I/DD Engagement Specialist

Essential Functions

• Develop a network of community resources with key stakeholders in order to share and gain knowledge of available resources, identify gaps, and promote development of resources
• Facilitate successful transitions for individuals between psychiatric hospitals and communities. 

Required  Activities:

Including but not limited to:

• Provide service at Mildred Mitchell Bateman Hospital and local geographic community. 
• Provide referral information to high-risk consumers for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Tuberculosis (TB), and Hepatitis. 
• Participate in BBH and peer reviews as requested. 
• Explore and secure all available revenue sources (e.g. West Virginia Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance). 
• Obtain consumer feedback for services rendered and information received to inform and improve service accessibility and delivery (e.g. focus groups, surveys, key-informant interviews). 
• Provide after-hours and non-traditional hours of availability to meet the individual needs of those served. 
• Maintain credentialing in CANS (The Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths) / ANSA (Adult Needs and Strengths Assessment), as well as participate in other trainings such as IDD 101, mental health education, WVCED offerings for behavioral support, etc. 
•  Engage with individuals with IDD and/or co-existing disorders who have a history of and/or are at risk of involuntary commitment to provide services essential to support community-based living.
• Participate in quarterly stakeholder and/or community meetings that may include but are not restricted to representatives from the following areas:  housing, shelters, hospitals, primary health care, behavioral health care, employment, education, justice system, and other resources that are connected to the promotion of successful living in local communities. 
• Assist eligible individuals for a sustained period through at least monthly face-to-face contact in home and community-based settings to ensure stability of behavioral health and community resources keeping in mind that the intensity of service may begin at a higher level and be reduced gradually with some individuals requiring a level of on-going support and/or referral to more intensive services such as ACT. 
• Refer and connect individuals to personal and community supports necessary to live independently in the community such as assistance with obtaining medications, housing, employment, applying for benefits, shopping, paying bills, securing official documents, and other services as may be identified and/or needed. 
•  Refer and connect to services based upon the individual’s interests, desires and needs as identified either from a service plan and/or a completed ANSA, e.g., WVUCED for case consultation, habilitation, medical, psychiatric, psychological, nursing, recreational/social, and vocational services. 
• Participate actively in all admission and discharge meetings to ensure seamless transitions for those engaged who are inpatient but preparing for return to local communities.
• For individuals in need of Supplemental Funds, request, monitor and disperse supplemental funds for emergent needs on a case-by-case basis to meet identified emergent needs and to lessen the risk of psychiatric hospitalization by documenting and reporting on all funds spent by category. 
• Maintain a caseload of 10-20 individuals.