Community & Social Services Specialist-A (ALTSD #10114782)

$19.82 - $31.71 Hourly

$41,218 - $65,949 Annually

This position is a Pay Band 60

Posting Details

The Aging and Long-Term Services Department provides accessible, integrated services to older adults, adults with disabilities, and caregivers to assist them in maintaining their independence, dignity, autonomy, health, safety, and economic well-being, thereby empowering them to live on their own terms in their own communities as productively as possible. Adult Protective Services investigations collect and assesses information to determine whether the reported incident of adult abuse, neglect, exploitation, or self-neglect occurred. Investigations assess the immediate safety of the adult and the ability of the individual to self-protect and/or the caregiver's ability to protect the adult; also, to assess whether the adult remains at risk for continued abuse, neglect, or exploitation and self-neglect. Finally assess the need for services, including short-term protective services.

This posting will be used for ongoing recruitment and may close at any time. Applicant lists may be screened more than once.

Why does the job exist?

The main purpose of the Adult Protective Services Community Engagement Specialist position is to assist and support the Adult Protective Services Division to ensure adults with disabilities and older adults have the resources and supports to maintain safely in the homes and communities of their choice. This position requires a commitment to helping adults with disabilities and older adults and a high level of compassion, empathy and self-awareness; a collaborative nature to work with a multidisciplinary team; resourcefulness, responsiveness and flexibility; superb organizational and communication/ relationship building skills. This is a benefits eligible, sponsored-term position.

Selected candidate must become certified within one year of hiring if not already certified as a Community Health Worker.

How does it get done?

Training and Education- 30%
Participates in presentations
Seeks and completes training opportunities directly related to CHW specialty and/or CHW Core Competency training class to build their subject matter expertise
Co-facilitates health and wellness classes, workshops and/or trainings
Assists with orientation and mentoring of new team members
Participants in local, regional or state community health care worker and adult protective services/aging events/meetings
Works closely with APS field and clinical teams.
Assist Adult Protective Services field staff in identifying community resources available to older and disabled adults.
Continuously expand knowledge of assistance programs to aid clients with variety of needs including but not limited to: housing, food, shelter, cleaning, safety, medical, behavioral health,
transportation, dependent care, education, rehabilitation, and recreation.

Client Engagement and Eligibility Screening - 70%
Screen clients as related to social determinants of health and links clients to community resources and assist with eligibility screening and documentation.
Utilizes motivational interviewing and other techniques to engage patients and families in self-management
Educates patients, families, providers, and care team to address social determinants of health
Build relationships with internal and external stakeholders including other CHWs and peers with the goal of improving the health of the community and preventing clients from becoming referrals of abuse, neglect and exploitation by working under APS's prevention model.
Facilitates client's access to community resources and utilization of these resources, including connecting to social service agencies and assisting with completion of applications
When applicable, initiate closed-loop referral for programs for which client may be eligible such as Title XX services, grant-funded services, veterans, etc.
Work closely with the Clinical Operations Advisors to evaluate the individual needs of each APS client to provide tailored services using an Intervention, Prevention and Harm Reduction model.
Works collaboratively and effectively within a team.
Foster client independence by helping them reach their goals, and build skills to maintain a safe, least restrictive environment.
Builds and maintains positive working relationships with the clients, providers, case managers, social workers, agency representatives, supervisors and office staff, from diverse cultural and socio-
economic backgrounds
Works to reduce cultural and socio-economic barriers between clients and institutions
Maintain cultural competency in working with people from diverse cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds.
Provide consistent and timely follow-up to APS clients with complex and long-term case management cases.
Performs other functions as required

Who are the customers?

Adults with disabilities and older adults.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate must be professional, courteous, civil, respectful and must provide open, honest and thorough communication. Selected candidate must become certified within one year of hiring if not already certified as a Community Health Worker.

Minimum Qualification

Associate's degree in Social Sciences or Human Services and two (2) years of experience as a social worker or community coordinator and/or social worker assistant. Substitutions Apply. See Substitution Table below.

Substitution Table

These combinations of education and experience qualify you for the position:
Education Experience Education Experience 1 High School Diploma or Equivalent AND 4 years of experience OR High School Diploma or Equivalent AND 4 years of experience 2 Associate's degree in the field(s) specified in the minimum qualification AND 2 years of experience Associate's degree or higher in any field AND 4 years of experience 3 Bachelor's degree or higher in the field(s) specified in the minimum qualification AND 0 years of experience
• Education and years of experience must be related to the purpose of the position.

• If Minimum Qualification requires a specific number of "semester hours" in a field (e.g. 6 semester hours in Accounting), applicants MUST have those semester hours in order to meet the minimum qualifications. No substitutions apply for semester hours.

Employment Requirements

Statewide travel may be required. On-Call and Call-back are required on a rotation basis. Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license. Must possess and maintain a current Defensive Driving Course Certificate from the State of New Mexico or must pass and receive Defensive Driving Course Certification within 90 days of employment. Pre-employment background investigation is required. Must pass State and Federal Criminal Background Check.

Working Conditions

Work is performed in an office setting, client home or institutions, with extensive computer and telephone use. Risk of injury from hostile clients is possible.

Supplemental Information

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Agency Contact Information: Jennifer Vigil (505) 428-8626 or jennifer.vigil@altsd.nm.gov.
For information on Statutory Requirements for this position, click the Classification Description link on the job advertisement.

Bargaining Unit Position

This position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement and all terms/conditions of that agreement apply and must be adhered to.