Advocacy Specialist- Monitoring & Investigator

Disability Rights Wisconsin•Madison, WI

1d•$52,020 - $64,826•Hybrid

About The Position

The Advocacy Specialist - Investigator is part of Disability Rights Wisconsin’s Protection & Advocacy responsibilities and Investigations and Monitoring team. The role monitors the quality of services available to individuals with disabilities in Wisconsin and investigates allegations of abuse, neglect, rights violations, and deaths. It also conducts routine monitoring visits to facilities and programs serving individuals with disabilities, documenting observations and findings. Investigations may involve state psychiatric hospitals, prisons, adult family homes, juvenile justice facilities, and other settings. The team works with state agencies, community partners, providers, and other stakeholders to identify concerns and advocate for systemic change. The position is full-time, 40 hours per week, with working hours Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The employee must be a Wisconsin resident and may work anywhere in the state. Employees living within 45 miles of a Disability Rights Wisconsin office may work fully in-office or hybrid; employees outside that range qualify for fully remote work. The role requires regional and statewide travel, potentially with varying amounts of advance notice.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree, R.N., or equivalent experience of at least four years in paid or unpaid work providing advocacy or direct assistance to people with disabilities in an advocacy, case management, or investigations-related area. Relevant fields may include law enforcement, medical or mental health services, or social work involving review and analysis of medical or regulatory records.
Effective information-management and analytical skills for complex medical and legal issues.
Demonstrated commitment to social justice issues and people with disabilities.
Demonstrated effective oral and written communication skills.
Ability to collaborate with coworkers and external community partners, state and county decision-makers, and administering agency staff.
Proficiency with Microsoft tools, including Edge, Teams, SharePoint, and Outlook, and tools designed to track investigations and monitoring work.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Ability to travel regionally and statewide, with varying amounts of advance notice.
Must be a Wisconsin resident.

Nice To Haves

Experience or direct contact with people with disabilities.
Experience or direct contact with people from culturally diverse backgrounds.
Experience completing forensic investigations or analyzing medical records.
Experience in clinical, health care, or residential settings.
General knowledge of regulatory frameworks intended to prevent abuse and neglect, including licensing or patient-rights requirements applicable to residential or medical facilities serving people with mental illness, intellectual or developmental disabilities, sensory or physical disabilities, or traumatic brain injury.
In-depth familiarity with Wisconsin disability-related service, residential, or abuse-and-neglect prevention systems, including Family Care, IRIS, community-based mental health programs, adult protective services, child protective services, or state regulatory authority.

Responsibilities

Investigate reports of abuse, neglect, and client rights violations in services, programs, and facilities serving people with disabilities, and make strategic recommendations to prevent future incidents.
Review, track, and analyze statements of deficiency, notices of violation, and plans of correction issued against facilities, and maintain the related database.
Draft letters and open-records requests for investigation records, track requests, and catalog records received.
Conduct investigatory interviews by phone and in person with individuals with disabilities, family members, direct care workers, and others.
Prepare and send letters to placing agencies, state or county decision-makers, and others to alert them about problematic providers.
Review and analyze large volumes of medical and other records.
Prepare internal written reports and summaries of completed investigations and assist with public reports.
Attend weekly Investigations and Monitoring Team meetings and assist the Team Lead with agendas, minutes, and investigation files.
Create and maintain a tracking system to prioritize, track, and report investigation and monitoring work.
Edit and proofread investigative reports, ensure redactions are completed, attach relevant documents, and transmit reports to appropriate recipients.
Maintain electronic and paper files in accordance with data reporting and confidentiality requirements, and compile and organize statistical data.
Cultivate and maintain effective working relationships with local, state, and federal agencies and organizations involved in responding to or preventing abuse or neglect.
Attend meetings with state officials and potentially represent Disability Rights Wisconsin on relevant task forces, coalitions, and committees.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

Employer contribution toward individual and family health insurance and a Health Reimbursement Account for uncovered health care costs.
Employer-provided short-term and long-term disability insurance.
401(k) retirement plan with employer contribution.
Flexible spending account.
Dental coverage.
Vision coverage.
Additional life insurance for the employee, spouse, and children.
Critical illness insurance.
Identity theft coverage.
Pet insurance.
Potential eligibility for federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness programs through the organization’s not-for-profit status.
10 fixed and 4 floating holidays.
Leave for medical and caretaking needs, vacation, personal time, and bereavement.
Employee Assistance Program.
Commuter Choice.
Sabbatical leave.