Information & Assistance Specialist- NY Connects

Information & Assistance Specialist- NY Connects 

JOB DESCRIPTION 

Hybrid Operation/ NON-EXEMPT Full-Time

Salary Range: 50,000-55,000 

Founded in 1980, Neighborhood Self Help by Older Persons Project (SHOPP) is a non-profit social service agency located in the Bronx serving older adults and families caring for an ill, frail or disabled loved one. SHOPP’s mission is based on the philosophy of self-help. We believe that older adults are capable of helping themselves and helping others improve their capacity to deal with the physical, emotional, social, and financial challenges they face as they age. 

SHOPP has several service programs in the Bronx that includes Community Care Network Program, VIP Elder Justice Program, NY Connects of the Bronx; Casa Boricua, Leon, Soundview and Guess Older Adult Centers, Case Management/ Friendly Visiting Program, Caregivers Support Program and Lafayette Estates NORC Program. 

SHOPP has been designated as the Bronx hub for NY CONNECTS through a contract with NYC Aging. The NY Connects: Choices for Long Term Care program provides consistent, comprehensive, locally based information and assistance on long term services and supports (LTSS) through a No Wrong Door system for individuals, caregivers and families regardless of age, disability, income or payor source (public benefit programs or private pay).

The NY Connects Information and Assistance Specialist primarily delivers information and assistance on long term care services, options and supports to incoming consumers accessing NY Connects but may also assist with other operations and programs as per design of the program. The Information and Assistance Specialist reports directly to the Assistant Program Director. The position requires a minimum an Associate’s Degree from an accredited college in Human Services or Social Work, Psychology, Gerontology, or equivalent and a minimum of one year experience in long term services and supports, health care, developmental disabilities, mental health, or a related area of human services. The NY Connects Program follows a hybrid schedule where all staff must be able to travel and report to the office at a minimum of 2-3x a week or otherwise requested, as well as attend in-person training, meetings  or events. 

The NY Connects Information and Assistance Specialist is specifically responsible for the following tasks: 

• Provides initial direct contact with consumers through the phone, e-mail or in-person contacts.

 • As a direct provider of information and assistance, comply with all applicable New York State NY Connects Standards when interacting with all consumers to NY Connects and performing other job functions

• Provide unbiased information and assistance on all long-term care services/supports, conducts general screening of consumers to determine needs, may link consumers with long term care services and supports, and may provide limited follow-up with consumers to ensure that connections to services were made and that the consumer’s overall needs were served by NY Connects. 

• Conduct the No Wrong Door (NWD) screening with individuals over the phone or in-person, in order to obtain preliminary information about LTSS needs including possible programmatic and/or financial eligibility for various programs, such as: Medicaid. 

• Participate in application assistance and refers consumers to appropriate staff and/or agencies for assistance filling out applications when appropriate, i.e. Medicaid, HEAP, Home Delivered Meals.

 • Acquires and maintains a thorough knowledge of all local long-term care programs, as applicable to older adults and individuals with disabilities.

 • Maintain accurate consumer contact records collected during screening process and assist in the production of aggregate level reports generated from consumer data

 • Development and implementation of public presentations or education sessions to promote NY Connects as an available resource within the county. 

• Conduct research on behalf of the consumer, such as: conducting web searches of services, contacting family or friends, or seeking guidance from other agency/program staff on behalf of the consumer. 

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of a resource directory of long-term care services and supports. 

• Ensures that contractor responsibilities for NY Connects are fulfilled and that the program is in compliance with the NY Connects standards and reporting requirements.

 • Assist with public relations and promotion of SHOPP and SHOPP events. 

• Participates in professional training to acquire and update skills. 

• Be available and willing to perform other tasks as assigned by Assistant Program Director/CPO . 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER 

Funded By NYC Aging and State Office For The Aging