(Hybrid) Family Based Care Specialist (Eastern Panhandle) Center for Excellence in Disabilities

The Center for Excellence in Disabilities at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a (Hybrid) Family Based Care Specialist in the Eastern Panhandle.

About the Opportunity

The Family Based Care Specialist is responsible for the quality assurance of up to 30 Specialized Family Care (SFC) provider homes throughout a particular region. The incumbent provides quality assessment support for regulatory, contract, policy and/or program activities and matters based on applicable laws, policies, and standards. Complies with existing state laws, regulations and guidelines for Medley Case Management and Specialized Family Care homes. This position will be primarily based in the Eastern Panhandle and will require frequent travel within the surrounding area.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:
* 37.5-hour work week
* 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
* 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year (employee leave)
* 18 sick days per year (for when you're ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family's, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
* WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
* 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ's.
* Wellness programs

What You'll Do

• Responsible for the quality assurance of up to 30 Specialized Family Care (SFC) provider homes throughout a particular region. Error in judgment could cause displacement of persons with disabilities, non-payment of funds for services to providers and litigation.
• Provides quality assessment support for regulatory, contract, policy and/or program activities and matters based on applicable laws, policies, and standards. Complies with existing state laws, regulations and guidelines for Medley Case
  Management and Specialized Family Care homes.
  • Assesses and evaluates foster care providers and their homes for placement of adults and children with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) for both long term and respite (part-time or occasional) care.
  • Conducts monthly home visits in the homes of providers, visiting with both the providers and persons in placement, and reviewing and inspecting the homes in an effort to assure the health, safety, and security of the home environment of the person placed in the home.
  • Assures that SFC home providers successfully complete all annual training requirements in order to maintain their certification to care for individuals with I/DD.
  • Assures that certification information and back-up documentation is received, reviewed, and approved on an annual basis and in a timely, complete, and accurate fashion.
  • Makes final recommendations to the Program Manager as to the status of the provider home (i.e. continued approval, placement on improvement plan, closure).
• Serves as a resource to SFC home providers, other Family Based Care Specialists, and various representatives in state and local agencies and consumers on a daily basis.
  • Maintains regular contact with providers through home visits, emails, letters, and phone calls to offer support to the SFC home provider and provide continued assessment of the functioning of the home and needs of the provider or person in placement.
  • Interfaces regularly with employees and supervisors of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (WVDHHR), as many of the persons placed in SFC provider homes are also clients of this agency. Case consultation and referrals are also a regular part of the work completed with WVDHHR.
  • Interfaces regularly with service coordinators and therapeutic consultants of local behavioral health centers, as the persons placed in SFC provider homes are also clients of these agencies.
  • Advises outside organizations on area of expertise, which may include funding, guardianship, general policy, I/DD Waiver, Medicaid Personal Care, and other resource referral issues.
  • Plans and/or participates in regional and statewide meetings on a variety of programmatic issues impacting the Specialized Family Care Program and/or persons with disabilities.
  • Trains new Family Based Care Specialists and associated Medley Team members and may provide input into the development and modification of agency policies and procedures impacting Specialized Family Care.
• Manages quality assessment documents and databases.
  • Maintains comprehensive and detailed records for all activities, events and initiatives impacting each individual placement including on-going contact and monitoring of the Specialized Family Care Home through monthly visits, quarterly reports and annual home recertification.
  • Completes entries into a statewide computerized database.
  • Makes regular reports of data and outcomes to the Center for Excellence in Disabilities in order to have detailed program information included in both federal and state activity reports.
  • Provides up-to-date data and information as requested for programmatic audits and inquiries.
• Participates as a member of an interdisciplinary team collaborating with state and local agencies as it relates to the housing of individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.
  • Attends Individual Education Plan meetings for children in placement, Individual Program Plan meetings for adults in placement, and Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings for persons in placement who are also connected to the WVDHHR.
  • Provides SFC home providers with support and advocacy in relation to the interdisciplinary team.
  • Ensures the focus and attention of the interdisciplinary team to the critical importance of the home placement of the person with I/DD.
  • Assists with the transition of children in placement to adult placements as they age out of the child foster care system.
  • Informs team of case issues needing addressed.
  • Serves as a policy resource to interdisciplinary team members.
  • Assists with appeals filed by SFC home providers.
  • May serve as a historian, of sorts, giving perspective of the home and the person in placement over time.
• Performs some administrative functions.
  • Completes purchase requests and inventory sheets for equipment in his/her care.
  • Uses state purchasing card to pay for travel and other authorized expenses.
  • Completes travel requests and reimbursement forms.
  • Maintains compliance with Social Work licensure through the completion of training documentation and other required documents.
  • Types letters and emails to SFC home providers and other professionals, as well as reports and database entries.
  • Completes requests for Medley Demand payments to SFC home providers for expenditures that fall outside of the normal home operation.
  • Reviews the SFC home providers' personal care billing prior to submission to Molina Medicaid.
• Conducts outreach to educate the community, other agencies, and the public about the Specialized Family Care Program and in an effort to recruit new homes into the program.
  • Receives and responds to inquiries from the general public to become new SFC home providers.
  • Receives, submits, and responds to referrals of individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities for placement in provider homes.
  • Disseminates flyers and promotional materials related to the program.
  • Participates in booth fairs (i.e. community health fairs, professional training booths, etc.).
  • Designs and presents training programs and strategies for the general public and professionals.
  • Creates informational workbooks and manuals.
• Travels as needed to homes, meetings, trainings, and other activities. Some overnight travel is required.
  
  

• Bachelor's degree in human services or related field.
• A minimum of five (5) years of experience in the following:
  • Working with I/DD populations, and general knowledge of I/DD issues.
  • Experience and skill in working as an interagency team member in planning community placement.
• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered.
• All qualifications must be met at the time of employment.
  

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Advanced knowledge of processes and procedures, the service and/or product and its application.
• Knowledge of available services, state policy and program limitations relating to individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures or, governmental regulations.
• Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
• Ability to work and meet established deadlines with the ability to effectively communicate orally and narratively with consumers, professionals, providers and co-workers
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form.
• A knowledge of Family Based Care, Foster Care and Adult Family Care programs and all related I/DD services.
• Incumbent will be required to work and respond to a variety of different and unique situations independently using a variety of criteria with a minimum of supervision.
  

Must have or be eligible for licensure as a Social Worker or certified Social Worker by the West Virginia Board of Social Work Examiners

West Virginia University is a place of purpose and community. We take pride in our profound impact on the state of West Virginia and are committed to the personal and professional growth of our employees.

From the groundbreaking R1 research at our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs at WVU Potomac State in Keyser, and the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley, the contributions of WVU employees resonate across the state, touching lives and shaping futures.

At WVU, you will discover a supportive community that champions work-life balance and fosters a collaborative atmosphere. Our core values - service, curiosity, respect, accountability and appreciation - unite us as Mountaineers.

Join us at West Virginia University, where your work will make a lasting impact. To learn more about WVU, visit wvu.edu.

West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We invite all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or Veteran status.