SUPERVISING ADVOCACY SPECIALIST | INVESTIGATIONS AND MONITORING

Disability Rights Wisconsin•Monona, WI

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Supervising Advocacy Specialist - Investigations and Monitoring position oversees investigations and monitoring activities under DRW’s protection and advocacy authority, including supervising a team of advocates responsible for collecting case information, conducting investigations, and providing information, guidance, self-advocacy support, consultation, and referrals. This role ensures the timely and accurate collection of relevant data, the monitoring of facilities and trends, and the coordination of reports. In addition, this role oversees the development of case strategy and workload management.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in an area related to providing advocacy services to people with disabilities, e.g., BSW, R.N., or equivalent, involving review and analysis of medical or regulatory records. At least four years in paid or unpaid work providing advocacy to vulnerable people may be considered in lieu of a bachelor’s degree.
General knowledge about regulatory frameworks related to those with mental illness, intellectual/ developmental disabilities, sensory or physical disabilities, and traumatic brain injury.
Ability, skill, or experience with individual cases, which could include handling investigations, negotiation, mediation skills, and case file maintenance.
Information management related to complex medical and legal issues.
Experience working with people of culturally diverse backgrounds.
Computer skills including email, word processing, and use of the internet, and using Microsoft Edge, Teams, SharePoint, and Outlook.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team, and manage your own workload, which includes prioritizing work and multitasking multiple cases simultaneously.

Nice To Haves

Experience/direct contact with people with a disability or social justice movements, either in a paid or unpaid capacity.
Previous supervisory experience.
General knowledge or ability to learn of resources relevant to individuals in Wisconsin’s disability-related services/legal rights, residential, prevention of abuse/neglect systems, including Family Care, IRIS, Medicaid, Medicare, community-based mental health programs, and adult/child protective services.
Experience completing forensic investigations or medical record analysis.
Ability to write and/or speak Spanish, Hmong, or ASL as well as English is desired.
Paid or volunteer experience dealing directly with clients/customers on the phone.
Personal or professional advocacy experience, which may include providing outreach, training, and/or technical assistance.

Responsibilities

Facilitate and oversee investigations and monitoring related to abuse and neglect of people with disabilities - 35%
Conduct and oversee investigations of abuse and neglect.
Utilize interviewing skills to gather relevant information and determine if complaints are substantiated.
Analyze records, reports, and relevant documents.
Review and track complaints and facility deaths, and maintain information stored in DRW databases.
Draft letters, requests, and follow-up correspondence for investigations and monitoring. Properly store any materials & documents collected during the investigation or monitoring.
Strategically plan and coordinate monitoring trips and continue to communicate with providers and stakeholders.
Alert respective parties of problematic findings from investigations and monitoring activities.
Prepare written reports and summaries regarding investigations and monitoring trips.
Work collaboratively with external entities and internal stakeholders.
Administration – 35%
Monitor and track information in notifications mailboxes, and distribute correspondence as needed. Coordinate and implement team meetings, including preparing agendas, taking minutes, and updating investigation tracking documents.
Create and maintain a system to ensure investigations and monitoring work are appropriately prioritized, tracked, and reported.
Edit and proofread investigative reports; ensure that all necessary redactions have been properly performed, secure and attach all relevant documents to investigative reports; ensure external reports are transmitted to the proper recipients.
Maintain both electronic and paper files in compliance with DRW data reporting and confidentiality requirements, compile and organize statistical data.
Implement, coordinate, and monitor system for complaints; Coordinate and review all complaints and open as investigations when appropriate; integrate complaints with monitoring efforts as necessary; track complaint trends
Lead and support team efforts –20%
Facilitate check-in meetings and advise on projects, casework, workload, and development.
Onboard and mentor new Advocacy Specialists.
Provide overall supervision, including performance reviews, recruitment, professional development, etc., of Advocacy Specialists
Outreach- 10%
Cultivate and maintain effective working relationships with other local, state, and federal agencies, stakeholders, and organizations responsible for investigating, preventing, or otherwise responding to incidents.
Attend meetings with state officials. Occasionally represent DRW on task forces, coalitions, and committees concerned with relevant issues.
Cultivate and maintain effective working relationships with private and public agencies and facilities serving the disability community.
Provide training at conferences, other agencies, and in the community when appropriate.
General - <1%
Adhere to all DRW policies and procedures, including but not limited to work hours, timesheets, file maintenance, confidentiality, and security.
Participate in DRW activities such as all-staff meetings and committees.
May be other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

Generous employer contribution for individual and family health insurance, plus a Health Reimbursement Account for uncovered health care costs.
Employer-provided Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance
401(k) Retirement Plan with Employer Contribution
Flex Spending Account
Access to affordable, quality: Dental, Vision Coverage, Additional Life Insurance for the employee, spouse, and children, Critical Illness Insurance, Identity Theft, Pet Insurance
Public Student Loan Forgiveness eligibility
10 Fixed and 4 Floating Holidays
Leave time for Medical and Caretaking, Vacation, Personal
Bereavement Leave
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Commuter Choice
Sabbatical Leave