START Coordinator

essc; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 63,000 - 77,000; Full time

Job summary

Easterseals Southern California is seeking a START Coordinator to provide comprehensive case management, crisis support, and coordination of care using the START service model. The role requires leadership in training therapeutic coaches, multidisciplinary collaboration, and ensuring adherence to established protocols.

Qualifications include a Master’s in social work or related field, CPR certification, and START Coordinator certification within 12 months.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of evidence-based practices and protocols.

Responsibilities

• Provides trainings on CSCPIP to START team members and systems of support.
• Trains and supervises Therapeutic Coaches to meet goals and triage issues.
• Trains providers and caregivers on de-escalation and emergency intervention strategies.
• Establishes collaborative relationships with all relevant systems of support and facilitates team meetings.
• Leads START team daily triage, Clinical Education Training with Clinical Director, and ESSC trainings.
• Maintains an active caseload of individuals referred for START Services.
• Completes START Coordinator certification training within 12 months of employment.
• Uses ecomaps for systemic analysis and provides consultation to systems/teams.
• Assists with referrals for START services including enrollment screening.
• Ensures coordination of support meetings and crisis plan development for START enrollees.
• Provides outreach visits to home, day, and vocational settings.
• Uses START Action Plan for case planning and strategizing.
• Develops Comprehensive Service Evaluations and CSCPIP plans; prepares intake/discharge docs.
• Develops materials and presents cases at Clinical Education Team Meetings.
• Completes required data entry.
• Provides on-call support as part of START team.
• Participates in the Center for START Services National network.

Skills

Evidence-based practices

Education

Master's Degree in social work, psychology, counseling or human service field

CPR certification

START Coordinator certification within 12 months

Job description

Easterseals Southern California transforms lives every day. For over a century, Easterseals has championed inclusion and independence-delivering essential services like early childhood programs, autism services, employment and independent living support to more than 29,000 people each year. Through advocacy and education, we break barriers and create opportunities for the one-in-four Americans with disabilities.

Starting salary: $70,304/yr

• Preferred language skills include Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, and/or Vietnamese.

OVERVIEW OF POSITION:

Provides comprehensive case management, crisis support, coordination of care, advocacy, community linkage, and development of intervention plans using the START (Systemic, Therapeutic, Assessment, Resources, and Treatment) service model. Supports individuals at-risk for acute crisis, loss of residential placement, and/or individuals who are currently experiencing crisis. Supports the system of care, ensures high-quality services for participants and that all treatments provided follows protocols established and approved by ESSC and the National Center for START Services (NCSS). Oversees the implementation of therapeutic coaching activities provided by therapeutic coaches. Collaborates with the START leadership team to monitor the quality and delivery of crisis support services using the START service model.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTION:

• Provides specific trainings on recommended strategies included in Cross-Systems Crisis Prevention and Intervention Plan (CSCPIP) to START team members and systems of support.
• Trains and supervises to Therapeutic Coaches with identifying activities to utilize in order to meet the goals of the service and provide triage of issues as needed and to provide support to individuals with daily activities, personal care, behavioral health needs, and health, wellness, and leisure activities.
• Trains and supervises Therapeutic Coaches, providers, and caregivers on de-escalation and intervention strategies for individuals displaying emergency behavioral health concerns. Provides crisis plans and assessment outcomes to START Therapeutic Coaching Lead (STCL) and START coaches to enhance coaching activities.
• Establishes collaborative relationships with all relevant systems of support and facilitates team meetings.
• Provides support and feedback for emergency coaching visits, leads community Clinical Education Training with Clinical Director, leads START team daily triage to review potential crisis and provide support, leads and facilitates internal ESSC START team and community trainings.
• Maintain an active caseload of individuals referred for START Services (variability occurs depending on activity level of cases and the project scope).
• Must successfully participate in and complete the START Coordinator certification training within 12 months of employment. This includes the demonstration of competencies in all areas associated with START Coordination.
• Understand how to use ecomaps as part of systemic analysis and provide consultation to systems/teams as needed using best practices.
• Assist with referrals for START services as needed including screening for enrollment in START.
• Ensure coordination of support meetings and crisis plan development for individuals enrolled in START.
• Provide outreach visits to the individuals' home, day, and vocational settings regularly.
• Use the START Action Plan for case planning and strategizing.
• Develop Comprehensive Service Evaluations, Cross-Systems Crisis Prevention and Intervention Plans, intake/assessments, admission/discharge summaries for resource center admissions or inpatient hospital admissions and any other applicable documentation of services provided.
• Develop materials and present cases at Clinical Education Team Meetings as assigned by the director or designee.
• Complete all required data entry expectations.
• Provide on-call support on a rotational basis as part of a START team.
• Participate 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 as recommended.

EDUCATION:

• Master's Degree in social work, psychology, counseling or human service field.
• Must have and maintain current CPR certification card.
• Must complete START Coordinator certification within 12 months following employment.

EXPERIENCE:

2 years of professional experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities and behavioral health needs, in a multi-disciplinary team setting. Typically, experience in managing severe behavior problems such as frequent property destruction, aggression towards others, SIB, PICA, etc.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES:

Strong knowledge of evidence-based practices, scientifically validated methodologies and approaches found to benefit individuals with developmental disabilities and behavioral health needs, familiar with current research findings. S