Bilingual Quality Services Navigator

Major Function:

The Bilingual Quality Services Navigator is part of Quality Trust’s Monitoring and Advocacy team. All Navigators are responsible for completing all monitoring and advocacy functions, including related duties that support these activities as assigned by supervisors. As experienced and highly regarded members of the advocacy community in the District of Columbia, Navigators are expected to complete their work in a manner that elevates both people with developmental disabilities and Quality Trust. Navigators complete their work in both team and individual settings. Working in the field, including visits to residential settings and day programs, is required. Flexibility to meet people with disabilities, at times beneficial to them, is mandatory. Daily communication with the Monitoring and Advocacy team through emails, calls, texts, or online and in-person meetings is expected.

In addition, the Bilingual Quality Services Navigator is responsible for identifying individual, family, and systemic issues which impede the progress of Latino individuals with developmental disabilities and their families in accessing community services in DC. The Bilingual Navigator will establish ways to resolve issues identified regarding individual services, supports, and rights, which will facilitate desired outcomes that allow people with developmental disabilities and their families to express their needs, personal preferences, and to live a life that is enriched and inclusive. The Bilingual Navigator works collaboratively with the person, family members, service providers, service coordinators, and other stakeholders to ensure the person’s and/or family issues are resolved.

At Quality Trust we embrace and place the highest importance on identifying, protecting, and promoting the rights, dignity, health, and wellness of the people we support. The Bilingual Navigator will work with QT team members to ensure outreach and inclusion is provided to Latino community members with disabilities, including coordination with our Legal Team, where necessary, to assist in the provision of legal advocacy and the Outreach Team to represent Quality Trust in meetings and other public forums that advance the organization's mission.

Is supervised by and reports directly to the Program Services Coordinator.

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Classification: Exempt

Essential Functions:

• Provide time-limited, outcome-based advocacy services as assigned by the Program Services Coordinator. This includes supporting Latino persons with developmental disabilities and their families in resolving issues related to their services, supports, and rights, including challenges accessing medical interventions, public benefits, educational supports, employment, housing, and other accommodations and needed interventions.
• Complete individual monitoring using different tools as required by the nature of the monitoring to be completed.
• Complete interviews of people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities through the National Core Indicators project.
• Complete follow-up monitoring and/or advocacy of Serious Reportable Incidents as directed by Supervisors.
• Complete follow-up monitoring and/or advocacy after placement in long-term acute care (LTAC) placements as requested by Supervisors.
• Complete qualitative reviews of Investigations of Serious Reportable Incidents, including documenting findings in the monitoring database.
• Promote community awareness by educating service providers, case managers, business contacts, and government agencies on the needs of Latino people with developmental disabilities and their families.
• Educate Latino people with developmental disabilities and their family members on the services available to people with developmental disabilities, how to access them, their rights and how to enforce them, and the role of lay advocacy and supporting other Latino people with developmental disabilities and their family members.
• Identify and explore opportunities to collaborate with Latino organizations that support Spanish-speaking community members to educate them about the QT services available to people with developmental disabilities.
• Assist in translating brochures and other documents from English to Spanish.
• Other duties, as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to communicate concisely and effectively in both English and Spanish, both orally and in writing, as demonstrated by prior experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Services, Social Work, or another closely related course of study and three (3) years' experience working with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. On a case-by-case basis, post-secondary education can be substituted for experience.
• Have at least one (1) year experience monitoring supports and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Knowledge of disability-related issues, specifically developmental disabilities support practices and services.
• Have sufficient interpersonal skills to be able to engage with people with disabilities, their families, and those who support them.
• Demonstrate functional knowledge of DC Department on Disability Services (DDS) policies and procedures and other community-based supports in DC.
• Demonstrate functional ability to use computers and programs such as Zoom, Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and database systems.
• Ability to effectively communicate with people who have varying abilities and disability-related challenges.
• Ability to identify complaint issues through interviewing persons and analyzing oral and written information.
• Flexibility to attend evening and/or weekend events or meetings to accomplish program objectives.

Salary & Benefits:

Public interest salary range of $55,000 – 65,000 and generous benefits, including employer-paid health and dental insurance, short and long-term disability, life insurance, contribution to a retirement plan, 25 days of paid time off, and 13 paid holidays.