What are the responsibilities and job description for the Program Assistant, QCP/Lifetime & Payee position at The Arc Of Union County?
Summary: Under the guidance and direction of the Assistant Director, Lifetime & Payee Services this position is responsible to implement financial and guardianship supports to individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. These lifetime supports include but are not limited to guardianship services, payee ship services, financial planning, asset management, and management of trusts. The incumbent will ensure the quality of services provided to individuals and families, as well as the accurate and efficient management of consumer funds. The incumbent will participate in meetings and committees as assigned. The incumbent will be a primary user of the Accufund financial management software used to track expenditures for persons served. The incumbent will participate in meetings and discussions to enhance services and enrich the lives of individuals served and will ensure a high level of quality supervision and management throughout all assigned components.
Qualifications: Bachelor level degree in the human services field required. Minimum of three years’ experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities, preferably in a residential setting, required. Supervisory experience in Residential programs serving persons with developmental disabilities preferred. Knowledgeable of Social Security regulations and prior experience as a representative payee preferred. Must have superior organizational, communication and presentation skills, and strong leadership skills. Strong computer and Microsoft Office skills are required. Superior planning, organizational, and communication skills a must. Strong initiative and ability to complete assignments independently and in a timely manner are essential. Other required qualifications include:
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to represent the agency and the individuals served in a constructive, professional manner through a demonstrated respectful and positive approach
- Organized, creative, and resourceful
- Strong working knowledge of computerized databases, electronic health records (EHR), word processing and spreadsheet programs required
- Strong working knowledge of HIPAA regulations
- Ability to independently resolve a wide variety of issues using current job knowledge, research, and external resources as required
- Able to problem solve and be flexible to respond to environmental, programmatic and administrative changes in order to best support our individuals and assure continuation of quality services
- Must demonstrate excellent organizational skills and ability to navigate various systems (e.g. Therap, TMS software, Virtual collaboration platforms, Accufund Financial Management software, etc.) to promote maximum outcomes of service delivery
- Level of comfort addressing a group of persons in a training capacity
- Flexibility with scheduling to meet the needs of multiple disciplines
- Accounting and booking skills in order to maintain accurate financial record keeping
- Ability to maneuver persons in wheelchairs and persons who use other ambulation devices and at times, will be required to physically lift, transfer and or otherwise support persons with disabilities
- Ability to intervene in crisis situations and implement crisis management techniques in accordance with agency policy and procedure.
Scope and Limits of Authority:
This position receives limited direction from the Assistant Director, Lifetime & Payee Services and is expected to act independently. Incumbents work within a framework of established goals and objectives.
The incumbent has the ability to function independently and / or with a team under assignment. Flexibility and ability to thrive and perform in an ever-changing, fast paced and demanding environment. Must have a valid New Jersey driver’s license with abstract (not exceeding 5 points), and ability to meet agency insurability requirements. Complete State/Federal Criminal Background checks and Central Registry checks.
Work Hours:
Work hours: An expectation of a 37.5-hour workweek within the general hours of 7:00am – 7:00pm, Monday through Friday. Flexibility to work evenings and / or weekends to meet Guardianship responsibilities. Flexibility to meet demands of meetings, fundraising events, and collaborative work projects as needed afterhours as scheduled. Hybrid work schedule as appropriate to meet business needs.
Major Position Responsibilities
Representative Payee and Asset Management Services: Direct Participation
- Completes and submits required monthly reports and electronic transmissions to DDD and SHA as well as timely submission and accuracy of all accountings to social security as representative payee
- Maintains abreast on changes that may affect those served regarding benefits and asset management
- Assures that individuals served maintain eligibility for Medicaid
- Assure accurate and timely accountings of all financial transactions for individuals served
- Implement Supportive Housing Connection voucher program and Fee For Service financial transitions for all housing related expenses
- Act as the secondary point of contact for Social Security reporting, questions, Representative Payee audits, and required recertification activities. Execute all Social Security required documentation and communication as assigned
- Utilizes the Accufund financial software to house all transactions for persons served within the system
- Implement and monitor individualized budgets for each service recipient based on annual income and expenses
- Act as the secondary point of contact for all banking contacts for service recipient bank accounts associated with Representative Payee services
- Participate in all activities associated with banking relationships (i.e. establishing new accounts, changing appropriate contact persons, maintaining list of access guardrails on accounts, etc.)
- Assure timely bill payments by writing checks or completing on-line bill pay transactions
- Reconciles bank statements and completes monthly reporting as assigned
- Audits reports from group homes of transactions made in the programs for accuracy and appropriateness
- Submits reports on audited areas to supervising entities to include Assistant Director, Lifetime & Payee Services and Director, Quality & Compliance
Guardianship Services: Direct Participation
- Serve as guardian for individuals with disabilities as assigned. Assumes duties of guardian
- Assures that supported decision making is employed where feasible
- Assures the interests of the person served remain the primary goal of all activities and decisions
- Assures activation and assembly of the Ethics Committee during times of critical decision making
- Partner with service providers to promote the best interests of individuals served
Outreach and Advocacy: Expected Participation
- Remains current with advocacy issues relevant to persons with I/DD and service provision
- Participates in activities associated with The Arc A.E.R.O.s (Advocates for Equal Rights and Opportunities) Self-Advocacy group
- Participate in the development of information sessions for parents, families and service providers relative to trusts, Social Security, guardianship and related topics
- Culture and maintain relationships with organizations that will benefit from the sharing of information regarding guardianship, trusts, advocacy and payee ship
- Develop and maintain collaborative and productive working relationships with other Departments within the agency as well as with external professionals and support staff
Incident and Investigation Management: Expected Participation
- Conducts investigations as assigned and assures cooperation in any and all investigations internally and externally, including full cooperation with the Department of Human Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities or any other duly authorized external personnel regarding the care and service delivery for individuals served
General Responsibilities:
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Project Management:
- Identifies and raises appropriate risks, concerns, and inefficiencies. Presents detailed and implementable solutions or alternatives to identified risks, concerns, and inefficiencies
- Identifies opportunities to develop systems that will enhance operational efficiencies
- Recommends new tools and methodologies that will expedite or enhance the operational/development process
Departmental Operational Responsibilities:- Carry out the daily operations of guardianship and payee responsibilities, assuring the provision of quality services and promoting the best interests of the individuals served
- Assure accurate and timely communication with the Assistant Director, Lifetime & Payee Services regarding all aspects of assigned responsibilities
- Prepare statistical, financial and programmatic reports and other required documentation for submission to Assistant Director, Lifetime & Payee Services and to other required entities (e.g. Social Security, Finance Committee, Board of Directors) as assigned
- Assure accurate billing and service statements relative to guardianship, payee ship and trust services provided
- Prepare and submit for approval all recommendations for program improvement or changes
- Chair and/or sit as a committee member for any and all committee activities as assigned by the Assistant Director, Lifetime & Payee Services
- Attend and participate in agency or departmental meetings as required and/or assigned
- Participate in the coordination of efforts between all QCP components, including, but not limited to, individual service plan development, quality assurance assessments, program evaluation and staff training, to best serve and support individuals
- Maintains a current and thorough knowledge of all changes in the delivery of services to individuals with disabilities, which may impact individuals served and our ability to meet their needs and expectations. This includes a working knowledge of Licensing, CARF standards, DHS/DDD regulations, Medicaid regulations and other relevant federal and state requirements
- Monitors and assures compliance with all agency policies and procedures and actively supports agency policies and procedures to all internal and external contacts
- Identified as someone who genuinely cares about others
- Develops and maintains positive and cooperative relationships with and among all individuals served, family members, guardians, volunteers, vendors and community members as well as all agency departments and other State or local agents
- Demonstrates understanding of multiple business domains as well as application and infrastructure ecosystems
- Demonstrates ability to construct, interpret, and apply metrics to work and decision-making. Able to use those metrics to identify a correlation between drivers and results and use that information to drive prioritization and action
- Delivers information clearly and concisely appropriate to the audience
- Ability to balance multiple assignments distributed across various teams and dependency areas
- Critical Thinking: Able to see how projects interrelate and have a strategic impact
- Continued understanding of and growth in emotional intelligence
- Attends and participates in all meetings, conferences/seminars as assigned or as necessary
- Understands that this position may require operating an agency vehicle or personal vehicle in pursuit of agency business, therefore, the incumbent must meet all insurance eligibility requirements of the agency and insurance carriers
- Understands the agency may assign employees to any duties and to any work site it deems necessary in its’ sole discretion
Agency Training/Outside Training Requirements
- Annual Prevention of Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Training
- Annual agency Sexual Harassment Training
- Infectious Disease and COVID-19 Training (Agency)
- Successful completion of all trainings and maintain certifications as required by The Arc of Union County, DDD, CARF, DOL, and other related agencies or government entities
Industry Membership’s/Committees:
External Memberships / Participation in:
- N/A
Act as Chair and Govern All Activities on Behalf of the Executive Director:
- N/A
Internal Committee Participation / Member:
- Lifetime Support, Inc. Board of Directors
- Human Rights and Ethics Committee of The Arc of Union County
- Training Committee of The Arc of Union County
Required Licenses and or Certifications:
- Certification as an Elwyn NJ Crisis Management instructor
- Certification as an American Red Cross CPR & Standard First Aid trainer
(ADA) Mental/Physical Effort and Working Conditions
The Arc of Union County will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with a disability so that they can perform the essential functions of a job unless doing so causes a direct threat to these individuals or others in the workplace and the threat cannot be eliminated by reasonable accommodation or if the accommodation creates an undue hardship for The Arc of Union County.
(Physical Demands)
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to:
- Operate a motor vehicle and drive to and from local and remote locations daily 100%
- Verbally communicate and converse with employees
- Maintain a stationary position (standing 80%; sitting 20%)
- Move/traverse, kneel, bend, and reach with hands and arms for extended periods of time, (90% up to 100% depending on the job type)
- Lift up to average of 45 lbs. in order to effectively perform the essential functions of this role
- Work as described to include ability to hear and repeat information, take notes, read documents
- Carry necessary field equipment by hand or cart weighing up to 60 lbs. on occasion; and other physical duties as directed by your supervisor and/or Director
- Agility with wrist and finger dexterity to access, key and sort electronic information or to file documents.
- This position may require periods of prolonged bending, standing and carrying of heavy materials and equipment. In addition, loading and unloading of heavy materials and lifting of materials over 5 feet, may be required.
(EEO statement)
The Arc of Union County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.
Work Environment – The agency offers safety trainings such as Universal Precautions/Infectious diseases, COVID-19 Education and Safety Practices among others to promote a safe environment for all employees and service recipients including visitors. Personal Protective Equipment and necessary supplies such as disinfectants are supplied to all employees free of charge. Each employee is responsible to complete offered trainings and implement the health and safety protocols and mitigation practices consistently.
The agency may assign employees to any duties and to any work site it deems necessary in its sole discretion.
You are required to communicate abrupt absence directly to your supervisor and verbally handover (not necessary physically) essential functions to your supervisor for the smooth operation of programs and the safety and wellbeing of the service recipients. This position requires four (4) weeks’ notice prior to leaving or resignation.
Must fully cooperate with all investigations, inspections, etc. internally and externally including full cooperation with the DHS, DDD, or any other duly authorized person regarding the care and service given to individuals served by this agency.
Salary : $36,500 - $46,200
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