Bilingual ADRC Specialist (English/Spanish) - NorthWest Senior & Disability Services

We look for individuals our organization who are passionate about our mission and values, and providing excellent customer service.

We value our employees, working closely with them to help them be successful. We value the people we provide services to, ensuring they receive the highest quality of customer service.

Special skills are required for this job to gather information and provide resources for people needing service. Working with a wide variety of people and many requests in a fast paced environment.

Recruitment #: 447-04-24

Closes: Open Until Filled (Last day for internal lateral transfer: 05/06/24)

Location: Salem, OR - ADRC Unit

Salary: Starting at $4,142 per month with excellent benefits. (Please see below).

Agency Sponsored: Medical/Dental 100% paid for employee and 90-98% for dependents, generous Paid-time off, Public Employee Retirement (PERS), Employee Assistance Plan, Long Term Disability, great culture.

Employee paid: Deferred Compensation, Life Insurance, Short Term Disability, Colonial Life Supplemental Plans, Legal Shield.

General Description

Meets Agency Mission by serving as an entry point for the Agency providing information, referral, and assistance to individuals concerning aging and disability services and resources.

Essential Functions

1. Provide Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) services
2. Provide initial screening for Agency services
3. Educate community about ADRC, Agency, and community resources
4. Help to ensure ADRC Online is accurate and updated
5. Maintain and update Agency area of ADRC Online
6. Facilitate confidence in ADRC Specialist, and therefore the Agency and programs
7. Protect consumers and reduce Agency risk
8. Provide excellent customer service in a professional manner

1. Provide Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) services

• Serve as initial contact for the Agency/Department
• Provide information to individuals seeking assistance with aging and disability services via phone or in person
• Gather information , determine needs and provide referrals to Agency or community services to help meet identified needs
• Document contacts
• Follow-up on referrals to ensure that connections are made
• Provide advocacy for consumers, to ensure connection to applicable services

2. Provide initial screening for Agency services

• Determine if individual is appropriate and meets criteria for specific services and programs
• Assign screening to appropriate Agency staff
• Complete documentation
• Conduct initial Options Counseling

3. Educate community about ADRC, Agency, and community resources

• Participate in community outreach events, such as fairs, health events, senior center events, community service events, etc.
• Conduct presentations about Agency services
• Identify opportunities and recommend outreach activities for identified populations
• Participate in community meetings to provide information and to remain informed of available resources
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with other human service organizations and agencies serving seniors and people with disabilities

4. Help to ensure that ADRC Online is accurate and updated

• Understand and utilize the database
• Identify any challenges with usage
• Share information about changes to community services, availability, eligibility, etc.

5. Maintain and update Agency area of ADRC Online

• Ensure that information in ADRC Online is current for all counties served by NWSDS, including other information assigned to NWSDS
• Research and verify changes
• Track changes provided by other staff/individuals
• Provide accurate data entry of information

6. Facilitates confidence in ADRC Specialist, and therefore the Agency and programs

• Embrace and exhibit the Agency Mission and Core Values
• Provide excellent customer service
• Meet the needs of consumers by following through, meeting deadlines, and interacting with others in a respectful and culturally appropriate manner
• Maintain the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively perform duties
• Provide suggestions for improvement

7. Protect consumers and reduce Agency risk

• Follow policies, regulations and requirements of the program and Agency
• Provide documentation as set forth by Federal, State, funding regulations and Agency policy
• Serve as Mandatory Reporter of suspected abuse of vulnerable populations according to and as required by policy regulations

8. Provide excellent customer service in a professional manner

• Apply the required knowledge and skills
• Exhibit sound decision making and problem solving
• Meet quality standards in accuracy and timeliness
• Follow policies and procedures
• Work independently, but seek and offer assistance as needed
• Exhibit the technology skills related to the required work (word processing, spreadsheets, database, internet research, mail, email and IM communications, phones, copiers, assessment programs such as CAPS, Oregon Access, etc.)
• Exhibit a positive attitude towards consumers, co-workers, supervisors, and other constituents
• Regular attendance to meet the demands of this job and provide necessary services

