Veteran Directed Care (VDC) Counselor

The VDC Person-Centered Counselor is responsible for providing the management, supervisory services, and administrative support necessary to coordinate, implement, and administer the activities of the VDC program between Senior Resource Alliance, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), eligible veteran beneficiaries (and/or their representatives), and the fiscal staff. This is a Person-Centered Counselor that provides technical assistance and serves as a consultant to veteran beneficiaries and their representatives.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provides detailed VDC program orientation to veterans and/or representatives including how the program relates to self-direction. 
• Assists the veteran or representative in planning, creation, service provision, and budget management to allow the veteran to live independently in the community; also trains the veteran or representative in self-direction with the goal of empowering the veteran or representative to professionally manage their VDC small business.
• Conducts virtual or home-based visits with veterans and/or representatives to perform assessments, develop a service plan, identify functioning level, sources of support, etc., and conducts reassessments when there are changes in condition, program, or situation; addresses other concerns as they arise.
• Assists with monthly invoices; and interact with fiscal staff regarding participant and employee set-up, budget, and invoicing.
• Works with local VA Medical Center liaisons and Senior Resource Alliance’s fiscal staff to identify, evaluate, and transition veterans into the VDC program.
• Coordinate timely enrollment of referred veteran beneficiaries; prepare and distribute ongoing communication of issues, and work to resolve issues that may arise.
• Maintains a current listing of active veterans, caseloads, expenditures, and budget spending plans, and ensures the Veteran Database is properly updated and maintained.
• Provides monthly spending projections and enrollments and ensures timely completion and submission of all required program and monitoring reports.
• Keeps current on issues and programs affecting veterans and acts as a resource for organizations and the public.
• Ensures that all client data is transmitted, stored, and disposed of according to the confidentiality requirements of Senior Resource Alliance and all federal and state regulations.
• Attends conferences, workshops, and meetings to keep abreast of developments and issues related to the functions of this position.
• Participates, during regular and irregular office hours, in Senior Resource Alliance disaster operations performing disaster-related functions as assigned by the Senior Resource Alliance Coordinating Officer. The employee will determine his/her own. 

The previous statements are intended to describe the nature of the level of work to be performed by the individual(s) assigned to this position. Other tasks may be assigned by senior management.

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology, Social Work, or another clinical counseling field is preferred.
• Successful completion of Level II background screening.
• Computer proficiency in Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint.
• Ability to communicate professionally, orally, and in writing.
• Excellent risk assessment skills, and an ability to adapt quickly to a client's changing needs.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to follow up on cases.
• Passionate about helping others.
• Competency to provide a dedicated and meaningful counseling experience to participants over the phone.
• Empathic and excellent active listening skills.
• This position requires the employee to travel frequently throughout Central Florida, as directed. The cost of travel is paid by the traveler and will be reimbursed according to state travel reimbursement policies

EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled