QIDP - Employment Trainer

The Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professional (QIDP)/Supervisor is responsible for ensuring that individuals receiving services are provided with appropriate, individualized, and high-quality supports in accordance with all applicable Department of Human Services (DHS) regulations, agency policies, and person-centered planning principles. This position provides leadership, supervision, and oversight of direct support staff while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and promoting the health, safety, rights, and well-being of individuals served.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1. Must be capable of speaking English clearly and fluently, to communicate with staff, customers, and workshop individuals; must be capable of writing English that is clear, concise, grammatically correct, and free of spelling errors.

2. Must respond appropriately to individual behavioral problems. This position requires sufficient strength, agility, and sensory acuity to be alert to individual behavioral emergencies. Also, to effectively implement confrontation-avoidance, escape-evasion, and emergency transport procedures from agency-approved crisis prevention/de-escalation and behavioral management courses, with adults weighing 150 lbs. or more.

3. Must act in a professional manner which reflects positively on oneself and Little Friends and Adult Day Services. This includes demonstrating high commitment to customer service and customer satisfaction for all internal and external customers of Spectrum and Little Friends.

4. Is aware of, follows, and ensures that staff members follow the policies and procedures of Little Friends and Adult Day Services, as well as the Department of Human Services. 

5. Required to complete all training and re-certifications as per Little Friends and Adult Day Services as well as the Department of Human Services.

SPECIFIC RESPSONSIBILITIES:

1. Ensure the development, implementation, and monitoring of individualized service plans that reflect each   individual's goals, preferences, strengths, and needs. This is accomplished through:

• Participating in Discovery meetings and Personal Plan meetings as requested by families and ISC agencies.
• Ensuring that rooms are booked for Personal Plan or Discovery meetings as requested.
• Ensuring that staff attend meetings as requested and bring with them all pertinent reports and documentation, prepared in legible, thorough, and accurate fashion.
• Ensuring that reports and Implementation Strategy documents are completed according to DHS regulations and turned in to the appropriate clerical staff person.
• Ensuring that Implementation Strategies are signed by all required parties and filed appropriately.
• Working cooperatively with Program Coordinators, QIDP/Supervisors, and staff members, and residential QIDPs and other staff from the residential program of Little Friends

2. Provide transportation for individuals, as needed, for job development, community integrated activities, interviews, etc. 

3. Monitor the quality of services to ensure compliance with DHS regulations, agency policies, licensing requirements, and best practices.

4. Conduct regular assessments, progress reviews, and documentation to evaluate service effectiveness and recommend necessary modifications.

5. Coach and support Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) and other staff to ensure quality service delivery.

6. Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members, guardians, family members, healthcare providers, and community partners to coordinate services.

7. Advocate for individuals' rights, dignity, independence, and community inclusion.

8. Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential documentation in accordance with DHS regulations and agency policies.

9. Make appropriate referrals to clinical staff and to consultants to ensure the best possible service provision for their assigned individuals

10. Investigate and report incidents, accidents, and allegations of abuse or neglect according to established procedures.

11. Ensure individuals receive appropriate medical, behavioral, educational, vocational, and community support.

12. Participate in DHS surveys, licensing inspections, internal audits, and corrective action planning.

13. Respond to emergencies and provide on-site support as assigned.

14. Promote a positive, respectful, and person-centered work environment.

15. Provides vocational counseling and advocacy services to individuals on caseload as appropriate, including, but not limited to:

• Helping individuals develop their ability to determine and communicate their feelings, desires, and preferences, particularly in the area of vocational activities and career planning.
• Assisting and encouraging individuals to make informed choices, particularly in the area of vocational activities and career planning.
• Providing one-on-one training to individuals in areas such as self-advocacy, problem-solving, self-assertion, and choice-making.

16. Coordinates health services with residential nursing staff as need arises, including but not limited to:

• Contacting nursing staff if an Individual becomes ill at the program.
• Informing residential staff of any behavioral incidents and ensuring proper documentation is submitted according to policy guidelines. 

17. Develop, coordinate, and teach employment skills development classes for the employment program. This includes but is not limited to: 

• Design and implement individualized and group-based curricula focused on workplace readiness, including communication skills, interpersonal skills, resume development, interview preparation, workplace etiquette, problem-solving, time management, self-advocacy, financial literacy, and job retention strategies.
• Recruit and determine the eligibility of individuals for skills development classes by way of screening, interviewing, assessment, or any other means to make an informed decision for participation. 
• Provide hands-on vocational instruction, job coaching support, and community-based learning opportunities that promote competitive integrated employment and increased independence as appropriate. 
• Assess participants' vocational strengths, interests, and support needs, and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to establish measurable employment goals as appropriate.
• Monitor participant progress, maintain documentation of instructional outcomes, and adjust teaching strategies to accommodate diverse learning styles and support needs.
• Encourage skill generalization by reinforcing employment-related behaviors across home, community, and workplace settings.

18. Provides job coaching responsibilities at community employment sites as needed to ensure continuity of care for employment individuals.

19. Be open to evening and weekend hours to cover and attend events such as, but not limited to, resource fairs, job fairs, open house informational sessions, and skill development classes

20. Completes monthly billing and submits to the payroll clerk or other designated staff. This includes ROCs billing, private billing, and other sources of revenue for the program.

21. Be available to cover job coaching for individuals as assigned.

22. Work with agency advancement on obtaining grants and provide the necessary reporting documentation for grants secured for the program. 

23. Obtain annual CEUs as outlined by DHS to maintain QIDP certification. 

OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED

1. Serves on other teams and standing committees of the agency, as assigned.

2. Other duties as assigned. 

WAGE TRANSPARENCY NOTIFICATION
Little Friends, Inc., in compliance with House Bill 3129 regarding Pay Transparency, is committed to providing salary and benefits information for all open positions. Please note that all disclosed compensation rates for this role will be determined based on required qualifications, experience, education, skill, training, certifications, and seniority.
Little Friends, Inc. also has the right to offer candidates appropriate compensation rates, determined by the employer, commensurate with the applicant’s qualifications, experience, education, skill, training, certifications, or seniority.

Schedule: Mon-Fri 8a - 4p (Varies some nights and weekends required)

Pay: $48,750/year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Medical Expense Reimbursement Plan
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Vision insurance

• Bachelor’s or higher degree in a human service field, including but not limited to sociology, special education, rehabilitation counseling and psychology; or one of the other professional certifications (MD, RN, psychologist, social worker,  etc.) listed in the federal QIDP definition 
• One year experience working directly with individuals  developmental disabilities. 
• Must possess and maintain a valid IL driver’s license with no major moving violations within the last two years