Supervisory Responsibilities

None

Keyword: Information and Assistance Specialist
Required Experience:

Minimum Qualifications – Experience and Education

A qualified applicant will have a minimum of four (4) years of equivalent combination of education and/or experience which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities required. The following is preferred but all qualifications meeting the minimum requirements will be considered:

• Associate’s degree in social services or related area
• Two years of relevant work experience dealing with the public, and some exposure and understanding of working with seniors and people with disabilities
• Must be able to pass Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS) Certification (training provided

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The successful applicant must have the following general skills, including the ability to:

• Understand and interpret applicable policies and apply them to problem-solving and decision-making in order to serve external and internal customers
• Understand and respond to requests from internal and external customers, social service professionals, and the general public
• Apply knowledge and skills in a timely, accurate, and efficient manner to meet deadlines
• Work effectively with a wide variety of individuals and small groups
• Interact in respectful and culturally appropriate ways
• Exhibit excellent interpersonal communication and listening skills
• Exhibit a positive attitude
• Use good judgment, courtesy, and tact
• Speak, read, write, and understand English
• Present information well
• Follow verbal and written instruction
• Know and commit to abide by rules governing consumer confidentiality, mandatory reporting, provider records, and investigations

The successful applicant must have the following job-specific skills, including the ability to:

• Gather information from individuals including needs, basic financial information, etc.
• Maintain knowledge of Agency and community services, and basic program eligibility
• Understand consumer populations
• Learn and apply options counseling principles and process
• Learn software systems used for documenting and assigning screenings
• Learn and effectively utilize ADRC Online and other resource databases
• Learn and apply general office practices such as confidentiality rules, employee records maintenance, client records maintenance, and agency policies and procedures applicable to the specific program and area of work
• Work as an effective team member in a high call volume environment
• Use extensive business-English skills (grammar, spelling, and punctuation) and math skills
• Operate a personal computer, copier, fax machine, phone, and general office equipment, etc.
• Become AIRS certified

Other Requirements

The successful applicant must have the following skills, including the ability to:

• Support the agency’s mission, ethics, and values
• Secure and maintain a valid driver’s license in the state of Oregon, or an acceptable alternative means of transportation
• Commit to regular attendance as it is required to meet the demands of this job
• Pass a criminal background check successfully
• Maintain and share information according to privacy regulations
• Serves as a mandatory reporter of suspected abuse of vulnerable populations as required by policy and regulation
• Complete necessary work as assigned

Work Environment and Physical Demands

ADRC Specialists typically work in an office environment. They must be able to:

• Use a computer, telephone, and other office equipment
• Tolerate and be able to work where the noise level is that of a typical office
• Encounter frequent interruptions throughout the work day
• Regularly sit, talk, or hear
• Use repetitive hand motions
• Handle objects and sustain a sense of touch
• Stand, walk, reach, and bend
• Lift up to 25 pounds
• Field work involves infrequent travel to consumers in a variety of settings, homes, facilities, etc. of varying level of cleanliness and repair. It involves driving an Agency or personally-owned car.
• Field work could also require travel to other offices and going to events and setting up/tearing down a small display unit, carrying laptop computers and projectors, standing for a period of time and public speaking.
• Requires occasional evening and/or weekend work.
• Requires occasional evening and/or weekend work with a possibility of an overnight stay.

Contact with the public in home or office environments may risk exposure to people with contagious diseases or irrational/hostile behavior and contact with domestic animals.

The physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Classification: Bilingual ADRC Specialist	Position Number: 447
Salary Range: R19	FLSA Status: Non-exempt
Unit: OAA/ADRC	Location: Salem
Reports To: OAA/ADRC Manager	Union Status: Represented
Last Revision Date: February 2024

This job description is a general guide for the job to be performed and does not cover everything. Employees may be required to perform other duties, including covering for, and in, other offices. Employees are expected to follow and perform other job-related duties requested by their manager.

From: NorthWest Senior & Disability Services