Habilitation Specialist 1 - Taconic (Ulster County)

The duties that the incumbent of the vacancy will be expected to perform. Duties Description The Habilitation Specialist 1 (HS1) ensure Medicaid Compliance for Residential Rehabilitation Service in four (4) IRAs (total of 21 individuals). Furthest distance between assigned sites is 25.5 miles. The homes in this assignment area as follows: Ulster County - Neighborhood IRA; Ulster County – Livingston IRA; Greene County – Rt. 23B IRA. Base site is Neighborhood IRA. The HS1 ensures continuation of residential habilitation services for IRA individuals and is essential for providing opportunities for socialization. The primary responsibility of the HS1 is to ensure proper service provision based on individualized residential habilitation goals, and to provide guidance to the DSAs in the IRA’s. Duties will include, but are not limited to: • Write, oversee implementation, and ensure data collection Safeguard Summary Plans and Staff Action Plans• Train all IRA staff in implementation of SSPs and SAPs, data collection, and continuing notes to substantiate Res-Hab billing• Rectify Res-Hab billing issues with RSFO• Provide and/or ensure training of all IRA staff as needed in response to DQI audits, regulations, and their roles in Medicaid Compliance• Write, revise as needed, and oversee implementation of individuals’ annual Personal Expenditure Plans and ensure spending and documentation meets regulation and fulfills PEPs• Follow up with house managers and assist house managers in training and supervising direct care staff in the areas of individual care to ensure standards of care• Participate in DQI and Medicaid Compliance audits, implement and oversee implementation of corrective actions as needed under the oversight of TTL• Complete HCBS Satisfaction Surveys for all individuals on the caseload on an annual base• Complete bed check assignment data entry for new individuals, review and revise as needed for all individuals at least annually or more often if necessary• Completion of E-scores• Ensures respectful relationships among staff, among persons served and among staff and service recipients in a manner consistent with OPWDD’s guiding principles of putting the person first and improving overall quality of life so • Attends all treatment related and team level meetings including but not limited to Lifeplan review meetings, Special ITT's, placement meetings, etc.• Provides effective instruction/training to a mix of direct care, paraprofessional, and lower-level clinical staff in implementing service plans and other relevant issues to enable staff to deliver more skillful assistance to the service recipient.• Trains all staff on all treatment plans for which the Habilitation Specialist is responsible for and maintains record of said trainings.• Responsible for reviewing and acknowledging life plans, maintaining contact with the care manager to ensure safety, values, and individual goals are maintained.• HS1 is responsible to oversee the individuals’ data and to maintain all the files in the IRA which includes the Welcome book, Res Hab book, Active Treatment book, and uploading files into the EHR• Ensures the Life Plans are completed with the proper supervision, prescribed diet plans, goals, health information and other safeguards to ensure the safety of the individuals• Res Hab is also required to reciprocate all that is written in the individuals Life Plan into their Staff Action Plan to ensure their safety and safeguards are maintained. • Completed Plans (LP, SSP, SAP), the Res Hab is also responsible for training the direct care staff on the Life Plan, Staff Action Plan, and Safeguard Plan and to oversee that they are implementing the goals and safeguards correctly on a day-to-day basisNOTE: You must have a valid driver’s license to apply as travel is a part of the duties involved in this position. This may include a state-owned vehicle, as available, or the employee’s own car. An employee who uses his/her own car will be reimbursed at current negotiated rates.LinkedIn:

The minimum qualifications required for this vacancy. Minimum Qualifications Competitive: Candidates must be reachable for appointment on the current Civil Service Eligible List for this title. Open Competitive Qualifications: A Bachelor’s or higher-level degree in a human services field.**For the purpose of these qualifications, a degree in a human service field includes the professional disciplines of audiology, community mental health, nursing, nutrition, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychology, rehabilitation counseling, vocational counseling, social work, speech/language pathology and therapeutic recreation (including concentrations in art, creative art, dance, drama, music, or physical education.) Also included are related academic disciplines associated with the study of human behavior (e.g., gerontology, human services, sociology, speech communication); or human skills development (e.g., counseling/guidance, education, human development.) Examples of non-qualifying degrees include but are not limited to: criminal justice, political science, liberal arts, and business.Transfer: Candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or 55-b/c status in the posted title and be eligible for lateral transfer; OR be eligible to transfer via Section 70.1, 70.4, or 52.6 of Civil Service Law. The transfer cannot be a second consecutive transfer resulting in an advancement of more than two salary grades.To determine if your current Civil Service title is eligible for transfer to this title, visit the Career Mobility GOT-IT website:

