Health Services Advocate

Sertoma Star Services; Alsip (IL); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Holidays

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life/AD&D

Long-term disability

Employee assistance

403(b) with match

Tuition assistance

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Training programs

Job summary

Sertoma Star Services seeks a Health Services Advocate to help individuals with developmental disabilities access and navigate community healthcare. You will advocate for rights, coordinate medical visits, and promote holistic health.

You will liaise with providers, caregivers, and the support team to improve outcomes and ensure documentation is complete. This role emphasizes equity, person-centered care, and coordinated services.

Qualifications

• Must meet IDHS Direct Support Professional requirements.
• Must maintain Medication Administration Certification.

Responsibilities

• Advocate for individuals during healthcare visits and communicate needs to medical professionals.
• Track and coordinate medical, dental, vision, and specialist appointments.
• Assist individuals in understanding conditions and treatment options.
• Support reduction of unnecessary medications with providers.
• Monitor follow-up care and ensure treatment is implemented.
• Facilitate paperwork, insurance, and authorizations.
• Collaborate with families, guardians, and internal teams on health records.
• Provide transportation to and from appointments.
• Ensure compliance with healthcare regulations (Rule 115, 116, CQL).
• Maintain documentation in the Electronic Health Record.

Skills

Communication skills

Teamwork

Disability experience

Autonomy

DSP requirements

Medication administration

Driver's license

Job description

Who We Are

At Sertoma Star Services, we're on a mission to empower individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities and those living with mental illness to reach their goals and lead fulfilling lives. With a strategic presence in South Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, we proudly serve over 2,000 consumers through a diverse range of vocational, educational, therapeutic, and residential programs.

Sertoma Star Services’ roots trace back to the merger of two dynamic social services organizations, New Star and Sertoma Centre combining over 125 years of expertise in providing cutting-edge, person-first services. Our united commitment is straightforward: to transform lives through delivering comprehensive services, choices, and opportunities to those we support in an environment that promotes self-advocacy and personal success.

By joining the Sertoma Star Team you will have a unique opportunity to challenge limits and change lives. Together, we can shape a brighter future for those we serve.

Your Role

The Health Services Advocate plays a vital role in ensuring that individuals with developmental disabilities living in the community and supported by Sertoma Star Services can effectively access and navigate community-based healthcare. This position ensures individuals receive quality healthcare, advocating for their rights, reducing unnecessary medications, and promoting a holistic approach to health and well-being. The Advocate will

coordinate medical appointments, attend visits, track follow-ups, and liaise with healthcare providers, caregivers, and the individual's support team to improve healthcare outcomes.

The Health Services Advocate at Sertoma Star Services is instrumental in ensuring equitable healthcare access for individuals with developmental disabilities, bridging gaps in care, and fostering a person-centered approach to health and well-being.

Responsibilities

• Advocate for individuals, assigned to their caseload, during healthcare visits, ensuring their needs, concerns, and rights are communicated effectively to medical professionals.
• Track and coordinate all necessary medical, dental, vision, and specialist appointments to ensure timely access to care.
• Assist individuals in understanding their medical conditions and treatment options while promoting informed decision-making.
• Support the reduction of unnecessary medications through collaboration with healthcare providers, ensuring a focus on evidence-based treatments and holistic care.
• Monitor follow-up care, ensuring that treatment recommendations and prescribed therapies are implemented & tracked appropriately.
• Facilitate paperwork completion, insurance documentation, and authorizations to minimize barriers to care.
• Collaborate with internal teams, families, and guardians to maintain comprehensive health records and align care plans.
• Ensure compliance with healthcare regulations, including Rule 115, Rule 116, and CQL standards.
• Identify gaps in healthcare access and work with community resources to enhance service availability for individuals.
• Maintain all relevant documentation from each appointment in the individual’s Electronic Health Record.
• Provide transportation to and from appointments.

Qualifications

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to effectively work with coworkers and consumers
• Knowledge of working with individuals with disabilities
• Ability to work independently and to carry out assignments to completion within parameters of instructions given, prescribed routines, and standard accepted practices
• Must be able to meet the IDHS requirements for Direct Support Professionals
• Must maintain Medication Administration Certification
• Must maintain a valid driver’s license and meet agency driving requirements when required to provide transportation.
• Generous paid time off
• 13 Paid holidays
• Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance Plans
• Employer Paid Insurance: Basic Life/AD&D and Long-Term Disability
• Employee Assistance Program
• 403(b) with company match
• Tuition assistance
• Eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness
• Ongoing training and development opportunities

Health, Safety, and Culture

Sertoma Star is an equal opportunity employer that embraces the uniqueness of every person. Sertoma understands that in order for you to work effectively and be an advocate of inclusivity, we must foster an environment that is respectful and sensitive to persons of all gender identities and from every cultural, socioeconomic, ethnic, religious, and racial background. Our open-door, team-building concept supports both agency goals and employee success.