Personal Choices Counselor

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION:

The Personal Choices Counselor is responsible for enrolling clients, counseling, and educating clients about their rights and responsibilities and provides consultation and assistance as clients develop their support plan and budget. Assesses quality of services and the need for continuation of service. Maintains detailed service records and prepares reports to the Alabama Department of Senior Services. Assists with other projects as needed.

SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:

Receives general supervision from the Team Lead Personal Choices Counselor. Supervisor sets the overall objectives and employee and supervisor, in consultation, develop the deadlines, projects, and work to be done; employee is responsible for planning and carrying out the assignment; and work is reviewed only from an overall standpoint.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:
1. Receives referrals from Medicaid Waiver team leads or case managers.
2. Contacts potential clients to discuss program requirements, client responsibilities and, if appropriate, plans for an in-home enrollment session..
3. Visits client’s homes to provide orientation and training relative to the responsibilities and requirements of the Personal Choices program.
4. Assists and guides clients in the development of their personal support plan, which addresses methods to meet their personal assistance and related health care needs. The plan must also ensure appropriate supports are available for backup, if needed.
5. Evaluates and approves personal support plans when all service and safety measures comply and the budget has established a spending plan based on reasonable costs and allocation of dollars.
6. Forwards personal support plan to the Personal Choices Program Manager at the Alabama Department of Senior Services for approval.
7. After the application is approved, sends notification to the team lead and/or Financial Management Service Agency (FMSA).
8. Monitors monthly budget expenditure reports from the FMSA to ensure adherence to the approved Personal Support Plan and to detect spending patterns that may indicate issues with care, health, or safety.
9. Makes required calls to each client to assess quality of self-directed care, provide support as needed and to assure essential needs are being met.
10. Conducts semiannual in-home visits to further assess quality of care and client safety.
11. Collaborates with the client's case manager to ensure the continued health and safety of the client. Ensures that client rights under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) are protected.

12. Develops organizational knowledge regarding aging and adult resources
13. Provides training and program updates to case managers.
14. Collaborates with management team in the development of improvement of case manager processes.
15. Assists with programs, health fairs, and other public events to publicize and educate the community about available aging programs.
16. Prepares reports of work activity, and other reports as needed.
17. Other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:
1. Knowledge of social work programs and processes preferred.
2. Knowledge of community resources and support network available to clientele served.
3. Knowledge of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
4. Excellent communication skills, both orally and written.
5. Ability to relate to the elderly and their unique problems.
6. Knowledge and ability to operate office equipment including telephone, copy machine, fax machine, computer, and calculator.
7. Knowledge and ability to do basic arithmetic and budgeting.
8. Ability to read and interpret guidelines and regulations and apply them to the job.
9. Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited four-year college or university in Social Work, Behavioral Sciences, Psychology, Geriatric Studies, or a related field with a minimum of two (2) years of work experience in home health or Aging programs.
10. A valid driver’s license and a good driving record.

WORK CONDITIONS:
The work is primarily sedentary. Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items such as papers, books, small parts;
driving an automobile, etc. The work requires some physical exertion such as walking over rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces; and requires driving on a regular basis.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

None