Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley and North Shore

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES: The Information and Referral (I&R) Specialist provides information on a wide variety of resources, programs and services in response to inquiries from members of the community such as elders, persons with disabilities, caregivers, and professionals. I&R Specialists assess for program eligibility and link those in need of information and/or services to appropriate resources within and outside of the agency.

Essential Functions

• Develop a working knowledge of agency programs and services, public benefits, community resources, and other relevant information.
• Respond to all telephonic, in person and electronic requests in a professional, timely and accurate manner.
• Process referrals for applicable agency programs through consumer needs assessment, preliminary eligibility determination, interdisciplinary consults, accurate and timely data entry and referrals to alternate resources as appropriate.
• Complete all documentation required by the Executive Office of Elder Affairs and agency procedures and adhere to current ESMV Quality Assurance standards.
• Comply with HIPAA regulations and agency policies to ensure the privacy of protected health information (PHI).
• Participate in I&R customer satisfaction processes and tracking of statistical data.
• Seek peer input or management guidance on complex, atypical or time sensitive consumer situations.
• Provide referral sources, consumers and caregivers with information regarding next steps in the process.
• Participate in professional development to enhance knowledge and skills, maintain certifications, and adhere to I&R training requirements as outlined by EOEA.
• Work collaboratively with other agency departments to ensure the highest level of customer service to both internal and external customers.
• Represent the agency in the community at meetings, fairs, trainings, and other events.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:            

• Associate's degree with experience in the elder, disabled or other human services fields
• Proficiency in Microsoft products and web-based databases
• Excellent data entry skills with the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced call center environment while accessing information from a variety of sources
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate in a professional and empathetic manner
• Strong organizational skills, including the ability to prioritize tasks, problem solve, and proactively identify and report concerns
• Supportive telephone manner and active listening and communication skills
• Ability to interact comfortably with people with various levels of familiarity with the aging network, at various levels within the agency and positions in the community
• Bilingual capacity in Spanish required

Preferred:

• Bachelor's degree in a related field
• AIRS certification
• Experience providing information and referral and performing eligibility assessments
• Familiarity with the elder network including Councils on Aging, Aging Service Access Points (ASAP's) and Area Agencies on Aging (AAA's)

Hours: 37.5 per week

AA/EOE