Public Guardian 1/2 (02-1627)

State of Alaska; Juneau (AK); On-site; USD 52,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

The State of Alaska seeks a Public Guardian Trainee in Juneau to support developing guardianship services. You will learn to manage client finances, housing, and court reports while assisting with decision-making and visits for vulnerable adults.

The role offers a clear career path from PG1 to PG2 with on-the-job training and eventual certification as a registered guardian within one year of hire.

Qualifications

• Advocates for client interests in all matters.
• Makes sound, well-informed decisions with impact awareness.
• Sets realistic goals and works with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

• Carry a caseload of guardianship/conservatorship cases.
• Manage client finances, property, housing, court reports, and visits.
• Provide surrogate or substitute decision making for health care, housing, and services.
• Participate in court hearings and treatment/case planning meetings.
• Obtain certification as a registered guardian within one year of hire.

Skills

Advocacy

Decision Making

Self-Management

Education

Social science / behavioral science background

Job description

This position is open to Alaska Residents only. Please check our residency definition to determine if you qualify.

What You Will Be Doing

This is a flex position designed to support the development and progression of Public Guardians. The Public Guardian is responsible for managing all aspects of a vulnerable adult’s life, including financial, medical, housing, and personal decisions. Public Guardians serve adults, they do not serve children. New hires will begin at the PG1 level unless they have prior experience as a Public Guardian.

As a Public Guardian 1 Trainee you will:

• Receive on the job training to conduct tasks associated with managing client finances, property, housing, court reports, and client visitation.
• Learn to provide surrogate or substitute decision making regarding client mental health care, vocational training and education, residential placement, choice of service providers, and protection of legal rights.
• Assist senior guardians with core competency tasks to become proficient with caseload work.
• Receive training necessary to become certified according to national guardian standards.

This position has a planned promotional track that requires demonstrating a strong understanding of the core competencies of a public guardian to advance to the Public Guardian 2 position.

Public Guardian 2 you will:

• Carry a caseload of guardianship/conservatorship cases appointed to OPA.
• Manage client finances, property, housing, court reports, and client visitation, including regular contact with clients.
• Provide surrogate or substitute decision making regarding client mental health care, vocational training and education, residential placement, choice of service providers, and protection of legal rights.
• Participate in court hearings and treatment/case planning meetings for clients.
• Obtain required certification as a registered guardian within one year of hire as a Public Guardian 2.

Our Organization, Mission, and Culture

The Public Guardian section of the Office of Public Advocacy (OPA) provides legal advocacy, guardianship, and conservatorship services to vulnerable adults throughout Alaska. The section includes Public Guardians located in four regional offices, including Anchorage, Juneau, Fairbanks, and Palmer.

The Benefits of Joining Our Team

The Public Guardian section of OPA is a fast-paced environment made up of individuals who care deeply about the well-being of our clients. We are the appointment of last resort for these vulnerable adults and a place where compassion and problem solving are highly valued. The Public Guardian position has a planned career development, training, and advancement path. The Juneau Public Guardian office is located in beautiful downtown Juneau near many shops and restaurants.

The Working Environment You Can Expect

The Juneau office of the Office of Public Advocacy is located in downtown Juneau next the courthouse. Access to state parking is provided.

Who We Are Looking For

We are interested in candidates who possess some or all of the following position specific competencies:

• Advocacy: Develops and presents the client’s, patient’s, and/or customer’s interests in all matters.
• Decision Making: Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
• Self-Management: Sets well-defined and realistic personal goals; displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner; works with minimal supervision; is motivated to achieve; demonstrates responsible behavior.

Public Guardian 1

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in

• Integrity/Honesty:Contributes to maintaining the integrity of the organization; displays high standards of ethical conduct and understands the impact of violating these standards on an organization, self, and others; is trustworthy.
• Interpersonal Skills:Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences. Has experience effectively dealing with children, adults, or persons with a mental illness, developmental disability, traumatic brain injury, age-related dementia, or other form of disability.
• Oral Communication:Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
• Writing:Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience.

Equivalent to those typically gained by:

Educational coursework or training in a social science, behavioral science, guidance or counseling, or a closely related field and/or experience such as coordinating or providing social or legal services information or referrals to the public; coordinating or facilitating child, adult, family, or group case management, licensing, or probationary services; providing care or services to delinquent or incapacitated persons.

Public Guardian 2

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in

• Integrity/Honesty:Contributes to maintaining the integrity of the organization; displays high standards of ethical conduct and understands the impact of violating these standards on an organization, self, and others; is trustworthy.
• Interpersonal Skills:Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences. Has experience effectively dealing with children, adults, or persons with a mental illness, developmental disability, traumatic brain injury, age-related dementia, or other form of disability.
• Oral Communication:Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
• Technical Competence: Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one’s job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.

Equivalent to those typically gained by:

Educational coursework or training in a social science, behavioral science, guidance or counseling, or a closely related field and/or experience such as coordinating or providing social or legal services information or referrals to the public; coordinating or facilitating child, adult, family, or group case management, licensing, or probationary services; providing care or services to delinquent or incapacitated persons.

Special Note

As a condition of employment, the successful candidate must:

1. Pass a criminal history record information check (AS 08.26.070)
2. Applicants applying for PG 2 positions must either hold a current certification as a registered guardian from a nationally recognized organization at time of appointment or obtain a nationally recognized certification within one year of the date of hire (AS 13.26.740).
3. Applicants applying for PG 3 OR PG 4 positions must hold a current certification as a registered guardian from a nationally recognized organization at time of appointment (AS 13.26.740).

“Competencies” means a combination of interrelated knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that enable a person to act effectively in a job or situation.

“Professional experience” means work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession's principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the power or right to decide or act according to one's own judgment.

“Progressively responsible” means indicating growth and/or advancement in complexity, difficulty, or level of responsibility.

“Training” and “education” in this guidance are synonyms for the process of acquiring knowledge and skills through instruction. It includes instruction through formal and informal methods (such as classroom, on-line, self-study, and on-the-job), from accredited and unaccredited sources, and long-duration (such as a post-secondary degree) and short-duration (such as a seminar) programs.

“Typically gained by” means the prevalent, usual method of gaining the competencies expected for entry into the job.

EEO STATEMENT

The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities, who require accommodation, auxiliary aides or services, or alternative communication formats, please call 1-800-587-0430 or [phone] in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at: P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.