Bilingual(Spanish) Life & Community Advocator (Day) ($19.15-$20.30))

POSITION: Life & Community Advocator FLSA CLASSIFICATION: Non-Exempt

RATE: $19.15 an hour

NORMAL WORKING HOURS/DAYS: Monday - Friday (8:30am - 4:30pm)

$$$$$ We offer a Sign on Bonus of $1000.00 $$$$$

About the Organization:
The Arc Prince George’s County serves more than 600 individuals with disabilities through a variety of programs, services and supports. Our primary areas of support are community living, family and personal supports, employment services, and day programs - all with an emphasis on person-centered community involvement and inclusion. To learn more about us and to review the complete job description, please visit www.thearcofpgc.org.

The Arc is seeking a Life & Community Advocators that performs a wide variety of person centered support 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.

Person-centered Focus:
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 supports and community)
Relationship building (Creating opportunities for people to build friendships, make connections and develop meaningful relationships in an inclusive environment)

Here’s a Snapshot of What You’ll Be Doing Day-to-Day:
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.

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.