Early Intervention Specialist-Infant Development Program

Purpose:

Design and provide developmental therapy sessions and supportive counseling for infants and young children having developmental delays and/or disabilities and their families. Collaborate with and help coordinate comprehensive medical, developmental, and social services.

Responsibilities:

• Exhibits a positive, respectful, and professional image within a teamwork philosophy in all interactions with family members, other agency professionals, supervisors, and co-workers. Demonstrates the ability to establish successful clinical rapport with infants/young children and their family members regardless of socioeconomic status or ethnic background. Displays effective and regular inter- and intra-departmental/agency communications in written and verbal forms. Guarantees confidentiality of all relevant program information. Demonstrates awareness of and sensitivity to issues of socioeconomic and cultural diversity.

• Participate in monthly staff meetings and discipline-specific staff meetings. Provide pediatric education and consultation for Program staff, Hospital staff, and the community. Conduct follow-up services and other specialized activities as encountered. Assist in orienting and training new employees.

• CUSTOMER SERVICE: Demonstrates the highest degree of customer awareness by seeking out opportunities to identify and meet the needs of internal and external customers. Treats each person as an individual with respect and dignity, demonstrating the ability to interact sensitively with each child in an age-appropriate manner. Is receptive to questions and criticism, and willing to offer assistance. Demonstrates genuine concern and empathy. Consistently performs all of the above in a friendly, courteous manner. Maintain accountability for patient and family satisfaction throughout the episode of care.

• Support the Mission, Vision and Values of the PinnacleHealth System.

• Support Department Process Improvement activities and adhere to Program contractual Performance Standards.

• Possess a valid Pennsylvania driver?s license to provide home- and community-based early intervention services.

• Maintain current billing/data forms including monthly billing and data reports, mileage reports, monthly calendars and weekly unit reporting forms.

• Demonstrate a working knowledge of the Program?s billing and reimbursement procedures including documentation of billable services, meeting monthly billing quotas, federal, state, and county early intervention financial regulations, Medical Assistance regulations and Medical Assistance Waiver policies for Early Intervention.

• Demonstrate a working knowledge of all relevant Program and Hospital Policies and Procedures.

• Possess a general working knowledge of federal, state, county and Program early intervention regulations and policies.

• Collaborate with physicians and other treatment team professionals regarding diagnosis, medical status, and service needs and help to coordinate service delivery plans.

• Offer educational, training and coaching support to parents/caregivers regarding developmentally appropriate practices, child development issues and parenting skills.

• Maintain current files on each child with all State compliance required information, including thorough documentation of clinical plans, session notes, Developmental Evaluation Reports, IFSP's, Quarterly Progress Monitoring Reports, etc.

• Perform ongoing assessment of child's developmental skill abilities in all developmental domains and routinely assess family needs and desires for their child.

• Provide individualized informational and emotional support counseling for families/caregivers.

• Demonstrate knowledge of and ability to interpret results of standardized developmental evaluation tools and ability to administer and interpret the results of specific standardized evaluation tools, as needed, in order to provide accurate and sensitive feedback to parents/caregivers following developmental consults or evaluations.

• Demonstrate an understanding of the etiology and medical/developmental conditions related to specific developmental disabilities and demonstrate an awareness of family systems and of the psycho-social effects children's disabilities can have on family members.

• Design and implement developmentally appropriate activities (i.e. developmental therapy) for infants/toddlers having developmental delays and/or disabilities and their families in a family-centered fashion.

• Develop Individualized Family Service Plans in accordance with Federal and State laws, including the development of appropriate, meaningful and functional outcomes related to results from standardized developmental testing and developmental assessment tools.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in early childhood education, Early Childhood Special Education, Psychology or other early intervention related area (master's degree preferred).

• Minimum of 1 year of experience working with infants/toddlers or preschool children who have developmental delays and/or disabilities.

• Knowledge of and ability to identify typical and atypical infant/toddler development in cognitive, communication, adaptive, motor and social/emotional developmental domains.

• Knowledge of the range of conditions of disabilities, family-centered practices and family systems theory. Ability to interpret results of standardized Developmental Evaluation tests and to develop appropriate, meaningful and functional outcomes based upon those test results.

• Proficiency with verbal and written forms of communication, demonstrating strong interpersonal skills and the ability to sensitively provide interpretation, feedback and counseling to parents regarding issues of child development. Competent automobile operator.

Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances:

• Act 31 Child Abuse Reporting with renewal

• Act 33 with renewal

• Act 34 with renewal

• Act 73 FBI Clearance with renewal

UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran