Care Coordinator

Job Summary: 

The Care Coordinator, working within the Customer Care Department to provide one-on-one assistance to calls, walk-in, and referral clients, helping to find solutions for presented needs, serving as a client advocate when appropriate, and assessing potential eligibility for additional services which may improve quality of life for the client. Such services would include, but not be limited to, research and presentation of manageable information (i.e., housing lists, medical equipment suppliers, etc.) utility assistance, caregiver relief, referral to appropriate community resources, prescription drug procurement, in-home support programs, legal service, respite, public benefits and home safety screenings.  Client assessment may be in office or in-home. Emphasis will be on HDM assessments including Medicaid and non-Medicaid for all areas assigned.

Essential Outcomes:

1) The Care Coordinator (CC) advances the mission / vision / values of SeniorAge across the agency’s service area and with its partners. The CC serves as an example of working together with others to better the lives of those who use our services and as a living illustration of SeniorAge’s ten values. This is an essential outcome of the effective CC.

2) The CC enhances and expands the mission and impact of SeniorAge by working together with individuals 60 to discover options that improve their lives. The CC must have the ability to convey compassion, the ability to help find real solutions, and the ability and perseverance to help seniors complete processes and applications for a variety of resources. The CC must master multiple sets of information, skills, software manipulation, programs, etc. This flexibility and ability to master multiple, complicated programs and excel in each as a provider of quantifiable service units is an essential outcome of the effective CC.

3) The CC serves as a member of a team of positive, energetic, skilled, highly functioning individuals to achieve the mission and vision of SeniorAge expressed in timely established goals and strategies for its fulfillment of base programs as well as secured grants as directed by the Director of Customer Care. Effectiveness and cohesion with this team and serving as an expert resource to the team is an essential outcome of the effective CC.

4)  The CC provides accurate and timely information and assistance to individuals who call or visit SeniorAge. The CC must be able to identify genuine needs and connect the service patron to the precise resource or collaborative partner who can assist with that need. The CC maintains multiple open bridges to a variety of other service agencies. Successful identification/resolution is an essential outcome of the effective CC.

5) The CC records in the reporting software all work performed, translating all work into appropriate units of service for billing/reimbursement. Timely, accurate reporting is an essential outcome of an effective CC.

Essential Functions:

1. Provide selected agency services to an identified caseload as well as new patrons with set appointments or with walk-in clients, referring clients to other services as appropriate.
2. Develop and maintain accurate client case records, plans and reports; compile data for statistical purposes.
3. Prepare and submit individual/group reports for the various programs in which the CC is involved.
4. Work with other agencies to coordinate and facilitate services to clients.
5. Prepare and attend in-services, staffing and other meetings as assigned.
6. Participate in agency and community planning and education as directed.
7. Participate in developing agency policies and procedures with regard to practices and program needs.
8. Serve as a resource to other SeniorAge employees and to partner agencies.

Competencies:

1. Problem Solving/Analysis.                                         
2. Ethical Conduct
3. Time Management.                                                 
4. Personal Effectiveness / Credibility
5. Communication Proficiency.                                      
6. Stress Management / Composure
7. Accuracy and Attention to Detail.                             
8. Flexibility
9. Excellent Customer Service and Results Driven.      
10. Team Work / Collaborative Skills

Examples of Duties:

1. Provides information & assistance regarding services for seniors and caregivers on a daily basis to those specific walk-in or telephone patrons who come in or call in for Information & Assistance.
2. Knowledge of Medicare, MO HealthNet, and various information resources and services.
3. Critical thinking with the ability to understand what a person needs and determine which appointment schedule to place them on, or the appropriate person/organization for referral.
4. Strong communication skills with the ability to multi-task while remaining sensitive to the needs of customers and staff. Good listening skills.
5. Follow up on client referrals from the Director of Customer Care Services, Customer Care Program Manager, other Care Coordinators, and other agencies, always maintaining appropriate client confidentiality and respectful client interaction. Process program referrals including all HDM and Medicaid HDM for all areas assigned.
6. Take incoming telephone calls from clients; work with walk-in clients who need assistance; provide in-home assessments as needed. 
7. Work with identified or referred seniors through screening and assessment tools and procedures, and through the coordination of information and resources, to determine avenues of assistance for presented challenges, as well as additional public benefits the client may be eligible to receive.
8. Assist clients with making formal applications for any appropriate service(s).
9. Maintain ongoing education in all areas of information, staying alert to department service updates, and seeking out information sources that will benefit the department.
10. Make referrals as needed, complete required correspondence, record all clients in AGINGIS system and conduct follow-up.
11. Coordinate with other community and service agencies as necessary to provide needed services outside the scope of the Older American Act programs.
12. Help the client negotiate thru information highways by reading and interpreting mail, insurance bills, Medicare and Medicaid information.  Make calls for clients to determine what’s going on with a bill or other information and advocate on their behalf.
13. Perform other relevant tasks and fulfills other responsibilities as assigned.

Job Qualifications:

Technical:

Bachelor degree in social work, gerontology or related field, or five years’ work experience in a like field with increasing responsibility

1. Have good communication skills, both oral and written.
2. Have a good working knowledge of resources available for senior services.
3. The ability to work cooperatively with other organizations and staff.
4. The ability to maintain confidentiality of information viewed and accessed.
5. The ability to interact with seniors respectfully.

Physical and Other:

1. Reliable and predictable attendance is expected and needed for this position.

2. Adequate transportation and personal communication devices that support safety and task fulfillment matching the responsibilities of this position are the responsibility of the person holding this position.

The statements contained in this job description reflect general details as necessary to describe the principal functions of this job, the level of knowledge and skill typically required and the scope of responsibility.  It should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements.  Individuals may perform other duties as assigned, including work in other functional areas to cover absences of relief, to equalize peak work periods or otherwise to balance the workload.