House Lead - Health Care Tech III - Pueblo Regional Center at State of Colorado, CO

About the Department

Please note: This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.

This work unit exists to provide a safe, secure, therapeutic setting for comprehensive/holistic care of individuals with both developmental disabilities and medical issues to include evaluation and treatment. This includes 24-hour nursing care for individuals. The emphasis is providing outstanding support and services while offering a wide range of treatment options. The focus of treatment is stabilization, increased knowledge base, increased knowledge of treatment options (i.e., medications), individual and group therapy, discharge planning, working with families, support systems for individuals, and an understanding of developmental disabilities, health/medical issues. Individuals with developmental disabilities, physical handicaps, and multiple medical diagnoses also have multiple needs in addition to mental health stabilization are treated on this at their home. Individuals are admitted for the purpose of evaluation, observation, and treatment. The unit goal is to return them to their optimal level of functioning and assist them in returning to the community as appropriate. All individuals are empowered to choose in what manner they will participate in the life of the community.

Position Duties

About the Position
This position has work lead responsibility for a shift.  Position provides outstanding service while encouraging individual choice.  All staff will act as coaches to the individuals in their care using the person-center model of treatment.  Following all guidelines prescribed by the policies and procedures of State of Colorado’s Pueblo Regional Center.  Including but not limited to all Individual Support Plans, Individual Behavior Support Plans, Nursing Care Plans and Dietary Guidelines.  All staff will assist the individuals in their Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s) and community involvement.  All staff will assist the individuals’ engagement in community life, control personal resources, and receive services in the community, to the same degree of access as individuals without a disability. All staff are required to know and understand all treatment plans and stand as a strong advocate for the individual rights of all of the people we serve.  All staff ensure individual rights of privacy, dignity, and respect and freedom from coercion and restraint.

Lead Work:

• Provides leadership of direct care staff. Ensures that duties are being performed within acceptable guidelines. Provides hands on care and/or instructions in daily living activities for individuals receiving services.
• Monitors the milieu for needed interventions to include activities and planning community outings and other integration opportunities for assigned individuals on a daily basis.
• Responsible for the delivery of services to individuals as determined in their individual plans.  Directs assigned staff and ensures compliance in work duties and schedules, according to pre-established activity plans/schedules and daily individual needs.  
• Provides onsite training, counseling, and monitoring of support staff to ensure that all aspects of the individual’s vocational/ work life are being served, and to ensure timely and accurate implementation of program plans as identified in the Individual Plan.
• Identifies and reports to direct supervisor any problems that arise in the area of staff compliance, including excessive call offs, missed swipes, tardiness, etc.
• Identifies training needs; and initiates request for training from professional staff as needed (i.e., notifies supervisor and/ or responsible discipline).
• Collects, completes, monitors, evaluates, and delegates administrative forms, reports and client records in order to achieve personal outcomes for individuals served.
• Serves on rotation for on-call services.
• Completes and follows up on all medication variances when necessary.
• Complete the inventory of the assigned home and the residents per policy and procedures.
• Maintains and updates the home’s communication log, daily living reports, policies and procedures, and orientation book.
• Assumes “acting supervisor” duties should the Residential Coordinator be unavailable. 
• Required to work other location and/or shifts as needed to address agency resource needs.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Direct Care Services:

• Physically lifts, transports and/or positions individuals by using approved lifting techniques (i.e. two-man lift or pivot transfer).  
• Provides assistance as needed to ensure residents’ needs are met in all areas of daily living including but not limited to; eating, hygiene, dressing, bathing, toileting and clothing care.  
• Safely operates a motor vehicle to ensure safe transportation when transporting residents around campus or to outside locations, such as transporting clients to:  work area, program area, medical appointments, community activities, and vocational training.
• Assists residents with personal shopping.  Assists Residential Coordinator (supervisor) in ordering/purchasing supplies for the group home.  Follows Agency/State rules and policies and procedures and assures legal compliance with all purchases.
• Responds to behavioral challenges as needed with implementation of specific Behavior intervention programs (i.e., Safety Control or Emergency Control).
• Participates in Interdisciplinary Team process, discussing residents’ IPs.  Participates in the formulation of accurate information for assessments and formal reports for inclusion in the team process and individual plans (IPP).
• Maintains an attractive, well maintained living site by addressing safety concerns, making purchases, decorating living area and performing housekeeping duties to ensure a home environment.  This includes assisting individuals with decorating their personal space.
• Fully understands all aspects of fundamental rights, including the right to be free from restraints and free of abuse. Understands the responsibility of reporting to the appropriate administrative staff any incident or evidence of abuse or neglect utilizing INotify and following PRC policies on reporting violations.
• Assures confidentiality of medical record and information per HIPAA regulations.
• Communicates and interacts positively with each individual we serve, visitors, family members, guardians, peers, and supervisors.
• Communicates well by actively listening, reading, reviewing, and understanding information and sharing that information by utilizing the following resources:  State E-mail, Sign Me Book, Communication logs, Individual Plans, etc

