Developmental Disabilities Unit Liaison

City of New York•New York City, NY

About The Position

The Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) protects and promotes the safety and well-being of children and families through child welfare and juvenile justice services and community supports. The Office of Child & Family Health (OCFH), and the Developmental Disabilities Unit (DDU) in the Division of the First Deputy, is charged with ensuring that all foster children served by Children’s Services have timely access to quality, comprehensive physical, developmental and mental health services, and that these services are provided in a continuous and coordinated manner. The DDU engages in activities to help individuals (children/parents), suspected or diagnosed with an intellectual and/or developmental disability (I/DD) receive the community-based services, supports and care during the protective, preventive and foster care phases of their ACS involvement. The DDU also provides technical assistance, case specific consultation and training to ACS staff as well as its external stakeholders. The DDU partners with the NYS Office of People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) on behalf of young adults (ages 18-21) aging out of foster care who require Adult Residential Housing Opportunities and Community Based Services within the OPWDD Comprehensive Waiver.

Requirements

The ability to understand and carry out simple instructions is required.
Candidates must be able to understand and be understood in English.

Responsibilities

Assist in improving community services by performing liaison functions among or between City agencies such as NYC Department of Education (NYC DOE) and NYC Health+Hospitals, community-based organizations and groups and the individuals with an intellectual and/or developmental disability (ID/DD) they represent and service.
Participate in meetings and trainings with City agencies including but not limited to NYC DOE and NYC H+H regarding the DDU’s function, NYS Office of People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) eligibility requirements, supports and resources involved in providing appropriate permanency and service planning for this ID/DD special needs population.
Assist in community outreach efforts, and community meetings, and serve as a DDU representative to community-based organizations on ID/DD related issues and services including representing ACS in community-based meetings and conferences.
Maintain resource directory library of community services and resources for children and families of the ID/DDs special needs population.
Review lists of identified parent/ children screened for or suspected of ID/DD clinical documents submitted by child/case planners and assembling materials from community-based providers so that completed referrals may be forwarded to OPWDD for eligibility review.
Assist in the maintenance of the unit’s database of list of parents /children awaiting an OPWDD state services.
Refer children with ID/DD to Children’s Health Home(s), and provide technical assistance navigating eligibility and enrollment process for Care Management and other community-based services such as NYS DOH Children’s Waiver (HCBS).
Refer individuals with suspected or confirmed ID/DD for psychological and psychosocial evaluations and assist in maintaining electronic records.
Assist in reviewing/preparing referral packets for OPWDD Eligibility for “Age-Out” referral submissions.
And other duties as assigned.