Adult Protective Services Worker

Minuteman Senior Services • Burlington, MA

1d • $29 - $32 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Adult Protective Services Worker is responsible for assessing and evaluating allegations of abuse or neglect. Abuse and neglect can take many forms including self-neglect, caretaker neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse, financial exploitation and sexual abuse. The Adult Protective Services Worker will investigate Protective Services reports by conducting home visits in the community and other settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, assisted livings. They will assess a consumer’s risk level, provide crisis intervention, service planning and other responsibilities necessary to prevent, eliminate, mitigate or remedy the effects of abuse and neglect. The investigation also includes gathering relevant information by interviewing key collateral contacts. They will work directly with at-risk consumers, professionals, and families. They will assess at-risk consumers ability to appreciate, understand and assume risks. They will connect the at-risk consumers with any and all available resources, including, but not limited to, state home care services, substance abuse, scams, etc. Designed to provide short-term crisis intervention, the Adult Protective Services worker supports the most vulnerable at-risk consumers. They need to be flexible and possess strong time management skills to adapt to the ever-changing demands of the day. They need to demonstrate the ability to independently manage tasks, show initiative, and meet deadlines.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree (required) in Human Services or Criminal Justice, or related field, and 2 years’ crisis intervention, risk reduction, domestic violence, or witness advocate experience.
• OR Master’s Degree in Human Services or Criminal Justice, or related field, and 1 year of crisis intervention experience.
• Knowledge of the dynamics of abuse.
• Experience in crisis intervention
• Knowledge of state home care services, public benefits resources and community resources.
• Experience working collaboratively with healthcare, legal and community-based organizations.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working in an Aging Services agency is helpful.
• Experience with older adults and/or investigations
• Experience in working with isolated, frail older adults is helpful.
• Knowledge of and sensitivity to issues related to the aging process.
• Experience in substance abuse, mental health, child protective services, District Attorney's office, abuse investigation, or other related position preferred

Responsibilities

• Receive and investigate allegations of abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, and self-neglect of an older adult (60+) in a timely manner as defined under the regulations governing the protective services program.
• Provide case work services to protective service consumer population, by responding to crisis situations with field visits to assess an older adults physical, social, emotional and environmental status
• Conduct written assessments of risk, decisional ability and functional abilities. While also providing short-term case management and making referrals to alleviate substantiated allegations.
• Work closely with community agencies and organizations including first responders, community safety personnel and medical professionals to identify needs, locate resources, and set up service network to meet needs.
• Develop and maintain ongoing service plans to assist in the resolution of the Protective Services casework.
• Maintain case records; collect information for program monitoring and evaluation.
• Serve in a rotational 24-hour on-call capacity, as determined by the Protective Services Supervisor, to ensure continuous coverage and timely response.
• Must be able to respond quickly to emergencies and travel to locations throughout the organization's designated catchment area. Those areas include Acton, Arlington, Bedford, Boxborough, Burlington, Carlisle, Concord, Harvard, Lexington, Lincoln, Littleton, Maynard, Stow, Wilmington, Winchester, and Woburn.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level