Clinical Skills:

• Administers nursing care and positive supports.  Serving as a resource to the registered nurse, advising and alerting them to any behavioral or medical needs.  When necessary, intervenes in both medical and behavioral crisis situations.
• Provides services/treatments, per licensure requirements and governing bodies, to all residents while meeting their needs with a training approach - allowing the most independence possible.
• Familiarizes self with individual’s allergies, sensitivities to food/drug interactions.  Documents information in appropriate locations.  Aware of nutritional needs to include dysphagia-one to one monitoring.
• Administers physician ordered medications and medical treatments in proper dosages at appropriate times to each individual.  Follows proper medication administration procedures and reporting variances as needed.  Alerts RN to assess the need for PRN medication prior to administration.
• Documents outcomes of treatments and program implementation in a timely and accurately manner.
• Records a wide range of information: medication given (includes time and amount); residents’ responses to training and treatments; intake, output, menses, seizures; and all information relevant to all aspects of the client’s daily living and medical status.
• Administers treatments, medications, and dietary orders as prescribed and supervise staff implementation of administering medical orders.  Utilizes active and passive resident identification prior to administration of medications, treatments, obtaining blood for glucose, or starting an invasive procedure.Preparing meals to prescribed diet consistencies as specified in the dietary planning menu.  Variances must be documented and reported as directed by Dietary staff.
• Follows and maintains infection control standards and regulations.
• Follows and complies with all nursing competencies, and any classes suggested by supervisor.  Maintains required licensure and certifications.

Safety & Security:

• Employs intervention and verbal techniques in addressing a behaviorally troubled individual.  
• Completes, reports, and turns in paperwork in a timely manner for:  incident reports, injury on the job reports, debriefing paperwork, progress notes, etc.
• Understands how to:  obtain emergency assistance including after hours, respiratory services/oxygen, and equipment/laboratory services.
• Actively participates in fire drills and code zero drills.  Completes necessary documentation to identify potential problems.

Department Standards: 

• Knows, utilizes, and follows:  Pharmacy Formulary, treatment plans, Infection Control manual, Physician’s orders, Court order, Environment of Care manual, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Safety Data Sheets, Colorado State Personnel Procedure manual, Affirmative Action policy, Colorado Worker’s Compensation guidelines, Emergency guides, ADA statutes, Colorado Alliance for the Mentally Ill recommendations,  Resident rights, PRC and CDHS Policy and Procedures.
• Adheres to organizations policies and procedures.  Following nursing standard of care / Colorado Psychiatric Technician Practice Act / Licensed Practical Nurse Practice Act / Nursing Process.
• Follows all standards of care as spelled out in the Pueblo Regional Center’s policy and procedures and complies with standards of regulatory agencies.
• Participates in agency work groups, committees and attends assigned meetings and in-services, trainings as scheduled.
• Attends mandatory and annual in-service training, as well as, assigned Cornerstone training to meet education and mandatory training requirements. 
• Reports abuse allegations, claims of harassment/workplace violence immediately to the Emergency On Call Personnel (EOC) and Quality Assurance.
• Adheres to CDHS and PRC policies and procedures such as:  IOJ Reporting, Code of Conduct.
• Actively participates in the QAPI process at the home and Day program as directed by Leadership Team.  Ensures all necessary information is timely, objective, documented, and accurately tracked.

