Advocacy Specialist-Investigator

About the role

Disability Rights Wisconsin is the state’s Protection and Advocacy system, working to uphold disability rights and ensure freedom from abuse and neglect. Through legal advocacy, individual representation, and systems change, our advocates and attorneys advance dignity, access, and justice across Wisconsin.

The Advocacy Specialist - Investigator plays a critical role in monitoring the quality of services available to individuals with disabilities in Wisconsin. This staff position is responsible for investigating allegations of abuse, neglect, rights violations, and deaths of individuals with disabilities in the state.

Responsibilities

• Conducting investigations and monitoring visits to facilities and programs that serve individuals with disabilities
• Investigating reports of abuse, neglect, and client rights violations in services, programs, and facilities that serve individuals with disabilities
• Reviewing, tracking, and analyzing statements of deficiency, notices of violation, and plans of correction issued against facilities serving people with disabilities
• Drafting letters and open records requests seeking records of investigations
• Conducting investigatory interviews with individuals with disabilities, family members, direct care workers, and others by phone and in person
• Preparing and transmitting letters to placing agencies, state, or county decisionmakers, and others, alerting them about problematic providers
• Reviewing and analyzing voluminous medical and/or other records
• Preparing internal written reports and summaries of completed investigations and assisting in the preparation of public reports regarding these investigations

Administration tasks (5% of the role) include attending weekly Investigation and Monitoring Team meetings, assisting the Investigations and Monitoring Team Lead, and maintaining files and databases.

Outreach tasks (5% of the role) include cultivating and maintaining effective working relationships with local, state, and federal agencies and organizations responsible for investigating, preventing, or otherwise responding to incidents of abuse or neglect.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree, R.N., or equivalent experience of at least four years in paid or unpaid work providing advocacy or direct assistance to people with disabilities
• Effective information management and analytical skills for complex medical and legal issues
• Demonstrated commitment to social justice issues and people with disabilities
• Demonstrated ability to communicate orally and in writing effectively
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate internally with DRW coworkers and externally with community partners, state, and county decision-makers, and administering agency staff
• Proficiency in computer skills using Microsoft (Edge, Teams, SharePoint, and Outlook)
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Ability to travel regionally and statewide, with varying amounts of advance notice

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience/direct contact with persons with disabilities
• Experience/direct contact with people from culturally diverse backgrounds
• Experience completing forensic investigations or analyzing medical records
• Experience in clinical, health care, or residential settings
• General knowledge about regulatory frameworks intending to prevent abuse and neglect
• In-depth familiarity with Wisconsin’s disability-related service, residential, or prevention of abuse and neglect systems

Work Environment and Physical Demands

The role requires the ability to remain stationary, often standing or sitting, for long periods, and to traverse, bend, and reach to access files and operate office equipment.

Independent travel is required (20%).

Benefits

• Generous employer contribution for individual and family health insurance, plus a Health Reimbursement Account for uncovered health care costs
• Employer-provided Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with Employer Contribution
• Flex Spending Account
• Access to affordable, quality: Dental, Vision Coverage
• Additional Life Insurance for the employee, spouse, and children
• Critical Illness Insurance
• Identity Theft
• Pet Insurance
• Public Student Loan Forgiveness
• Generous Paid Time Off Policies
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Commuter Choice, and Sabbatical Leave

Pay

The pay range for this role is $52,020 - $64,826 USD per year, with options for remote, Madison Office, or Milwaukee Office work.