Central Washington Advocate for the Elderly

_ Identifying Components Douglas, Grant, Lincoln, Okanogan Counties) Status: Non-Exempt, Hourly Reports to: Director of Social Services Department: Social Services (central office- Yakima) Location: Remote within Washington State Salary Range: Per Salary Scale Last Revision: July 22, 2025 Core Competencies People For People employees may be evaluated during their annual performance review on Core Competencies in addition to their duties contained within their job description. Each Core Competency will then be defined based on the type of work the employee performs. Core Competencies are as follows: Accountable Focus on Customer Interpersonal Communicator Professional Team Centered Knowledge of Job Performance of Job General Summary The Regional Long-Term Care Ombudsman provides resources to empower individuals, families, and the community to help ensure the safety and dignity of all residents in long-term care settings. This is done by educating residents, staff, family, and the larger community about the rights and laws that protect residents living in these facilities. The Regional Ombudsman is a visible advocate who will actively visit long-term care facilities and receive and respond to complaints filed with the office by, or on behalf of, a resident. The Regional Long-Term Care Ombudsman shall promote both individual and systematic complaint resolution activities, including community involvement, administrative and legislative monitoring and reporting. Essential Functions and Duties Receive the delegation of Long-Term Care Ombudsman authority from the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman and fulfill regional Long-Term Care Ombudsman responsibilities assigned by the federal Older Americans Act and State Long-Term Care Ombudsman statutes on behalf of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman. Receive, perform fact finding analysis, and resolve complaints and concerns raised by residents, family members, friends, and facility staff within the region. Act as mediator in disputes between residents and other parties representing the resident’s point of view. Maintain the confidentiality of complainants and residents per federal and state statutes. Document complaints and cases per instructions from the State Ombudsman; maintain the region’s computerized case management system to ensure complaints are resolved in a timely manner. Provide summary statistical and narrative reports per instructions from the State Ombudsman; utilize computer system to generate monthly and annual summary reports as required by the State Ombudsman. Follow program instructions as issued in the official memo series from the State Ombudsman. Attend regular staff meetings held by the State Ombudsman. Provide staff services to the Regional Long-Term Care Ombudsman Advisory Board. Recruit candidates to volunteer as Long-Term Care Ombudsmen. Coordinate and participate in initial 36-hour trainings for new certified ombuds. Provide in-service training as necessary to ensure volunteer eligibility for annual re- certification and ensure that volunteer knowledge of appropriate issues is up to date. Supervise the work of Certified Volunteer Long-Term Care Ombudsmen in visiting assigned facilities, receiving complaints, carrying out fact-finding, and mediating the resolution of concerns. Monitor complaints and the system in order to identify long-term care patterns and issues in the region. Analyze and develop policies and procedures to provide information and understanding to authorities charged with the operation and regulation of long-term care facilities within the region. Perform other related duties as assigned. Job Specifications KSAOs (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other characteristics) Knowledge o Administration and Management — Knowledge of leadership techniques, supervision principles, and methods for the coordination of people and resources. o Long-Term Care – Knowledge of the needs and problems of long-term care residents and their families, the State and local long-term care system, social service and public benefit programs related to long-term care residents, legal systems, and long-term care facility issues. o Resources – Knowledge of resources/agencies that exist in the community, understanding of government systems and how they work, and sense of or experience in the political field. o Gerontology – Knowledge of the medical and social aging process. o Education and Training — Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects. o Clerical — Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems necessary to utilize word processing programs, manage files and records, and maintain databases. Knowledge of other office procedures and terminology Skills o Management of Volunteer Resources — Motivating, developing, and directing volunteers as they work, identifying the best candidates for the job. o Case Management – Receiving, carrying out fact-finding, and mediating the resolution of concerns. o Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. o Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of oneself, volunteers, and long-term care facilities to make improvements or take corrective action. o Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. o Time Management — Managing one's own time and the time of others. o Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively. o Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do. o Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. o Public Speaking – Effectively communicating ideas to an audience while maintaining engagement and interest. Abilities o Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. o Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. o Inductive Reasoning — The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events). o Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. o Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. o Speech Clarity — The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. _ Work Activities • Developing Objectives and Strategies — Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them. Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others and maintaining them over time. Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, and Volunteers — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and volunteers by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. Communicating with Persons in the community — Communicating with people in the community, representing the organization to the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, by telephone or e-mail. Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others — Motivating and assisting volunteers to accomplish tasks. Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic form. Working Directly with the Public — Ability to develop effective relationships with residents, facilities, and agencies within the region Educational/Work Experience Requirements BA/BS in Health, Nursing, Social Services, Psychology, Counseling, or related field, relevant experience may substitute for educational degree. Three years of direct work in human services or related field. A combination of education and measurable experience which demonstrates the capacity to perform the duties of this position may substitute. Preferred experience: Supervision (staff and/or volunteers); Conducting Training; Public Speaking. _ Other Requirements Must be (or become) fully vaccinated against COVID-19, as required by the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman office. People For People is committed to an alcohol and drug-free workplace. Employment is contingent upon successfully completing and passing a pre-employment drug screen. Employment is further contingent on successfully passing a Washington State Patrol Background Check and/or National Background Check, Reference Checks and all other required documentation. Must be free of conflict of interests as defined in WAC 365-18 which interfere or have the appearance of interfering with the Long-Term Care Ombudsman’s responsibilities. In particular, must not have been an employee in any capacity with a long-term care facility for one year prior to appointment. Must have no pecuniary interest in the provision of long-term care services. Must have car insurance and valid Washington Driver’s License. Must be a resident of the region served by the Regional Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program who employs them. Regular attendance is essential. Working Conditions/Physical Requirements Duties are performed in and out of the office environment with moderate to heavy computer data entry. Physical requirements include the dexterity to reach, stand, climb, squat, twist, finger keyboards, lift light loads, and the ability to do sedentary work; sitting, stooping, walking, standing and light lifting. Some travel to attend meetings/seminars in other locations and work may be performed during and after business hours. Safety Sensitive: This is not a safety sensitive position. Disclaimer: The statements contained herein reflect general details as necessary to describe the principal functions of this job, the level of knowledge and skill typically required, and the scope of responsibility, but should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned, including work in other functional areas to cover absences or relief, to equalize peak work periods or otherwise to balance the workload. People For People is an equal opportunity employer/program. and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, creed, national origin, disability, sex, marital status, age, or any other protected status covered by the federal or state law. Please let People For People know if you need of a reasonable accommodation in order to perform the essential functions of the job or to participate in the application process. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Washington Relay Service 711. This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change as the needs of the agency and requirements of the job change. People For People exercises the right to practice Employment At Will under Washington State law. Employment At Will states that employment with the organization is voluntarily entered into and employees are free to resign at any time for any reason. Similarly, the organization is free to terminate an employment relationship at any time for any reason.