Job Specification
SENIOR PROGRAM SPECIALIST, SPECIAL CHILD HEALTH SERVICES
DEFINITION
Under direction takes the lead over one or more Program
Specialists, Special Child Health Services and/or performs the
more difficult/complex work involved in obtaining comprehensive
services for handicapped and potentially handicapped children
and their families; organizes/maintains all current and background
information regarding a child's potential treatment, referrals,
and social ramifications of disability; does other related duties
as required.
NOTE: The examples of work for this title are for illustrative
purposes only. A particular position using this title may not
perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely,
all duties performed on the job may not be listed.
EXAMPLES OF WORK
May assist in planning and supervising work of the unit by taking
the lead over a small group of employees involved in ensuring
provision of coordinated comprehensive services to handicapped
and potentially handicapped children and their families.
Reviews work of other program specialists for quality, accuracy,
and completeness.
Reviews individual service plans (ISPs) prepared by program
specialists and recommends appropriate modifications.
Compiles program statistics and prepares monthly/quarterly
reports to local/state agencies.
Serves as resource person to other program specialists and
health department staff and provides them with advice/guidance
on the handling of cases.
Actively works with the child/parent as the available and
accessible unifying agent.
Assists the child/parent through the maze of the service
system and provides counseling to the child/parent including
a description of case management services, identifying the
child's problem(s) with the parents, and validating the parents'
knowledge/understanding of the child's problem(s).
Assesses need for services in cooperation with the primary
care physician and develops with the parent an ISP for the child.
Assists the child/parent to reach the goal identified in the
ISP and assists in procurement of services through referrals
to Special Child Health Services (SCHS) and other appropriate
agencies.
Serves as resource person to the family in crisis responding
actively to complaints about services, and providing objective
information about alternatives for securing direct services.
Promotes and facilitates communication among multiple
providers serving the child/parent including the primary physician.
Monitors services received by the child/family by reviewing
with the parent the receipt of services and the child's progress
toward attainment of goals identified in the ISP.
Prepares an ISP describing the child's medical, educational,
developmental, social, and rehabilitative needs including
identifying information and medical diagnosis, statement of
the child's current problem(s) and associated needs, measurable
objectives to alleviate problem(s) and/or meet child's current
needs, and monitoring date to review resolution of problem(s)
and needs.
Provides referral for services utilizing the SCHS network
and/or other community agencies.
Periodically monitors the child's progress.
Provides information to various agencies, community groups,
and others on services provided under the SCHS Program.
Interviews families seeking services to determine financial
eligibility and financial participation in the cost of care.
Completes registrations of eligible children and submits
them to the program office.
Contacts families of children registered with the program
for the purpose of counseling, explaining services available,
and determining interest in and need for services provided.
Coordinates procurement of services to be provided as
determined among the family physician, therapists, family,
or other medical personnel.
Ensures that vouchers for services received are accurate
and shared costs are billed among program participants.
Prepares various statistical/informational reports on clients
and services provided.
Conducts interview of the client (usually an individual
or a family) to ascertain their perception of the problem,
identifies/discusses alternative resources, and offers
information about how they might be used.
Explains eligibility requirements and details about services
offered by different agencies to assist the client in making
an informed decision.
Observes and assesses clients' behavior during interviews
to identify problems that can interfere with their ability to
take steps on their own behalf such as excessive fearfulness
or irritability.
Maintains a cooperative relationship with the client throughout
the process, commenting in such a way as to give emotional
support and encouragement when needed.
Encourages clients to participate in identification/selection
of needed services.
Identifies any barriers keeping the client from receiving
services/resources needed to resolve the problem.
Develops, proposes, and discusses with client an ISP
outlining goals.
Monitors progress made toward ISP goals.
Talks to and asks questions of clients that are designed to
obtain their comments, criticism, and observations about
services given to assist them in clarifying issues, establishing
goals for continued services, or terminating services.
