Life & Community Advocator

Location

Laurel, MD | United States

Job description

Life & Community Advocators perform a wide variety of person centered supports and services with a strong emphasis on personal choice to individuals with developmental disabilities. These supports and services involve advocating for, encouraging, guiding and teaching individuals in expressing personal choice, developing daily living skills and habits, taking care of their personal needs, assuring community integration, ensuring for their health and safety, and maintaining a healthy, safe home environment. The supports and services performed depend upon the specific abilities of the individuals being served and the nature of the setting where the activities are performed.

At The Arc personal choice means:

• C – Collaborating with the individual to meet their goals.
• H – Having a Humanistic perspective and approach.
• O – Using your keen Observation skills to guide and mentor.
• I – Inclusion in the community by actively getting out and involved.
• C – Community/Citizenship involvement.
• E – Enhancing the life of the individual.

Key Competencies Required:

Advocacy (Encouraging and supporting people in expressing their choices, dreams, goals and rights)
Communication (Actively listening to the person we support based on their preferred method of communicating, and collaborating with their natural Relationship building (Creating opportunities for people to build friendships, make connections and develop meaningful relationships in an inclusive environment)

Position Summary:

Provide the support necessary for the persons we serve to achieve their desired lifestyles and increase levels of independence, productivity, and social/physical inclusion into the community. This includes: developing and assisting with the person-centered planning process, transport, supervise and implement daily program activities and community experiences. Complete necessary daily documentation, as well as follow–up documentation.

Qualifications:

• Must have a high school diploma or equivalent.
• At least 1-year experience in working with persons with disabilities/behaviors is preferred.
• Must have desire to work with adults who require a great deal of hands-on assistance, personal care and supervision.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Experience with Microsoft Office (outlook, word, and excel).
• Must have a good driving record, reliable vehicle, and current Maryland driver’s license, with no more than 2 points.
• Must have strong communication skills.
• Must be dependable and reliable.
• Must have basic computer skills and be able to use all required software.
• Must have ability to problem-solve and assist in decision-making, including during emergencies.
• Must maintain current status regarding assigned core competencies and other required certification acquisition within established schedule and timelines.
• Must meet the criteria to be an approved driver for the Arc of Prince George's County and have reliable transportation.
• Must have the ability to work productively with individuals and other team members to develop relationships.
• Must possess excellent oral, written, and interpersonal skills and good customer service skills.

Essential Functions:

Preparation for Change:

• Working with individuals by planning and prepping for change in advance.
• Expose individuals to activities that they have expressed an interest in by actively listening to the individuals desires and preferences.
• Identify and teach skills necessary to be successful in the facility and the community.
• Identify and provide supports to enhance success.
• Generate and review individual plans (IPs), insuring interest are documented accordingly.

Community Integration and Participation:

• Assist people supported in identifying, planning and individualizing appropriate community experiences based on their interests and needs.
• Implement Person-Centered Plan to support goals as related to community involvement program activities.
• Accompany people to inclusive community activities, ensuring choice, engagement and safety, while advocating as necessary to achieve inclusion.
• Teach community living skills, e.g. money management, shopping, and appropriate interactions in the community.
• Assist people to develop positive relationships.
• Serve as a role model for people with and without disabilities.

Personal and Health care:

• Assist and engage individuals in activities of daily living.
• Supervise individuals 110% of the time.
• Interact with individuals in a respectful, age appropriate manner
• Assist with personal and health care needs in the facility and in the community.
• Assure that individuals are well groomed.
• Be alert for seizures, illness, injury, and medication side effects and respond appropriately.
• Create a safe environment for individuals, self and colleagues.
• Report any health and safety issues or hazards relating to equipment, vehicles, and facility to appropriate management personnel.
• Follow safe and appropriate operation of equipment and vehicles.
• Ensures all incidents are reported and documented in the Electronic Health Record System in a timely manner, according to all policies and procedures.
• Ensure safety and provide emergency and evacuation planning, practice, and implementation.
• Respond to medical emergencies and administer minor first aid in accordance with approved practices.
• Work all scheduled shifts per the Arc of PG County and department policy and procedures.

Communication and Documentation:

• Complete all necessary documentation including participation in activities, implementation of behavior programs, etc., thoroughly and accurately in the Electronic Health Record System.
• Actively attend and participate in Regular and Mandatory Staff Meetings, trainings, Town Hall Meetings, in-services and workshops as required in a timely manner.
• Read, understand, and support policies as outlined in the Personnel Policy Manual.
• Cooperate with the Arc of Prince George's County, the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) and the Office of Healthcare Quality (OHCQ) in all inspections and/or investigations.

Support agency's mission and philosophy:

• Demonstrate and promote teamwork, cooperative communication, collaborative problem-solving, and responsible decision-making with team members.
• Support team members and people we support to create time in their everyday lives, including work, to acknowledge and celebrate their successes.
• Participate in annual IP meetings and Intermediate Team Meetings (ITM) as scheduled.
• In conjunction with the Interdisciplinary Team, participate in developing self-directed, person-centered IP goals and inclusive community experiences for individuals.
• Demonstrates a thorough knowledge and implementation of individual's PCP and Behavior Plan.
• Effectively responds to and manages challenging behavior in compliance with the individual's Behavior Plan.
• Assist supervisor in submitting behavioral data to be presented at Standing Committee.
• Completes all regulatory required reports within the proper time frames.
• Oversees that the proper documentation in the Electronic Health Record System is maintained for PCP’s and Behavioral Management Plans.

Supervision: Receives supervision from the related program (day or employment) assigned supervisory staff
Mental, Physical & Visual Demands.

This position requires extensive use of a computer. This position requires heavy lifting over 25lbs. May require two- person lift/transfer.

Working Conditions:

Work in the facility program area. May be required to drive an agency vehicle for outings and be exposed to all types of hazardous weather and/or heavy traffic and temperatures while assisting the individuals in the community. This position may require prolonged standing from 4-8 hours depending on the individual’s day.

Comments:

This position description is intended to describe the essential job functions, the general supplemental functions, and the essential requirements for the performance of this job. This is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and requirements of a person so classified. Other functions or duties may be assigned and management retains the right to add to, or change the duties of this position at any time.

Since 1952, The Arc Prince George’s County has been providing support services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families throughout the county. We serve more than 600 individuals with disabilities. Our primary areas of support are: • Community Living where we provide and manage group living homes; • Family and Personal supports where we provide 1:1 individual supports; • Employment Services provides job training and employment opportunities for the people we support; and • Day Programs where we offer meaningful outings in the community.

Job tags

Salary

$19.92 - $21.12 per hour