Disability Coordinator

POSITION SUMMARY:

This is an exempt position that coordinates the delivery of comprehensive disability services to children and family according to the Head Start/Early Head Start Performance Standards and any other regulatory bodies. Incumbent in this position demonstrates sensitivity to the service populations cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.

Duties and Responsibilities

Fiscal Management

• Completes and submits the monthly Disability Report to the funder and CCADM Finance Department monthly.
• Maintains a record of all multidisciplinary meetings and on site consultations using required forms. Tracks and reports disability activities by center (internal disability report).
• Works in collaboration with staff to ensure a 10 disability enrollment. Annually reviews and updates the Disability component within the Work Plan.

Programmatic Services

• Responsible for identifying children who may have a disability assuring appropriate intervention and services and for managing implementing and evaluating comprehensive programs for children with disabilities and their families.
• Implements program practices which promote the healthy social and emotional development of all children with disabilities.
• Ensures that all developmental screenings are completed within program establish timeline after childs entry. Receive process and provide regular follow up on child referrals for special education services.
• Provides reflective coaching to Teaching staff and Education Coordinators in all areas of Disability including implementation and use of inclusive practices. Provide guidance to staff and families on using results from developmental sensory and behavioral screenings for children to address identified concerns.
• Timely followup on referrals of children with disability concerns through multidisciplinary team meetings observations staff and/or parent consultation review of screenings/reports classroom strategies distributing educational information and/or referrals for outside services. Followup on documentation on referrals for outside services including effectiveness of service. Maintains a weekly schedule preapproved by supervisor and posted at each Center.

Services & Delivery Care

• Collaborates with Teaching staff and Education Coordinators to develop individual and comprehensive Plans. Assist in monitoring and documenting progress on action steps outlined in Educational Plans.
• Assists in setting clarifying and communicating disabilities services standards and laws to staff and parents as required or requested and provides families with resource coordination and linkages. Plans and delivers or secures individualized and/or group training for staff and parents.
• Adheres to a systematic and scheduled ongoing monitoring disability services. Collaborates in projects like grant writing accreditation and presentations as requested.
• Assures that all necessary accommodations and adaptations are made including but not limited to transportation translation and facilitys remodeling.
• Transitions children with disabilities and those in the diagnostic process to their next destination ensuring a smooth and efficient process with full parental participation.

Training & Development

• Facilitates educational trainings/workshops on disabilities on required topics for staff and families at a min of 1 training per center for each group. Coordinates trainings by community agencies for applicable Disability topics.
• Communicates works professionally and collaboratively with staff community partners and families. Collaborates with teaching staff in order to facilitate the integration of disability component in the classroom lesson plans and activities.

Administrative

• Participates in all required or requested meetings and/or trainings. Adheres to all agency Policies and Procedures program guidelines Head Start Performance Standards & Act licensing regulations and applicable accreditation standards. Completes other tasks as requested by supervisor.
• Works closely with the rest of the coordinators and regionals directors to plan integrated services for all children: plans awareness activities for children with Education Coordinator; coordinates with Social Services Coordinator the recruitment of children with disabilities; participates with Health Coordinator in the development of special environmental and safety procedures; and ensures the participation of disabilities service providers in the community.
• Works with staff and families in a supportive manner throughout the diagnostic and referral processes. Coordinates counseling and treatment for children and their families as needed. Participates in IEP staffing and other disability meetings and ensures appropriate documentation.
• Assists teachers in the completion of individual child disability assessments as needed and ensures appropriate followup.

Compliance & Reporting:

• Participates in annual Head Start program SelfAssessment and the completion of the PIR. Completes timely and accurate Child Plus data entry and analysis of reports.
• Ensure timely follow up of monitoring reports and provide feedback on recommendations as needed.
• Completes any requested corrective action in the area of mental health or disability.
• Regularly oversee case managers documentation for disability services compliance and informs Center Director of any issues or followup items.
• Maintains and secures Affiliation Agreements for community providers of Disabilities services for children including on site and up to date documentation on background screenings credentials and insurance for all agencies and therapists.
• Documents all actions taken in response to Disability referrals in current Head Start Information Management System (Child Plus) and any other required format in a timely manner.
• Communicates any problems and concerns of the program in a timely manner to include but not limited to; Regional Directors Supervisor DCF Department of Health and CCADM.

Additional Duties:

• Participates in all related trainings inservices and staff meetings as required by COA and funding /licensing sources.
• Incumbent will comply with all policies procedures and requirements necessary to perform the functions of this position.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule including early mornings late evenings and some weekends.
• Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Physical Demands

• Work is mostly sedentary but does requires local travel to all centers and some nonlocal travel for training conferences program development and other administrative functions.
• Employee may be exposed to the following physical demands at any moment:

1. As needed to lift children (up to 50 lbs. bending and stooping.
2. Moving quickly to intervene in unsafe situations

Educational & Experiential Requirements

• Bachelors Degree in Special Education Counseling Psychology Social Sciences or a related field.
• Minimum of 1 year of working with young children and their families.
• Knowledge of Head Start Performance standards is preferred. Bilingual or trilingual preferred (English Spanish and or Creole)
• Employee is required to provide health examinations and TB screenings results to the Human Resources Department every two years.
• Adhere to Universal Health & Safety Precautions as applicable.
• Complete a min. of 15 hrs. of inservice each year and other trainings required by CCADM.

Reporting to this position: No staff

Required Experience:

IC