Options Counselor

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire; Eau Claire (WI); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Eleven paid holidays

Wisconsin retirement system

Job summary

Eau Claire County is seeking an Options Counselor to provide counseling on long-term care options, determine eligibility for public programs, and support individuals and caregivers through enrollment and service coordination. The role emphasizes trauma-informed service, community resources, and independent caseload management.

You will work with older adults, people with disabilities, and their families, coordinating with healthcare providers and agencies to ensure timely access to services and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in health or human service-related field.
• One year of experience in health or human service field working in an aging or disability related profession.
• Long-Term Care Functional Screen certification or ability to obtain certification within three (3) months of hire and maintain that certification thereafter by passing bi-annual exams.
• Option Counseling Standards certification or ability to obtain certification within three (3) months of hire.
• Ability to exercise independent judgement and make decisions in complex situations.
• Appointment conditional upon successful completion of criminal and caregiver background checks.
• Must maintain a valid driver’s license and automobile liability insurance meeting Wisconsin’s minimum coverage requirements.

Responsibilities

• Develops individualized action plans and tracks progress through case management systems.
• Develops and delivers educational materials and presentations to individuals with disabilities and elders.
• Independently manage a caseload, providing ongoing support, follow-up and documentation.
• Coordinate benefits and services with healthcare providers, legal professionals, and government agencies.
• Explain complicated information to people with varying abilities to assist customers in completing community resource applications.
• Maintain documentation in the case management system with extensive notes.

Skills

Options counseling

Eligibility determination

Case management

Communication skills

Assessment skills

Independent judgement

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in health or human service field

Job description

Position Summary

The Options Counselor provides counseling about options available to meet long-term care needs as well as factors to consider in making long-term care decisions. Options counseling is a person-centered, interactive decision-support process, connecting older adults, adults living with a disability, and caregivers to programs and services, including public and privately funded options. This position determines eligibility for the publicly funded long-term care services for older adults and adults living with a disability.

Qualifications

• Provides long-term care options counseling, eligibility determination, enrollment counseling, and disenrollment counseling for the State’s Long Term Care Programs.
• Conducts thorough assessments to understand individuals’ health, financial, and social needs in order to equip them with options to make informed decisions.
• Executes high level interviewing and assessment skills and utilizes professional judgement in order to administer the Long-Term Care Functional Screen per certification requirements.
• Manages available resources and services for older people, adults with physical or developmental disabilities, and adults with mental health and substance use disorders and their families and caregivers to offer accurate and current information to customers on resource eligibility, cost, service descriptions, and method to apply/receive services.
• Develops individualized actions plans and tracks progress through case management systems.
• Develops and delivers educational materials and presentations to individuals with disabilities and elders. Serves as a community resource on issues relating to aging and living with a disability.
• Independently manage a caseload, providing ongoing support, follow-up and documentation.
• Uses extensive knowledge of the needs of older people, adults with physical or developmental disabilities, adults with mental health and substance use disorders and their families and caregivers; assesses customers and their needs to obtain or maintain community based or in-home services; explores needs beyond the presenting problem, looking at short- and long-term solutions.
• Works closely with healthcare providers, legal professionals, government agencies, and community organizations to coordinate benefits and services for individuals.
• Effectively explains complicated information to people of varying physical, cognitive abilities to assist customers in completing community resource applications; maintains contact throughout eligibility and enrollment process and follows-up as needed.
• Uses ability and skill to communicate effectively orally and in writing using trauma informed model of service; provides care transition assistance to customers transferring between community care settings to in-home care; provides outreach and information to young persons with disabilities and their family caregivers, as they transition from school into the adult long-term care system; links at-risk individuals with prevention and early intervention services provided by the ADRC, public health, and other service providers.
• High level knowledge of dementia in order to provide dementia education and support to individuals and their caregivers.
• Administers memory screens and provides person-centered follow-up as needed.
• Approves funding for transportation rides related to 85.21 transportation grant.
• Assesses the need for and provides education on adaptive equipment.
• Employs skill in personal computer operation utilizing a variety of standard and specialized software and online programs to accurately and thoroughly documents each interaction with customers in the case management system with case notes that must meet extensive standards.
• Participates in and conducts agency committees and community and internal focus groups; assists in developing outreach and marketing materials and provide community education and information via public presentations; communicates with general public concerning issues for people served by the ADRC and their family and caregivers.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with internal and external partners.
• Performs other related duties as required or assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a major in a health or human service-related field.
• One year of experience in health or human service field working in an aging or disability related profession.
• Long-Term Care Functional Screen certification or ability to obtain certification within three (3) months of hire and maintain that certification thereafter by passing bi-annual exams.
• Option Counseling Standards certification or ability to obtain certification within three (3) months of hire.
• Ability to exercise independent judgement and make decisions in complex situations.
• Appointment will be conditional upon successful completion of criminal and caregiver background checks.
• Must maintain a valid driver’s license and automobile liability insurance meeting or exceeding Wisconsin’s minimum coverage requirements, with proof of insurance provided upon hire and maintained throughout employment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in gerontology, social work or other health and human services related profession.
• Experience with providing information and assistance, long-term care options counseling, care coordination, or case management and the long-term care functional screen.
• Experience working in an agency with government income maintenance program, health insurance, and consumer rights for people with disabilities.
• Experience in the use of adaptive equipment, the ability to assess the need for it and to demonstrate the usage of it.
• Experience with public speaking, preferably with community organizations and health care professionals.
• Experience working with the medical community or other professionals and resources serving the ADRC target populations.
• Direct ADRC work experience, preferably with experience as a long-term care functional screener.

Eau Claire County is not only a great place to work, but has many exciting benefits!

• Paid Time Off (PTO): Accrual is based on years of service with the County, starting at 6.4 hours accruing each pay period (20.8 days per year), with the maximum accrual rate of 35.75 days per year. All new hires at Eau Claire County receive 40 hours of front-loaded PTO upon hire, which they may begin using immediately.
• *Manager PTO accrual available upon request*
• Holidays: Eleven paid holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a Spring Holiday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve Day.
• Retirement: The County provides a retirement account in Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS). Employees pay one-half of the actuarially required contributions.

Important Note: This information gives only a brief summary of the plans in effect for regular, full-time Non-Represented employees of Eau Claire County and may not be all-inclusive. Eau Claire County's policies and County Code govern if there are differences between this information and the policies.

01

Do you have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a major in a health or human service-related field?

• Yes
• No

02

Do you have one year of experience in health or human service field working in an aging or disability related profession?

• Yes
• No

03

Which of the following best describes your certification?

• Long-Term Care Functional Screen certification
• Ability to obtain Long-Term Care Functional Screen certification within three (3) months of hire and maintain that certification thereafter by passing bi-annual exams.
• Option Counseling Standards certification
• Ability to obtain Option Counseling Standards certification within three (3) months of hire.
• None of the above
• Required Question