal and external stakeholders. Demonstrates professional demeanor, attention to punctuality and attendance policies, reliability, flexibility, and pleasantness.
• Demonstrated competency in written, verbal and computational skills to present and document records in accordance with program standards and promote continuous quality improvement.
• Excellent critical thinking, and problem-solving skills to identify and implement strategies to improve services.
• Ability and willingness to obtain various certification(s) and/or to learn a variety of strategies to support persons receiving CS services (e.g., First Aid, CPR, SCIP-R, and Personal Outcome Measures (POMS), TEACCH, ABA, etc.).
• Proficient in the use of computerized systems such as Microsoft Office applications, PrecisionCare, virtual platforms (e.g., Teams or Zoom etc.), to track compliance and develop reports as requested.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule and provide coverage, as necessary.
  
  

Physical Requirements:

• Generally, minimal physical exertion is required. Occasional lifting of heavy boxes and presentation materials may occur.
  
  

EEO Statement

Birch Family Services provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Birch Family Services complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.Birch Family Services expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Birch Family Services' employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.