Job Description

Under the direction of South Carolina Department on Aging and the supervision of the AAA Director and the Finance/Operations Manager, the Family Caregiver Advocate will work with county agencies and other local entities to develop partnerships and service options in order to develop a multifaceted support system to respond to the needs of family caregivers. The Family Caregiver Advocate also will work closely with agency directors, care managers, and I & R staff to develop staff capacity, identifying existing services, and promote new services to respond to needs of family caregivers. The duties will include the following:

• The Advocate shall provide personalized and consumer-friendly assistance through active community and network involvement to empower individuals to make good, informed decisions about their caregiving options.
• The Advocate develops and maintain current information regarding programs, opportunities, and services available to older adults, adults with disabilities, and their families/caregivers with their geographical regions and statewide and forwards information on resources not in SC Access to the I/R&A Specialist.
• The Advocate abides by policies and procedures established under federal and state law, as well as all policies set by the SCDOA, which protect the integrity of the program as well as the privacy of individuals utilizing services.
• Client Intake: The advocate through conversation and direct questioning shall request and record the demographic information outlined by the SCDOA upon receiving a call from a family caregiver.
• Referrals: The Advocate shall provide appropriate referral choices to Caregivers whenever possible.
• Incorrect Data: The Advocate shall encourage Caregivers to notify him/her in the event the condition of the care recipient or the services requested change.
• Promote: The Advocate shall promote the FCSP, the Alzheimer’s Program, and the State Respite Program throughout the region.
• Data Entry/Collection: The Advocate shall accurately input client data into AIM within 48 hours of receipt and document every call and contact, including information only calls, by recording the type of information requested and the action taken. Minimum 2-3 per day.
• Expenditures: The Advocate will accurately keep track of expenditures, contact and intake data, earned services units, and people service category.
• Reporting: The Advocate shall complete quarterly reports using inquirer data and/or data from AIM to support community planning activities (or planning at other levels), internal analysis, and advocacy. Reports shall have the ability to provide inquirer characteristics, service requests, service use, community assets, and gaps and duplication in services.
• The Advocate communicates with the SCDOA through email and advocate meetings for the purpose of collaborative effort to continuously enhance and expand the Family Caregiver Program to its highest possible potential.
• The Advocate is responsible for coordinating the Family Caregiver Support Program regionally, in conjunction with the SCDOA
• The Advocate is responsible for coordinating the Alzheimer’s Respite Program regionally, in conjunction with the SCDOA, as long as funding is available.
• The Advocate is responsible for coordinating the State Respite Program regionally in conjunction with the SCDOA, as long as funding is available.
• Outreach: The Advocate shall participate in a minimum of three (3) community health fairs, seminars, webinars, etc. that promote and identify appropriate providers, services, and service delivery system improvements each quarter.
• Tracking Client Data Client information, as well as outreach efforts, shall be recorded in accordance with the protocols set by the SCDOA to ensure current client information is up to date, to prevent duplication of client profiles, and to identify the need to create a new client record.
• I&R/A Certification: The Advocate must receive training in aging and disability programs, earn INFORM USA certification within 15 months of their hire dates, and provide a copy of the current INFORM USA certificate to the SCDOA Caregiver Program Manager.
• Continuing Education: The Advocate must complete 10 hours of continuing I&R/A education every two years to maintain INFORM USA certification.
• Teamwork: The advocate shall work closely with others in the aging (SC Access staff, Family Caregiver Advocates, SHIP Counselors, Directors, Ombudsmen, etc.) to ensure that service and resource information is shared within the AAAs and with appropriate SCDOA staff to provide the best possible resources for community service available.
• Completes Relias trainings and signs off on PowerDMS documents in a timely fashion.
• Willing assists with other duties as requested.

Education and Experience

• Ability to access training needs and objectives
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community
• A valid driver’s license
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variable in situations where only limited standardization exists
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral and diagram or schedule form
• Ability to work independently and handle problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations

Hours

Monday – Friday, 37.50 hours per week

Location

Hartsville, SC (Vantage Point)

CareSouth Carolina is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified individuals, without regard to race, color, age, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.