Quality Assurance Specialist 2

State of Nevada•Las Vegas, NV

11h

About The Position

The Quality Assurance & Program Evaluation Specialist is responsible for reviewing and evaluating the quality and appropriateness of client care and services within DCFS programs. This includes creating and reviewing critical incident reports, identifying deficiencies, and performing root cause analysis to inform opportunities for improvement. The position confirms adherence and compliance with state and federal guidelines through statewide audits of medical/case records, facilities, and children welfare, juvenile justice, and mental health programs. The incumbent utilizes statistical and analytic tools to analyze, clean, and re-code data related to annual performance measures and surveys. The role includes designing, distributing, collecting, evaluating, and compiling surveys; producing client-level data and summary reports; completing annual deliverables; and responding to ad-hoc requests for program evaluation and quality assurance. Additional responsibilities include conducting literature reviews and in-house research on predictive factors influencing child welfare, juvenile justice, and children’s mental health outcomes, visualizing and interpreting data findings for presentation, and updating protocols, reporting forms, and processes to improve program performance. This position collaborates extensively with internal and external teams to review data, share findings, track progress, and make recommendations, and provides technical guidance and training to agency staff, providers, and other stakeholders on quality assurance/improvement activities, regulations, program requirements, and policies. They must be able to plan, organize, direct, and track quality assurance programs; inspect and audit services for compliance with accreditation and regulatory standards; read, interpret, and apply technical documents; establish and coordinate internal review processes; and provide training and technical assistance on quality and accreditation standards. Additional abilities include organizing and leading performance improvement teams, coordinating quality activities with department policies, serving as a liaison with accrediting and regulatory bodies, performing statistical computations, and applying all knowledge and skills required at lower levels of the classification. Candidates must also be able to procure, clean, and identify relevant data points from existing systems; break out, organize, and analyze data to identify trends; and apply statistical methods to determine patterns, relationships, and statistically significant results to support evidence-based decision-making. Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time. Quality Assurance Specialists design and implement a comprehensive quality assurance program encompassing clinical and related disciplines at a mental health hospital, residential care facility or community-based program or service for individuals with intellectual disabilities who may also have significant physical and/or mental health issues, rehabilitation facility, or a clinic which provides outpatient medical and psychological services, or the medical system for the Department of Corrections. Incumbents objectively and systematically review and evaluate the quality and appropriateness of client care and services, identify opportunities for improvement, and work with administrators and staff to resolve identified problems and deficiencies.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in nursing, social work, human development, special education, health science, public health, or other behavioral or social science and two years of professional experience, which included one year of experience providing client services in a human resource services field and one year of experience performing program evaluation, quality assurance/improvement, and/or utilization review activities for a human resources program; OR one year of experience as a Quality Assurance Specialist I in Nevada State Service; OR an equivalent combination of experience and education, above the Bachelor's degree level, as described above.
Working knowledge of accepted practices and methods used in designing quality assurance/improvement reviews and audits.
Working knowledge of medical/behavioral terminology.
Working knowledge of data collection methods and statistical analysis techniques.
Working knowledge of federal and State laws pertaining to inpatient and/or residential practices and procedures.
Working knowledge of accreditation standards for human services programs.
Working knowledge of medical/clinical or client records documentation standards and procedures.
Ability to locate, analyze, interpret, and apply information, data, and research findings.
Ability to write narrative and statistical reports, recommendations, correspondence and other materials using computerized graphics and presentation software.
Ability to provide technical assistance for agencies regarding quality assurance/improvement and accreditation standards.
Ability to apply accreditation, licensing, and certification standards to specific situations.
Ability to provide training in quality assurance standards and compliance requirements.
Ability to evaluate program effectiveness, recognize existing or potential problems, and formulate recommendations for corrective action.
Ability to develop surveys and questionnaires to produce reliable and valid data.
Ability to procure, clean, and identify relevant data points from existing systems.
Ability to break out, organize, and analyze data to identify trends.
Ability to apply statistical methods to determine patterns, relationships, and statistically significant results to support evidence-based decision-making.
Must be able to plan, organize, direct, and track quality assurance programs.
Must be able to inspect and audit services for compliance with accreditation and regulatory standards.
Must be able to read, interpret, and apply technical documents.
Must be able to establish and coordinate internal review processes.
Must be able to provide training and technical assistance on quality and accreditation standards.
Must be able to organize and lead performance improvement teams.
Must be able to coordinate quality activities with department policies.
Must be able to serve as a liaison with accrediting and regulatory bodies.
Must be able to perform statistical computations.
Must be able to apply all knowledge and skills required at lower levels of the classification.

Nice To Haves

Statistical and analytic tools such as SAS, SPSS, Excel, Qualtrics, and other software to analyze, clean, and re-code data related to annual performance measures, Universal Reporting System (URS) tables, and the National Substance Use and Mental Health Services Survey.

Responsibilities

Review and evaluate appropriateness of client services including access, outcomes and prevention.
Conduct case reviews including customer interviews and surveys, medical/clinical and case records, facility inspections, and agency/facility policies and procedures.
Assist in identification of problem areas.
Monitor high risk/impact areas and processes vulnerable to litigation, adverse publicity, or involvement of law enforcement.
Evaluate compliance with applicable accreditation, licensing, health and safety, and funding requirements.
Develop recommendations for corrective actions including serving on committees, providing written reports and summaries, and presenting findings to administrators and department staff.
Review citations and plans of correction from federal, State, and accreditation reviews.
Participate in developing corrections and monitor corrections for compliance.
Provide technical guidance to agency staff and/or contractors regarding quality assurance/improvement activities and requirements.
Ensure agency/facility staff, contractors and administration are aware of accreditation, licensing, funding, and human rights requirements.
Provide training to staff, providers, and outside agencies regarding federal and State regulations, program requirements, policies and procedures, accreditation standards, client rights, consent and confidentiality issues, due process, documentation and communication related topics, and other areas as required.
Review reports of incident, abuse and neglect, rights violations, sentinel events, serious incident, treatment appeals and complaints.
Ensure applicable regulations and reporting requirements are followed.
Conduct investigations and contact outside enforcement agencies as appropriate.
Ensure client confidentiality and privacy as well as the security of documents, reports, and findings.
Coordinate agency efforts to achieve and maintain accreditation.
Develop quality assurance/improvement criteria and methodology.
Coordinate self-assessments using accreditation standards.
Research, develop and collate data for pre-survey information packets.
Coordinate, write, and organize information incorporated into official corrective action plans submitted by the agency in response to survey or statements of deficiencies and findings.
Prepare narrative and statistical reports.
Participate in budget preparation.
Monitor and control expenditure of funds for staffing, equipment, supplies and other areas as required.
Perform related duties as assigned.
Report to a Clinical Program Planner, agency manager or other administrator in an agency's central office, or report to a Quality Assurance Specialist III and assist in performing quality assurance/improvement activities for inpatient services at a mental health hospital, residential facility or for community-based programs and services.
Participate in the evaluation, design, and implementation of quality assurance/improvement activities for programs and services provided by the agency which may include collecting data to evaluate services, summarize findings, and prepare recommendations for improvement.
Participate in special analytical studies, research and projects.
Assist in monitoring grant funds including researching information for participants, coordinating committee functions, and completing annual reports.