HABILITATION PROGRAM MANAGER

DEFINITION

This is professional supervisory and administrative work planning, coordinating, and supervising habilitation services for persons with mental retardation and/or developmental disabilities.

This description may not include all of the duties, knowledge, skills, or abilities associated with this classification.

EXAMPLES OF WORK

Serves as a Qualified Mental Retardation Professional (QMRP) in planning, coordinating, and supervising habilitation services on a unit of substantial size and complexity, or functions as a QMRP in supervising a large centralized program center providing facility-wide habilitation services for clients from various units.

Monitors habilitation plans and programs for compliance with Title XIX standards and facility policies and procedures.

Develops, coordinates, and adapts specialized habilitation programs and activities to fit the specialized needs, abilities, and conditions of clients.

Manages utilization of program center's physical facilities and budgetary resources; plans and defines a centralized program in relation to other facility treatment functions.

Assigns, directs, and reviews the work of professional and non-professional staff in implementing individualized habilitation plans in such areas as self-care (i.e., grooming, toileting, eating, dressing), communication, socialization, safety, perceptual motor skills, functional arithmetic (i.e., numerals, money, measurement, time), behavioral management, vocational skills, domestic skills, community experience, and other specialized areas based on individualized habilitation goals.

Serves as a member of an interdisciplinary treatment team; observes staff performance and participates in the design and review of individual habilitation plans.

Maintains administrative and therapeutic records; prepares related reports.

Requisitions supplies and equipment; prepares budgetary recommendations.

Exercises considerable independent judgment.

Performs other related work as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs)

Comprehensive knowledge of modern behavior modification principles and practices and cognitive behavior management techniques as they apply to habilitation programs for persons with mental retardation and/or developmental disabilities.

Comprehensive knowledge of the behavioral sciences and allied disciplines involved in the evaluation, care, and habilitation of persons with mental retardation and/or developmental disabilities.

Comprehensive knowledge of the principles of supervision and training as applied to habilitation programming.

Ability to assign, direct, and review the work of staff involved in the implementation of habilitation programs.

Ability to plan, coordinate, and adapt a variety of habilitation program activities to meet the specialized needs, abilities, and conditions of clients.

Ability to collect and analyze information utilized in making decisions concerning client habilitation plans.

Ability to evaluate the progress of clients and the quality of a variety of habilitation programs.

Ability to design and review effective and practical individual habilitation plans and related program procedures.

Ability to exercise constructive discipline in a structured behavioral environment.

Ability to communicate effectively.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients and facility staff.

SPECIAL NOTE

Applicants must be eligible for designation as a Qualified Mental Retardation Professional (QMRP) under Federal standards for an Intermediate Care Facility-Mental Retardation (ICF-MR).

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

(The following requirements will determine merit system eligibility, experience and education ratings, and may be used to evaluate applicants for Missouri Uniform Classification and Pay System positions not requiring selection from merit registers. When practical and possible, the Division of Personnel will accept substitution of experience and education on a year-for-year basis.)

One or more years of experience as a Habilitation Supervisor with the Missouri Uniform Classification and Pay System.

OR

Three or more years of professional experience above the entry level in working with persons with mental retardation and/or developmental disabilities with the Missouri Uniform Classification and Pay System.

OR

A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum of 24 earned semester hours or 36 earned quarter hours in Elementary or Secondary Education, Special Education, Early Childhood Education, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology, Counseling, Recreation (including specialty areas such as Art, Dance, Music, or Physical Education), Speech-Language Pathology or Audiology, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Nursing, or other specialties in the field of human services; and,

Four or more years of professional experience working with persons with mental retardation and/or developmental disabilities including one or more years of supervisory or administrative experience.

(Earned graduate credit hours from an accredited college or university in the specified areas may substitute on a year-for-year basis for a maximum of two years of the required general experience at a rate of 24 earned graduate credit hours for one year of experience.)

(Experience as a Registered Nurse may substitute on a year-for-year basis for a maximum of two years of the required education.)

(Minor Revision 9/12/08)