Family Navigation Specialist

• The Family Navigation Specialist represents Laura Baker Services Association to the customers and the communities in which the Association participates, using Laura Baker Services Association standards of conduct and guiding philosophies to promote the well-being of the people the Association supports. The Family Navigation Specialist is a hybrid position.
• The Family Navigation Specialist will be primarily responsible for guiding the families of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), through the increasingly complex and challenging ecosystem of IDD services and supports. The Family Navigation Specialist will also provide Pre-employment Transition Services to youth with disabilities within the public-school settings through contracted services with Minnesota’s Employment and Economic Development’s Vocational Rehabilitation Services to provide counseling and training in job exploration, workplace readiness, self-advocacy, post-secondary education, and work-based learning.
  
  

• Conditions of Employment: The Family Navigation Specialist must pass a Minnesota Department of Human Services background check and must be able to maintain that eligibility. S/he must be able to maintain work status based upon his/her health. Upon hire, s/he must be able to prove that s/he has valid work status. S/he must be able to perform the demands of the job: environmental, physical, mental, and sensory.

• Reporting Responsibilities: The Family Navigation Specialist reports to the Family Navigation Lead and the program consultants.
  
  
• Internal Contacts: The Family Navigation Specialist will interact with Administrative Team members. Primary contacts will be with the Family Navigation Lead and Administrative Support.
  
  
• External Contacts: The Family Navigation Specialist will potentially interact with any and all of the constituencies of Laura Baker Services Association and the community at large, as appropriate to job duties. Primary contacts will be with customers seeking to navigate IDD services and supports, and with the agencies and offices that provide those supports as well as Vocational Rehabilitation Services staff with the State of Minnesota and various high school staff members and students’ caregivers/family members.
  
  
• Responsibilities and Duties: The Family Navigation Specialist is responsible to ensure that the following responsibilities are completed promptly and to the best of his/her abilities:
  
  Representing
  • the Association in a positive and professional manner;
  
  Communication and Relationship building:
  
  • Responding to family and caregiver inquiries in a timely and professional manner.
  • Building trust quickly with clients.
  • with outside individuals, regarding specific program initiatives.
  • the Association's mission statement to the communities in which Laura Baker Services Association operates and encouraging others to do likewise.
  • an understanding of the basic LBSA philosophies and practices to all contacts, especially employees and teams.
  
  
  Collaborating:
  • with each family and caregiver seeking support and/or help to create a collaboration network for the person. Support families as they take steps to access services including: participating on phone calls, sharing resources and ensuring family has resources to complete like filling out applications and other related tasks.
  
  Monitoring
  • customer satisfaction and progress as a means to determine program effectiveness.
  • disability services trends and opportunities.
  
  Evaluating
  • customer satisfaction and progress as a means to determine program effectiveness.
  • program metrics to determine when and where the navigator program should change.
  
  Developing
  • the necessary procedures for the programs to operate efficiently and effectively.
  • co-create, implement and evaluate the launch of this new service.
  
  Recording, Organizing & Maintaining:
  • databases as assigned, including client information.
  • submitting proper billing documentation in a timely manner per policies and procedures.
  
  
  7. Decision-Making Responsibilities: The Family Navigation Specialist has the authority to make decisions based on the direction of the Program Support Staff Levels of Decision Making as a guide for decisions.
  
  
  8. Knowledge, Education, and Experience: Lived experience being a care provider for (a) person(s) with disabilities is highly preferred. Deep understanding of the facets of care management for people with disabilities: e.g., medical, educational, residential, service funding and access, recreational, and an ability to assist others to navigate those facets.
  
  
  9. Skills and Abilities: The Family Navigation Specialist must exhibit the skills to build trusting relationships with customers and others. S/he must have exceptional verbal and written expressive communication skills, and exceptional receptive communication skills. S/he must exhibit flexibility and creative problem solving ability, while also understanding the business aspects of providing support. S/he must be able to manage multiple priorities successfully, have excellent time management skills, and be highly organized. The Family Navigation Specialist must be able to work independently without constant need for supervision.
  
  
  10. Core Competencies:
  
  Planning and Organizing/Time Management
  a. sets priorities, goals, and timetables to achieve maximum results.
  b. sets priorities with an appropriate sense of what is most important and plans with an appropriate and realistic sense of the time demand involved.
  c. makes decisions wisely, after adequately contemplating various available courses of action.
  
  Continuous Learning
  a. demonstrates eagerness to acquire necessary technical knowledge, skills, and judgment to accomplish a result or serve customers’ needs effectively.
  b. takes responsibility for own development.
  
  Communication: oral and written
  a. presents self clearly and articulately.
  
  Technical Expertise
  a. Applies and improves extensive or in-depth specialized knowledge, skills, and judgment to accomplish a result or to accomplish one’s job effectively.
  b. Understands technical aspects of one’s job and continuously builds knowledge, keeping up to date on the technical or procedural aspects of the job.
  This technical expertise includes the following:
  • Regional and State - Developmental Disability Programs and Services Options
  • Peer Support and Family Connections
  • Community Connections
  • First steps in accessing County, State and Federal programs (waivers)
  • Housing Options
  • Major life transitions and challenges at critical points including: prenatal advising, birth and infancy, preparing for school at various transition points, preparing for life after school including job preparation and aging related services.
  • Legal considerations (guardianship, wills, trusts)
  • Medical Record management
  • Access to Referral Network of professionals who provide services to families with individual with developmental disabilities
  c. Makes oneself available to others to help solve technical or procedural problems or issues
  d. Thinks of ways to apply new developments to improve organizational performance or customer service.
  
  Quality
  a. shows concern for quality, accuracy, and completeness of work activities.
  b. plans own work activities to ensure that all assignments are completed in a timely and quality manner.
  
  
  Responsiveness
  a. Ability to respond to client and prospects needs and communications within 24 hours.
  b. Creating and delivering the plan within mutually agreed upon timing.
  c. Scheduling appointments and calls within mutually agreed upon timing.
  
  Position Requirements:
  · Hybrid work environment available. Will need to be in the office occasionally to meet with clients in a variety of locations.
  · As needed, will meet in-person with clients/families and prospective clients/families in a variety of locations.
  · Available to work in the office as needed (Northfield, MN).
• · Valid Driver’s License
  · Pass Minnesota Department of Human Services Background Check

Laura Baker Services Association is an equal opportunity employer.