CharityVillage

Care Coordinator – Service Navigation

Hours: 37.5 hours per week including some evenings and weekends

Salary: $60,000 - $65,000/year

Region: Ontario

Term: Full-time, permanent

Location: Regional across Ontario. Hybrid work from home with assigned regional offices

Autism Ontario is currently seeking full time professionals for the Care Coordinator- Service Navigation team. During a time of transition and significant program changes, parents/caregivers will require support to understand their options in the new Ontario Autism Program (OAP), including the new supports, pathways, and programs available to them.

Position Summary

Our Service Navigators are creative, solution-focused autism professionals scattered throughout the province to reach as many families as possible. They maintain a dedicated roster of families within an assigned region to provide ongoing support and navigation and build a trusting relationship with the families they serve. Service Navigators provide information about the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) and help connect families to service providers and resources available in their local communities. This will include programs, services, and resources that families can access, as well as other services and supports available locally.

Service Navigators also plan, coordinate, and implement events and workshops for autistic children and youth, their families, and professionals in the field of autism. 

Care Coordinators will provide: direct support to families who are accessing or are interested in accessing the OAP by helping families: 

• Understand and make informed choices about their service options in the OAP.
• Make informed choices on how to receive funding.
• Find and select qualified service providers.
• Complete and submit required documentation and reconcile invoices 
• Feel supported in connecting to available resources and services in their local communities.

Key Responsibilities: 

Service Navigation

• Be the main point of contact for an assigned case load of families who have been through the determination of needs process.
• Communicate the results of the determination of needs process to families and support families to make informed choices about next steps for core clinical services.
• Support families to locate qualified, experienced and trained local service providers and refer families to the OAP Provider List to support their provider selection, as required.
• Provide evidence-informed, family-centred support, ensuring that families understand eligible expenses within Core Clinical Services.
• Assist families by using knowledge of all relevant services in Ontario to access the supports and services they require to achieve their goals as defined by the need’s determination process.
• Develop collaborative relationships and network with related service providers to strengthen external partnerships to help inform families and connect them to programs, services, and resources available in their local communities.

Needs Determination Support:

• Support the Determination of Needs team with walking families through the process using the standardized, clinically informed approach to determine the child or youth’s support needs and resulting OAP funding amount for core clinical services.

Family Support

• Educate families on all relevant details about the program and ensure that they have a complete understanding of the options and services available to them.
• Strengthen the capacities of applicants and communities to value and support Autistic Children and Youth by respecting their strengths, competencies, expertise, resilience, and capacities as well as by fostering their inclusion, self-development, and participation within communities.

Qualifications:

Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum of 3 years of experience working in a human service, social service or a clinically related discipline including providing support to families of children with ASD and/or developmental disabilities. An equivalent combination of education and similar experience will be considered.
• Experience working with children and youth on the autism spectrum and their families, including interviewing families and/or conducting assessments is an asset
• Sound understanding of issues faced by people with autism, intellectual or developmental disabilities across their life course.
• Extensive knowledge of the developmental services sector and of community-based resources within the designated region.
• An understanding of the clinical language that other providers may use, and an ability to communicate in a family friendly way.
• General knowledge of typical child development.
• Fluency in written and oral French is strongly preferred; speaking additional languages as well as working with families who identify as Indigenous considered an asset.

Skills

• A family-centered, person-directed approach to support.
• Flexibility in engaging with families and comfortable navigating challenging conversations with compassion and empathy.
• Demonstrated excellent relationship building, collaboration and conflict resolution skills within a system-wide environment.
• Critical thinking skills.
• Demonstrated sound professional judgment and problem-solving skills, as well as be able to effectively manage multiple priorities, work independently and adapt to changing circumstances with competing deadlines.
• Demonstrated commitment to principles of social justice, equity, inclusion, and cultural competency.
• Proficient with various computer programs including data base management, email, Microsoft Office applications and have familiarity with social media and other technology tools and approaches.

Key Requirements

• The role requires the ability to regularly work evenings and weekends. Must be flexible to work out of multiple locations within the assigned region and able to travel regularly within the region and occasionally to other parts of the province.
• Up-to-date police reference check.
• A valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle are required.
• Successful applicants will be required to show proof of full vaccination or a documented medical exemption upon hire.

We thank everyone for their interest in this position; however, only those candidates invited to interview with us will be contacted.

Autism Ontario is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We will be pleased to consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veterans’ status or any other legally protected factors.

Autism Ontario is committed to providing a barrier-free work environment in concert with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code. As such, Autism Ontario will make accommodations available to applicants with disabilities upon request during the hiring process.

Recruitment for these positions is being conducted by Barnes Management Group on behalf of Autism Ontario. For any questions regarding this position, please contact recruitment@barnesmanagementgroup.com.