DISABILITY COORDINATOR

The GEO Group•Big Spring, TX

About The Position

The LPN - Disability Coordinator coordinates the facility’s disability identification, assessment, accommodation, and compliance program. The role serves as the facility’s designated Disability Compliance Coordinator (DCC) under applicable ICE detention standards and federal disability-access requirements. The coordinator assists facility personnel, supports equal access and effective communication, and coordinates individualized accommodations for patients with disabilities. The coordinator leads multidisciplinary case reviews; manages accommodation requests and referrals from patients, third parties, and staff; supports timely interviews, assessments, decisions, and interim accommodations; and works with qualified staff to identify appropriate accommodations. The role also supports patient access to facility programs and services, maintains confidential records, provides staff training and patient-facing information, reviews grievances and accessibility concerns, and participates in audits, quality assurance, corrective action planning, and updates to facility procedures and training materials. This position requires graduation from an accredited school of nursing and a current, unrestricted LPN license in the state where the facility is located. Relevant knowledge, education, or experience assessing individuals with disabilities is required. Two years of correctional, detention, or other secure-setting healthcare experience and experience coordinating accommodations, case management, health services, detention operations, compliance, or a related function are preferred.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
Current, unrestricted license to practice as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in the state where the facility is located; maintain a current copy of the license at the facility.
Relevant knowledge, education, or experience in assessing individuals with disabilities.
Working knowledge of disability accommodation principles, effective communication, auxiliary aids and services, confidentiality, documentation, and multidisciplinary case coordination.
Ability to conduct and document individualized interviews and assessments; manage required timelines; prepare decisions, notifications, reports, and training materials; and communicate effectively with patients, staff, leadership, and government partners.
Strong organization, judgment, interpersonal communication, and problem-solving skills; ability to exercise discretion and protect confidential medical and personal information.
Ability to coordinate across departments and facilitate multidisciplinary team discussions.
Strong organizational and time-management skills to track concurrent cases against regulatory deadlines.
Ability to understand and carry out complex oral and written instructions and apply policies, standards, and regulations to individual cases.

Nice To Haves

Two years of correctional, detention, or other secure-setting healthcare experience.
Experience coordinating disability accommodations, case management, health services, detention operations, compliance, or a related function.

Responsibilities

Serve as the facility’s designated Disability Compliance Coordinator and assist personnel in maintaining compliance with applicable ICE detention standards and federal disability-access requirements.
Maintain regular communication with the ICE/ERO field office’s designated Supporting Disability Access Coordinator or designee, including required consultations and written notifications.
Lead the facility Disability Compliance Multidisciplinary Team and coordinate regular case reviews with relevant medical, mental health, custody, compliance, safety, security, programming, and other personnel.
Coordinate timely receipt, tracking, assessment, implementation, and reassessment of accommodation requests, referrals, and staff-identified needs.
Ensure individualized interactive processes and patient interviews occur within applicable timeframes.
Coordinate immediate interim accommodations while longer-term accommodations are assessed, approved, procured, repaired, or delivered.
Collaborate with qualified staff to determine disability status, accommodation needs, and whether requested or equally effective alternative accommodations should be approved.
Ensure written decisions and required notifications are timely and provided in a language or manner the patient understands.
Inform relevant staff about approved accommodations and implementation instructions while protecting privacy and confidentiality.
Notify the Facility Administrator or Assistant Facility Administrator of recommendations to deny accommodations and confirm required approval and written notification to the ICE/ERO SDAC or designee before finalizing a denial.
Coordinate effective communication and appropriate auxiliary aids or services for patients with communication impairments; ensure other patients are used to interpret or facilitate communication only in emergencies.
Monitor physical and program accessibility, assistive-device use and retention, and patient access to facility programs and services in the least restrictive and most integrated appropriate setting.
Ensure disability or accommodation needs are not the sole basis for Special Management Unit placement and that restrictions involving assistive devices have individualized review and documented justification.
Coordinate reassessments of approved accommodations when requested or clinically or operationally indicated, including patient interviews and documentation in the medical record.
Maintain accurate, confidential, retrievable records of referrals, assessments, interviews, decisions, accommodations, notifications, implementation, reassessments, declinations, grievances, and team activity.
Support patient orientation, handbook content, and required postings concerning disability rights, accommodation requests, and facility procedures.
Support initial and annual refresher training for staff, contractors, and volunteers on disability identification and accommodation procedures.
Review disability-related grievances, worsening conditions, complex requests, accessibility barriers, and implementation concerns; initiate multidisciplinary review and corrective action as appropriate.
Participate in audits, inspections, policy reviews, quality assurance activities, and corrective action planning related to disability identification, assessment, accommodation, communication, and program access.
Present accommodation trends, timeliness, and documentation completeness to the quarterly Performance Improvement Committee and track corrective actions to completion.
Monitor revisions, renumbering, or reissuance of governing ICE detention standards and related ICE/DHS directives, and coordinate updates to facility procedures, forms, and training materials.
Perform other duties as assigned.