DSHS HCLA Long Term Care Surveyor

State of Washington•King County – Kent, WA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

As a Long-Term Care Surveyor with DSHS's Home and Community Living Administration, you'll investigate complaints at Certified Community Residential Services and Supports (CCRSS) settings in the HCLA Region 2 area. You also conduct certification evaluations, follow-up inspections, monitoring visits, and focused infection control inspections. Your work ensures that providers meet state certification standards and that residents receive the care they are entitled to. This position is based out of the Kent office but requires regular travel throughout the region, and occasionally statewide. You will work in people's homes and residential care settings. Some visits are unannounced. Some will take place during evenings or weekends. The work is independent, detail-oriented, and grounded in protecting the health and safety of the people who depend on these services most.

Requirements

Master’s degree in social work, speech pathology, occupational or physical therapy, psychology, special education, nutrition, sociology, or a related field, AND two years of professional experience in planning, administering, licensing, monitoring or delivering social or health or behavioral health service programs in long term care and/or behavioral health settings.
Or Bachelor’s degree in one of the above fields, AND four years of professional experience in planning, administering, licensing, monitoring, or delivering social or health or behavioral health service programs in long term care and/or behavioral health settings.
Or Eight years of professional experience in planning, administering, licensing, monitoring, or delivering social or health or behavioral health service programs in long term care and/or behavioral health settings.
Investigation: Recognizes relevant facts, identifies deficient practices, and applies state regulations and Standard Operating Procedures to reach well-supported findings.
Report writing: Produces clear, accurate technical reports that document observations, interviews, and record reviews in a format that is legible, organized, and legally defensible.
Communication: Speaks and writes clearly with clients, family members, providers, facility staff, and agency partners; adjusts tone and approach to fit the audience and the situation.
Time management: Organizes and prioritizes a varied caseload of complaint investigations, certification activities, and monitoring visits to meet statutory and department timelines.
Interviewing: Gathers complete and accurate information through structured conversations; builds enough rapport with clients, staff, and community representatives to support honest and productive exchanges.
Objectivity: Keeps a professional and respectful demeanor when working with difficult people or in high-pressure situations; separates personal reactions from professional findings.
Technology proficiency: Uses Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Teams to complete work; enters and retrieves data from the RCS system; performs all field documentation using a laptop or tablet.
Knowledge of long-term care: Understands the principles and practices of long-term services, including social service and health service delivery in residential and behavioral health settings.

Responsibilities

Plan and carry out complaint investigations, certification evaluations, follow-up inspections, monitoring visits, and focused infection control inspections at CCRSS settings.
Conduct interviews with clients, family members, community representatives, and facility staff to gather information about care practices and service quality.
Observe clients, their living environments, and the physical conditions of care settings during onsite visits.
Review client records, care plans, medical documentation, and staff and personnel records as part of investigation and certification activities.
Write clear, accurate technical reports documenting observations, interviews, record reviews, and findings in a format that is easy to understand and legally sound.
Communicate findings to CCRSS providers and their staff, both verbally and in writing, following state procedures.
Enter all inspection information into the electronic RCS database system; all work is paperless.
Coordinate complaint investigation activities with Adult Protective Services, local law enforcement, Medicaid Fraud, and other state investigating agencies as needed.
Identify deficient practices and apply regulatory standards to determine findings; conduct follow-up inspections to verify corrections.
Attend unit huddles, mandatory meetings, trainings, Informal Dispute Resolutions, and administrative hearings as required.
Use a laptop or tablet in office and field settings to document and retrieve inspection information; wear and properly use PPE, including a respirator, gown, gloves, and face shields, when visiting facilities during an infectious disease outbreak.
Report for duty on short notice, outside normal scheduled hours, or at a different duty station during a recognized emergency or disaster.