Minimum Qualifications

Education/Licensure/Certification/Experience:

• High school diploma or General Education Diploma (GED)
• Two (2) years of experience in an occupational field related to the work assigned to the position
• Certification or licensure appropriate to the work assigned to the position

Substitutions

Additional appropriate education will substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.

Special Qualifications:

• Colorado Psych Tech license- DD, Psych Tech – MI, LPN or QMAP 
• With checkoff completed by designated Regional center representative or earn within three months of hiring into this position. 
• Licensure must be valid, current and unrestricted.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience as a mentor, trainer, or supervisor over healthcare staff.
• Experience applying person-centered practices.
• Working knowledge of HIPAA rules and regulations.
• Computer proficiency.
• Writing assessments and following Individual service and support plans.
• Team Player
• Excellent Customer Service Skills
• Good Work History
• Relevant years of state service experience.

Conditions of Employment. 

• Full Background  CDHS employees (all Direct contact with vulnerable persons): CBI name check and fingerprint check, ICON Colorado court database, Medicare fraud database, Reference Checks, Professional License verification (licensure requirements), Drug Screen, PREA (Division of Youth Services),Trails check (direct contact with children), CAPS (direct contact with adults – Mental Health Institutes, Regional Centers, Veterans Community Living Centers).
• Must possess a valid, unrestricted Colorado Driver’s License
• Shift Work . PRC is a 24/7 facility, therefore person in this position must be available to work any shift, any day and/or any area, to meet agency needs.
• Travel. Position must travel to remote work sites and must utilize a state vehicle, if available. If not, must utilize personal vehicle and submit for mileage reimbursement.
• Special Qualifications. Colorado Psych Tech license- DD, Psych Tech – MI, LPN or QMAP with checkoff completed by designated Regional center representative or earn within three months of hiring into this position. Licensure must be valid, current and unrestricted.
• Must be able to participate and successfully pass behavioral intervention trainings.
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must:

• Disclose that information on the application.

• Explain why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify you from the current position.

• Provide your employee number from your prior State employment.  Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination and failure to provide this information will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.
  

Appeal Rights. 

You may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director if your application is eliminated.  You will find the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it on the State Personnel Board website. An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form (Adobe PDF), signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email ([email protected]), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.

Contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at (303) 866-3300; or refer to four Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, within the Rules webpage.

Other Qualifications

Benefits.

If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, join the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS). Our professionals strive to design and deliver high quality human and health services that improve the safety, independence, and well-being of the people of Colorado. In addition to a great location and rewarding and meaningful work, we offer:

• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus 401(k) and 457 plans

• Medical and dental health plans

• Employer supplemented Health Savings Account

• Paid life insurance

• Short- and long-term disability coverage

• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave

• State of Colorado Employee BenefitHub Resource Center

• Employee Wellness program

• Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more

• Remote work arrangements for eligible positions

• *Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Supplemental Information:

How to apply to the State of Colorado(Youtube Video, Runtime 3:59, Closed Captions Available)

The Assessment Process

For additional recruiting questions, please contact [email protected]

Our Values:

• We believe in a people-first approach: We prioritize the needs, well-being, and dignity of the individuals, families and communities we serve. We commit to respect, fairness and access in every decision, policy and interaction. We engage client voices and experiences in the development and implementation of the services we provide.

• Balance creates quality of life: We want our team to be resilient through a supportive workplace that values flexibility, health and wellness, and employee engagement.

• We hold ourselves accountable: We take responsibility through our actions, programs, and results for the state of health and human services in Colorado.

• Transparency matters: We are open and honest with employees, our partners, the Coloradans we serve, and the public.

• We are ethical: We abide by what is best for those we serve by doing what is right, not what is easy.

• Collaboration helps us rise together: We work together with all partners, employees, and clients to achieve the best outcomes for Coloradans.

The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer

We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities.  The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

ADA Accommodations:

CDHS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment. This includes completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or performing essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to [email protected].

Additional Support For Your ApplicationToll Free Applicant Technical Support

If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV technical support at 855-524-5627 Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time).  Helpful hints: if you are having difficulty uploading or attaching documents to your application first, ensure your documents are PDF or Microsoft Word files, and second, close the document before you attempt to upload (attach) it.

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