Developmental Specialist 1 - Underfill

State of Nevada • Nevada, NV

5d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Aging and Disability Services Division (ADSD) is recruiting for a full-time Developmental Specialist 1 position in Reno/Sparks, Carson City, and Las Vegas, Nevada. This recruitment will be used to underfill positions within the Developmental Specialist series, with advancement to the next level possible after meeting qualifications, satisfactory performance, and with endorsement. This role may fill current and future vacancies in programs like Sierra Regional Center (SRC), Desert Regional Center (DRC), Rural Regional Center (RRC), and Youth Intensive Support Services (YISS). Positions with DRC, SRC, and RRC will oversee case management for 45-55 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including Autism, Seizure Disorders, and Cerebral Palsy, who live with family or in community-based supported living arrangements. The role requires strong writing and communication skills, independence, and collaboration within an interdisciplinary team. Responsibilities include developing, coordinating, and monitoring individualized support plans to help clients achieve personal goals while ensuring safety in the least restrictive environment. Positions within The Children's Services Program may work as part of the Youth Intensive Support Services (YISS) Team, serving children with dual diagnoses and partnering with service providers and mental health agencies. YISS team members have smaller caseloads and require knowledge of positive behavioral supports and local developmental and mental health services. Travel throughout the Reno/Sparks, Carson City, or Las Vegas areas is required. ADSD values innovation, teamwork, and collaboration, aiming to empower individuals by providing resources for disabilities and aging, connecting Nevadans to services, and improving quality of life. Developmental Specialists provide individual and group developmental and support services for individuals of all ages with or at risk for developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, or related conditions, and social, emotional, and/or behavioral disorders. They develop and implement programs and treatment/service plans, provide direct services and case management, develop financial and community resources, and offer education, information, and technical assistance to families, agencies, and service providers.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in early childhood special education, human growth and development, psychology, counseling, social work or closely related field.
• Strong writing and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently with minimal training.
• Ability to collaborate within an interdisciplinary team.
• Knowledge of positive behavioral supports.
• Knowledge of local developmental and mental health services.
• General knowledge of human growth and development.
• General knowledge of behavior management techniques.
• General knowledge of specific developmental skills such as fine and gross motor, social skills, communication, cognition, and self-help.
• General knowledge of issues of daily living as applied to individual and family centered environments.
• Ability to work cooperatively and effectively with the public, service providers, and co-workers.
• Ability to maintain case files and records.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to apply knowledge of developmental delays and human development to intervention or treatment programs.
• Ability to structure developmental activities to remediate deficits and maintain individual strengths.
• Ability to make physical, mental, and behavioral assessments and accurately record information.
• Ability to prepare treatment/service plans and provide services for a caseload of clients.
• Ability to evaluate and reassess the functioning level of the client.
• Ability to provide instruction and direction to clients and others in group or individual settings.
• Ability to defuse aggressive and maladaptive behaviors of clients.
• Ability to complete billing forms and documentation related to services provided.

Nice To Haves

• Advancement to the next level may occur after meeting the minimum qualifications, satisfactory performance, and with endorsement of the appointing authority.

Responsibilities

• Develop, coordinate, and monitor the implementation of individual support plans to facilitate achievement of identified goals for the specific developmental and behavioral management needs of each individual served in the least restrictive environment possible.
• Provide case management services.
• Be responsible for needs assessment.
• Coordinate and monitor supports.
• Supervise the activities of supported living arrangement providers.
• Provide early intervention diagnostic and treatment services and case management for children under the age of three who are medically fragile and/or exhibit developmental delays.
• Develop and implement service plans with families to remediate delays and facilitate development of social, motor, communication, cognition, self-help, and behavioral skills in home and community settings.
• Function as a service coordinator to assist families with accessing services and resources in a clinic and/or the community.
• Provide consultation and guidance to family specialists and collaborate with community organizations and agencies to share resources and expertise in providing training to families of infants under the age of one regarding best practices in the care of infants to encourage optimal child growth and development.
• Assess individuals using appropriate assessment tools to evaluate and determine eligibility for services, program planning, and individual and family needs.
• Establish a base line and document progress in meeting objectives.
• Develop treatment and service plans by interviewing the individual, family members, and care providers.
• Identify goals based on individual/family objectives and available resources.
• Review client’s social history, report observations and recommend changes.
• Remediate deficits and provide intervention strategies.
• Assist care providers in learning behavioral techniques to enhance the care provider/client relationship.
• Implement treatment and service plans to support and strengthen family/care provider functioning.
• Evaluate with the family/care provider the appropriateness of desired outcomes of the treatment/service plan and the effectiveness of the plan in meeting the client, family, and care provider needs.
• Review plan with client and family/care provider and revise as needed.
• Develop treatment/service plans and monitor client and family progress.
• Identify, obtain, coordinate, monitor and evaluate resources and services to meet client and family/care provider needs.
• Assist clients in obtaining financial assistance.
• Coordinate treatment and services with outside agency service providers.
• Monitor work sites, school, and community-based placements.
• Advocate for the client to ensure goals are accomplished.
• Prepare and submit reports to courts and other agencies.
• Develop external resources required to achieve identified treatment/service objectives.
• Coordinate and facilitate services between agency, client, family, and community organizations.
• Provide information to providers regarding agency policy, procedure, and guidelines.
• Identify funding sources and participate in writing grant proposals to expand services.
• Participate on program review teams, provide technical assistance, prepare federal and State reports, and meet with professionals in local communities to develop program awareness and partnerships.
• Conduct home visits.
• Negotiate and write contracts for housing, in-home and other services.
• Monitor providers to ensure services are provided.
• Monitor quality of the living environment.
• Train care providers as necessary.
• Review billing forms for accuracy of services provided.
• Provide crisis intervention including responding to emergency calls.
• Search for missing clients.
• Report instances of neglect and abuse to appropriate authorities.
• Coordinate emergency services such as respite.
• Restrain client or utilize appropriate behavioral and environmental controls for clients who may be hostile, combative, aggressive or assaultive.
• Follow established protocols and policy to protect clients, staff, family and others potentially at risk due to client behavior or family dynamics.
• Consult with clinicians, medical personnel, vendors, contractors, school districts, other public agencies, community organizations, employers, and professionals in the legal system to exchange information.
• Serve as motivator and negotiator to arrange and resolve service delivery issues.
• Develop training curriculum regarding early childhood development, parenting skills and developmentally appropriate activities.
• Organize training and present information to clients and family/care providers regarding methods to achieve developmental objectives in the treatment/service plan.
• Develop and implement activities and therapeutic techniques.
• Provide feedback, monitor treatment plans, and document client progress.
• Function as primary or co-therapist in group therapy sessions and other treatment groups offered by the agency.
• Assist family/care providers in learning behavioral techniques.
• Guide care provider participation in treatment/service programs and meet with families/care providers to discuss client progress.
• Prepare a variety of written reports related to the evaluation of clients and therapeutic services provided.
• Document case notes in client files.
• Provide information to treatment/service team members, other professionals, family members, care providers, and administrators regarding current evaluations and client progress.
• Prepare and submit forms and documentation for billing purposes as required.
• Supervise lower-level professional, paraprofessional and support staff, teachers, university students and volunteers as assigned.
• Perform related duties as assigned.
• Under immediate supervision, incumbents function in a trainee capacity and learn to perform duties described in the series concept.

Benefits

• The State of Nevada is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to building diverse, inclusive, and innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them.

What This Job Offers

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