Guardian

The Office of Public Guardian (OPG) is a non-profit corporation organized pursuant to New Hampshire law for the purpose of providing guardianship, protection and advocacy services to legally incapacitated and other vulnerable citizens.

While OPG itself is the legally designated guardian or agent of the individual ward or client, it is the guardian's responsibility to carry out the duties and obligations of this appointment. Each guardian will be designated as the primary guardian for a specific caseload, the size of which may vary depending upon the areas of expertise of the individual guardian, the demands of the caseload and the overall requirements of the office.

Responsibilities:

• Medical, residential and treatment decision-making and advocacy for incapacitated adults with mental illness, intellectual disability, traumatic brain injury or dementia in southern Hillsborough County and Grafton County.
• Carry out the duties outlined in the guardianship order including providing informed consent for medical, psychiatric and other clinical treatment; making decisions about living situation, education and other issues as needed.
• Understand the limits of the guardianship order and refrain from overstepping authority or infringing on rights unless necessary to protect the health and safety of the ward.
• Required to research, study, and seek available supervisory review as necessary and appropriate on ethical issues and problems regarding guardianships.
• Abide by the National Guardianship Association (NGA) Standards of Practice and Ethical Principles. After 1 year of Guardianship casework, the guardian is expected to pass the NGA exam for their National Certification.
• File annual reports to the court
• Advocate to ensure adequate services are provided, including filing appeals in conjunction with OPG Legal Department when necessary
• Maintain timely records and thorough documentation
• Participate in on-call and in-office team coverage rotation
• Travel frequently for meeting with clients and providers
• Open cases by gathering thorough social, residential, medical, vocational, psychiatric history and records, identify current needs, and set goals for future services
• Identify and review legal issues with supervisors to engage Legal Department, appear in court, provide testimony as needed.
• Regularly review for changes in capacity for potential modification or termination of guardianship
• Work closely with fiduciary department and treatment teams to ensure that financial needs are met.

Qualifications:

• Graduate degree (preferred) in social work, law, healthcare or human services,
• Minimum of 3 years case management or related experience; or a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 5 years related experience.
• In depth knowledge of New Hampshire’s developmental services and/or community mental health systems is a plus.
• Ability to work both autonomously and as part of a team
• Ability to multi-task while managing a large caseload with diverse needs.

OPG offers a collegial professional work environment with strong team support, and provides a competitive salary and benefits package including generous vacation and holiday leave, health and dental insurance, and 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution.

Please submit your cover letter & resume for consideration.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Ability to Commute:

• Concord, NH 03301 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Concord, NH 03301: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Concord, NH 03301