Coordinator - START

YAI - Seeing beyond disability; Santa Maria (CA); On-site; USD 72,000 - 88,000; Full time

Job summary

YAI - Seeing beyond disability is seeking a START Coordinator to manage a caseload, conduct comprehensive assessments, and coordinate with clinical teams for individuals with I/DD. The role includes outreach, intake processing, and developing crisis plans, with required START certification within a year.

Travel across regions and occasional interstate travel may be required, and on-call coverage is part of a regular rotation.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a human services field and 2+ years of experience with I/DD and behavioral health.
• Completion of START Coordinator Certification training within 12 months of appointment.
• Ability to travel regularly across assigned region and occasionally to other states as needed.

Responsibilities

• Maintains an active caseload of 20–25 individuals referred for START Services with system-wide consultation.
• Conducts home/setting visits via in-person or telehealth and coordinates intake assessments.
• Develops and updates crisis plans, action plans, and cross-systems coordination with clinical teams.
• Completes documentation and data entry in START Information Reporting System in a timely manner.
• Provides on-call coverage on a rotating basis and participates in START leadership meetings.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Writing skills

Independent and organized

Interpersonal and problem-solving

Willingness to travel

Education

Master’s degree in Mental Health, Psychology, Counseling, Social Work or related Human Service field

Bachelor’s degree in human services

START Coordinator Certification training within 12 months

Tools

START Information Reporting System

Job description

Key/Essential Functions & Responsibilities

Maintains an active caseload of up to 20 – 25 individuals referred for START Services and provides systemic consultation based on assessment and outreach findings, using ecomaps and providing consultation to systems/teams as needed using best practices, escalating concerns accordingly to supervisor and/or Clinical or Medical Director. Conducts regular outreach visits to each individual’s home, day and/or vocational settings as applicable to complete evaluations and assessments on an as needed or regular basis though in-person and/or telehealth visits, as required based on level of support needed, activity level and/or project scope (e.g. tier). Assists with referrals for consultation and treatment as needed, including screening for enrollment in START, completion of intake assessments across assigned region(s) consistent with applicable timelines and/or referrals to clinical team, Medical or Clinical Director or Resource Center, as appropriate. Ensures the coordination of support meetings and crisis plan development for individuals served through START, using the START Action Plan for planning and strategizing; provides information and results to and coordinates responses with Medical and/or Clinical Director, as needed, appropriately escalating concerns to START clinical team. Develops Comprehensive Service Evaluations, Cross-Systems Crisis Prevention and Intervention Plans, intake/assessments, intervention and outcome plans for START Therapeutic Coaching Program, Resource Center admissions/discharges and any other applicable documentation of services provided. Participates in recurring consultation, staff and other meetings with START leadership, clinical team and START Therapeutic Coaching program. Provides on-call support on a regularly scheduled, rotational basis as part of START team. Completes and maintains all applicable documentation, paperwork and/or records on a timely basis including resolution of concerns and reporting of incidents. Accurately enters all required data into START Information Reporting System and other appropriate systems, as required by state, on a timely and contemporaneous basis. Conducts regular outreach with community partners to maintain linkages and relationships. Develops materials and presents at Clinical Education Team Meetings as assigned by the director or designee. Participates in the Center for START Services National Network, which brings together projects from across North America through an online resource center, conference calls, select study groups and a meeting at an annual conference and/or other START events, as recommended. Completes and maintains all necessary trainings based on assigned program/region to ensure compliance with YAI policies, NCSS and applicable state regulatory agency (e.g. OPWDD, DDS) requirements, including obtaining and maintaining START Coordinator certification. Complies with all Federal, State, Local and other relevant regulatory agency requirements, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Performs all other duties as assigned.

Pay rate: $80,000 annually

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Master’s degree in Mental Health, Psychology, Counseling, Social Work or other Human Service field; and At least two (2) years of experience working with the I/DD population and/or behavioral health needs; or Satisfactory combination of education, experience and/or training as authorized by START/NCSS and/or appropriate State regulatory agency (e.g. OPWDD, etc.); however, all START Coordinators must have at least a bachelor’s degree in human services discipline. Successful completion of START Coordinator Certification training within 12 months of appointment, including demonstration of competencies in all associated areas. Ability to provide on-call coverage for crisis services on a regularly recurring basis, as designated by START leadership in assigned region beyond regular work hours including weekdays, weekends, evenings and/or overnight on a 24/7 basis, as required. Ability to travel regularly across assigned region(s) to conduct in-person assessments, evaluations and visits as required by caseload and to occasionally travel across other regions within state of operations and/or to other states as needed for NCSS meetings or events. Ability to meet essential physical demands of position including having the physical capacity to implement supports which includes using hands to handle, finger or feel objects, tools or controls; walking, sitting, standing, bending, twisting, stooping, kneeling, crouching, pushing, pulling and reaching with hands and arms; ability to lift, carry and transport items needed for therapeutic interventions performed in a variety of environmental settings, weighing up to 25 pounds to/from sessions, as needed and ability to implement crisis intervention plan if/as needed, which may include running. Ability to work with complex systems and an interest in the population is essential. Exceptional interpersonal and problem-solving skills. Independent and organized with strong communication and writing skills. Highly flexible personality type and willingness to take initiative.

Preferred Qualification Requirements

For assignments in the State of California, START Coordinators must meet the following additional requirement: Valid Driver’s License Preferred Qualification Requirements (desired requirements beyond MQRs above) Experience working with individuals with I/DD with cooccurring diagnoses and complex behavioral needs Experience working with people and their families and/or social service providers Verbal and/or written fluency in Spanish highly preferred; fluency in other language(s) may be preferred based on assigned region(s) and caseload All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or status as a Vietnam or disabled veteran. YAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To ensure fairness, safeguard transparency, and promote an equitable workforce environment, YAI Network prohibits the practice of nepotism in the workforce and hiring process.

YAI Overview

Our Roots YAI was launched in February of 1957 out of a small school in Brooklyn, New York. Initially staffed by Co-Founders Bert MacLeech and Pearl Maze MacLeech alone, their pilot program served just seven people. According to Bert, from its very beginning YAI has been dedicated to providing innovative services for the I/DD (intellectual and/or developmental disabilities) community. MacLeech envisioned a, "total life adjustment approach, emphasizing personal growth, social responsibility, employment goals, and the development of independence for the individual." At a time when institutional living was the norm for people with I/DD, this vision was nothing short of revolutionary. YAI Today Today, YAI has a team of over 4,000 employees and supports over 20,000 people in the I/DD community. This extraordinary growth shows the ongoing need for these important services, and YAI’s success in offering them. YAI supports people with autism, Down syndrome, and Cerebral Palsy, among others. Operating throughout Downstate New York and Northern New Jersey, YAI now offers more than 300 programs for people of all ages. Better Together At YAI, we are driven by our mission of living, loving, working, and learning. This applies not only to the people we support, but to our staff as well. Commitment and passion for the work continue to unite employees and drive the organization forward. Empowering the people we support to reach their goals remains at the heart of our organization. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or status as a Vietnam or disabled veteran. YAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To ensure fairness, safeguard transparency, and promote an equitable workforce environment, YAI Network prohibits the practice of nepotism in the workforce and hiring process.

http://www.yai.org/