Intake Specialist

Birch Family Services; Hempfield Township (Westmoreland County); On-site; USD 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Birch Family Services located in Hempfield Township is looking for a dedicated individual to counsel and assist those with developmental disabilities. The role involves providing personal care, travel skills, and home management, aimed at maximizing community functioning.

Candidates should have a high school diploma or GED and at least one year of experience within the field. This position values effective communication skills and a commitment to fostering individual growth.

Qualifications

• Minimum 1-year experience working with developmentally disabled population.
• Two to four years related experience preferred.
• Demonstrated competency in written and verbal skills.

Responsibilities

• Counsel, assist, and train individuals with developmental disabilities.
• Create a comfortable home environment ensuring safety and cleanliness.
• Assist individuals in developing social skills for community integration.

Skills

Communication, Oral

Communication, Written

Motivation

Organized

Time Management

Education

High School diploma or General Education Degree (GED)

BA preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

Word

Outlook

Job description

To counsel, assist and train individuals with developmental disabilities in the areas of personal care, travel skills, social skills, home management and life skills in order to maximize their functioning in the community.

Minimum Job Requirements

• Education: High School diploma or General Education Degree (GED).
• Experience: Minimum 1‑year experience working with developmentally disabled population. Preferred setting: residential, health or treatment related.
• Specialized Knowledge, Licenses, etc.:
• Specialized training in direct care provision preferred.
• Must complete and obtain certification in the OPWDD Approved Medication Administration Course (AMAP) during the probationary period and maintain AMAP certification.
• Valid NYS Driver’s License required.
• Willingness to obtain First Aid and CPR certification.
• Willingness to obtain certification in SCIPR Competencies and advance to Promote Competencies.
• Demonstrated competency in written, verbal, and computational skills to document records in accordance with program standards.

Physical Demands

• Regularly required to speak clearly and hear the spoken word well.
• Regularly required to utilize near vision ability to read data and documents, including spreadsheets and reports, in printed form and on computer screens.
• Regularly required to provide physical care for clients, which may include bathing, feeding, changing clothes or diapers, and pushing wheelchairs.
• Ability to physically restrain challenging behaviors that include aggression, self‑injurious, and destructive behaviors.
• Ability to apply proper lifting techniques.

Work Environment

• Noise level is consistent with levels usually present in an office, education, group home, residential, rehabilitation, industrial, workshop or health related environment.
• Hazards present are consistent with those common to an office, education, rehabilitation, industrial, workshop or health related environment.
• Working with individuals whose age ranges from childhood to adulthood.

Essential Functions

• Support the individual by creating a comfortable home environment, ensuring safety and cleanliness based on skill level and risk.
• Use verbal and physical means to create a positive environment that encourages and enables individual growth.
• Participate in the individual’s life planning activities and assist in their implementation using a holistic approach.
• Assist the individual in developing social skills that help integration into the community.
• Perform protective oversight while engaging in community activities.
• Monitor each individual’s personal health continuously across all activities and times of day.
• Assist individuals in learning and practicing skills necessary for home living (household chores such as cooking, sweeping, dusting, bed‑making, vacuuming, dish‑washing, laundry, folding, and storing clothes).
• Provide opportunities for the individual to self‑advocate.
• Perform advocacy responsibilities while demonstrating respect for processes and people involved.
• Maintain all documentation related to essential functions and services for the individual.
• Adhere to procedures for mandated reporting and responding.
• Adhere to the NADSP code of ethics.
• Work toward satisfactory completion of each core competency goal according to the OPWDD timeline requirements.

Other Functions

• Demonstrates respect for all people.
• Demonstrates professional demeanor, punctuality, attendance, reliability, flexibility, and pleasantness.
• Interacts professionally with other staff members and community members.
• Shows enthusiasm for learning required skills and seeks feedback for improvement.
• Applies knowledge and skills gained on the job and maintains required certifications.
• Participates positively in organizational work using problem‑solving skills.
• Respects safety of others.
• Performs additional responsibilities as assigned by Senior Staff.
• May be assigned other tasks reasonably related to job responsibilities.
• Adheres to all rules outlined in the policy and procedures manual.

Enrollment

• Maintain full program enrollment at all times throughout the 12‑month school year.
• Implement policies and procedures that support full student enrollment at all Birch Family Services schools.

Correspondence & Ongoing Monitoring

• Correspond with district administrators, parents/families, evaluation coordinators, bussing coordinator, principal, educational supervisor, related service supervisors, supervisor, Agency Evaluation and Intake Coordinator.
• Monitor first attendance dates of newly enrolled students.
• Monitor bussing of newly enrolled students.
• Monitor distribution and review of IEPs by all relevant staff members.

Coordination of Annual Reviews & Quarterly Reports

• Track and ensure completion of annual and quarterly progress reports for all students.
• Ensure that reports are sent timely to district administrators and parents.

Outreach and Marketing

• Coordinate site‑based outreach projects.
• Establish relationships with district administrators and community personnel to maintain student referrals.
• Represent BFS at local community meetings.

Qualifications

• Communication, Oral – Ability to communicate effectively with others using the spoken word.
• Communication, Written – Ability to communicate in writing clearly and concisely.
• Motivation – Ability to inspire oneself and others to reach goals and perform to the best of their ability.
• Organized – Being organized or following a systematic method of performing a task.
• Time Management – Ability to utilize available time to organize and complete work within deadlines.

Education

BA preferred; will accept High School diploma with experience in educational setting.

Experience

Two to four years related experience.

Skills & Abilities

Computer Skills

Microsoft Office, Excel, Word and Outlook.

EEO Statement

Birch Family Services provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Birch Family Services complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. Birch Family Services expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Birch Family Services’ employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.