Additional comments regarding the vacancy. Additional Comments This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS). HELPS Program titles may be filled via a non-competitive appointment. This means that you do not need to take an exam to qualify, but you do need to meet the minimum qualifications of the title.At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), employees hired under NY HELPS are expected to have their permanent non-competitive employment status converted to permanent competitive status. You will not have to take an exam to gain permanent competitive status.• If you are currently a New York State employee serving in a permanent competitive qualifying title and eligible for a transfer via Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law, you may be appointed to this title as a permanent competitive employee.• The assignment of PS&T employees will be made in accordance with any agreed upon Memorandum of Understanding between PEF and the local DDSO regarding the posting of job vacancies.• Preference will be given to OPWDD employees impacted by closures. If you are being impacted by closure, please indicate this on your resume.• All OPWDD employees must be eligible and maintain eligibility for full and unconditional participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Continued employment will depend on maintaining eligibility.• If you are employed by state government you may be able to receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on Direct Loans after 120 qualifying monthly payments have been made under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. For more information on PSLF, please visit Employees on long term leave can bid on positions but must be able to report to work within fourteen (14) days and be able to perform the essential functions of their positions with or without reasonable accommodation (RA). • If an employee or job applicant believes that they need a reasonable accommodation, they should contact the Reasonable Accommodation Unit at (518) 486-7222 or email [email protected] to obtain information and RA forms.• Savings programs such as the U.S. Savings Bond and the College Savings Plan.• Voluntary pre-tax savings programs such as Health Care Spending Account and the Dependent Care Advantage Account offer employees options to pay for uncovered health care expenses or dependent care expenses.• Access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) an assessment and referral service that connects employees with local service providers and support services to address their personal needs.• Life insurance and Disability insurance.• The New York State Deferred Compensation Plan is a voluntary retirement plan that offers employees the option to invest a part of their salaries for retirement on a tax-deferred basis.• Paid Holidays and Leave: ° Thirteen (13) paid holidays each year. ° Thirteen (13) days of paid vacation leave initially. ° Five (5) days paid personal leave each year. ° Thirteen (13) days of paid sick leave each year (PEF/CSEA), which may carry over from year to year. ° Up to three (3) days professional leave each year to participate in professional development events.• Health Care Coverage: Employees and their eligible dependents can choose from a variety of affordable health insurance programs. Employees are provided family dental and vision plans at no extra cost.• Paid Parental Leave: Paid Parental Leave allows eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave at full pay for each qualifying event. A qualifying event is defined as the birth of a child or placement of a child for adoption or foster care.• Retirement Program: Participate in The NYS Employees’ Retirement System (ERS), which is recognized as one of the best-managed and best-funded public retirement systems in the nation.• Professional Development and Education and Training: NYS offers training programs and tuition assistance to eligible employees to maintain and increase their professional skills and prepare them for promotional opportunities. For more information, please visit Additionally, the Public Service Workshops Program (PSWP) offers certain professional training opportunities for PEF represented and M/C designated employees that may grant continuing education credits towards maintaining professional licensure. For more information, please visit is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer dedicated to creating and sustaining a culture of inclusion. We believe that we are most effective in managing and improving our service system with a diverse team of employees. With such a large workforce, we rely on the collective individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, self-expression, ideas and talent that our employees bring to their work. This speaks to our culture and is a key part of our successes. As we continuously recruit people for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that applicants bring in terms of their education, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, color, religion, disability, sexual orientation and beliefs.***All people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.***

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