With parental permission gives sufficient information to needed
service providers such as legal services, health services, and
mental health or welfare services to effect a referral and assist
the provider in providing appropriate services.
At established intervals, revises plan when required, and
discusses it with both client and provider(s) to put into effect
those changes that will ensure that the plan continues to
meet the client's needs.
With parental permission, acts for or represents the client
before other agencies to ensure that the client receives
any services/benefits needed.
Obtains consent of the client/parent/guardian to permit contact
with other persons such as family members and professionals
from whom the client has presently received services to develop
an accurate assessment of prior efforts.
Discusses available services and a proposed ISP with the client
detailing recommendations and the reasoning for them to ensure
that there is mutual understanding about intervention goals and
the kinds of services to be rendered, obtains the agreement of
a client to a service plan.
Continuously reassesses the progress of a referral, repeating
interventions until a firm service decision is made to accept or
deny services to the client.
Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic
and/or manual recording and information systems used by
the agency, office, or related units.
REQUIREMENTS
EDUCATION
Graduation from an accredited college or university with
a Bachelor's degree in Nursing.
EXPERIENCE
Two (2) years of experience in providing social work
services, public health or nursing services in pediatrics
working with handicapped or chronically ill children.
NOTE: A Master's degree in Nursing may be substituted
for the educational requirements.
NOTE: A Master's degree in Nursing may be substituted
for one (1) year of the above experience, when not used to
fulfill the educational requirement.
NOTE: A Master's degree in Social Work may be substituted
for the above education AND one (1) year of the required
experience.
LICENSE:
Applicants who possess a Bachelor's degree in Nursing must
also possess a New Jersey license as a Professional Nurse.
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license
valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather
than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential
duties of the position.
KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES
Knowledge of methods and techniques involved in doing
casework involving the health, physical welfare, and social
adjustment of handicapped and/or chronically ill children.
Knowledge of casework terminology.
Knowledge of the organization,objectives, and activities of
varied types of public/private social agencies in New Jersey
after a period of training.
Knowledge of agencies available to provide services for specific
handicaps after a period of training.
Knowledge of problems encountered in collecting/analyzing factual
information needed to make determinations on individual cases.
Knowledge of problems involved with various types of handicaps
related to children.
Knowledge of methods of dealing with various handicaps both
by medical referral and social adjustment.
Knowledge of available community facilities designed to
facilitate/accommodate handicapped and/or chronically
ill children after a period of training.
Knowledge of the emotional, social, and psychological effect
handicaps may cause the individual, peer group, and family.
Ability to organize public health work and assigned casework,
analyze problems, and develop work methods.
Ability to recognize handicaps in children and provide specific
responses to individual cases.
Ability to organize/coordinate various county responses to
a specific individual case.
Ability to analyze laws, rules, regulations, and procedures and
apply them with reasonable consistency to individual cases.
Ability to organize assigned casework and develop effective
work methods.
Ability to work harmoniously with associates, families,
medical personnel, and public/private organizations.
Ability to collect and make correct appraisals of factual
information.
Ability to quickly comprehend, weigh, and evaluate significant
facts in an individual or family situation.
Ability to coordinate services to be provided to the
handicapped child and monitor the child's progress.
Ability to guide, instruct, and provide advice to other
employees.
Ability to prepare clear, sound, accurate, and informative
reports.
Ability to maintain records and files.
Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual
recording and information systems used by the agency,
office, or related units.
Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate
in English sufficiently to perform duties of this position.
American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered
as acceptable forms of communication.
Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long
as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without
reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be
made because it would cause the employer undue hardship,
such persons may not be eligible.
This job specification is applicable to the following title code: | | Job
Spec
Code | Variant | State,
Local or
Common | Class of
Service | Work
Week | State
Class
Code | Local
Class
Code | Salary
Range | Note | | 07493 | | L | C | | N/A | 27 | | - |
This job specification is for local government use only.
Salary range is only applicable to state government.
Local salaries are established by individual local jurisdictions.
12/29/2008 |
|
|
