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NC Department of Health and Human Services · 1 day ago

Advocate I

Burke County, NC

Full-time

Onsite

Entry Level

$42K/yr - $73K/yr

2+ years exp

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is a large agency focused on ensuring the health and safety of North Carolinians. The Advocate I position involves providing technical and administrative assistance regarding resident rights, protecting the rights of individuals in state-operated healthcare facilities, and ensuring compliance with human rights regulations.

Health Care

Responsibilities

Provides technical and administrative assistance to DSOHF staff, other agencies and stakeholders regarding resident rights

Protects the rights of those served at state-operated healthcare facilities through investigations into abuse, neglect, exploitation, and other rights violations, incident reviews, and providing education, training, and consultation

Interprets the Human Rights Rules and Regulations, facility policy, DSOHF policy, Advocacy procedures, and regulatory requirements during everyday work

Ensures that practices are consistent with specified standards and guidance

Provides training for residents, families, facility staff, and Human Rights Committee members

Serves on committees, workgroups, and treatment teams at a facility level and participates in workgroups at a departmental level across the state to develop/revise Advocacy procedures and corresponding training

Serves as an independent and objective evaluator to determine if measures have been taken to minimize the risk to residents for incidents that don’t rise to the level of an investigation

Works closely with residents, guardians, and others on the residents’ behalf to provide education on rights issues, routine facility procedures, the complaint resolution process, and Advocacy services

Offers technical assistance to staff through monitoring, consulting, training, and collaboration to help ensure that residents are represented at all levels of the facility and that their rights are honored

Functions as a liaison to the Human Rights Committee, Disability Rights NC (DRNC), Division of Health Service Regulation (DHSR), Department of Social Services (DSS), and, as needed, local Police and Sheriff Departments

Qualification

Investigative processResident rights knowledgeOral communicationWritten communicationResearch skillsCollaboration skillsTechnical assistanceEducationTrainingPlanningCoordination

Required

Master's degree in a human services program from an appropriately accredited institution and two years of the experience providing services (diagnostic and treatment, advocacy, and/or casework) for individuals who are developmentally, physically, or mentally disabled

Bachelor's degree in a human services field from an appropriately accredited institution and three years of experience providing services (diagnostic and treatment, advocacy, and/or casework) for individuals who are developmentally, physically, or mentally disabled

Bachelor's degree in a human services field from an appropriately accredited institution and four years of human services experience providing skills in investigating abuse and neglect, interviewing techniques, and similar functions

An equivalent combination of education and experience

Excellent oral and written communication skills

Ability to plan and coordinate daily work effectively, efficiently, and independently

Experience collaborating with individuals from various clinical disciplines and participating as a member of the treatment team

Ability to research applicable laws, regulations, policies and apply the knowledge to daily work

Preferred

Working knowledge of the investigative process which may include but is not limited to interviewing skills, evidence gathering, analyzing findings, reaching fact-based determinations, and/or documenting such in a professional, detailed report

Knowledge of resident rights and applicable laws and regulations (Federal & State) related to the disability group served