Nursing Home Community Ombudsman Paralegal (Lake County) - Long-Term Care

About the role

Legal Aid Chicago seeks an Ombudsman Paralegal for Lake County, Illinois to advocate for residents of long-term care facilities on issues including care, involuntary discharges, and Medicaid. This position requires residency in the Chicago metropolitan area of Illinois or Northwest Indiana and may involve travel to court or other outreach events. The office is located in downtown Chicago at 200 N. LaSalle Street, offering a hybrid work environment with ADA accessibility and convenient access to public transportation and expressways.

Responsibilities

• Visit assigned long-term care facilities in Lake County to educate residents, family members, facility staff, and the public about residents' rights and investigate and resolve complaints.
• Attend resident and family council meetings to advise on long-term care issues; organize and develop family councils when necessary.
• Develop and maintain productive relationships with long-term care staff.
• Develop knowledge of relevant laws and regulations, including Medicaid, Medicare, and federal and state laws relating to long-term care.
• Complete all training required by the Illinois Department on Aging.
• Assist in the recruitment, training, and retention of volunteer ombudsmen.
• Promote the Ombudsman Project throughout the service area.
• Perform intake, fact gathering, and advocacy.
• Represent clients at hearings before the Illinois Department of Human Services, Nursing Home Division, in cases involving denial or termination of Medicaid eligibility for long-term care residents.
• Perform other duties reasonably related to Community Ombudsman job functions.

Qualifications

This position is part of the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW Local 2320. Compensation is determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) salary scale, based on paid experience. Bilingual staff are eligible for an additional stipend.

Pay

The budgeted salary range for this position is $46,675–$51,428, reflecting 0–10 years of paid, credited experience.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, effective the first day of employment.
• Time off: 15 vacation days and 18 sick days accrued within the first year of employment.
• 15 paid holidays and four additional floating holidays.
• Twelve weeks of paid parental leave at 100% of salary after six months of employment.
• 403(b) retirement plan with an employer contribution after one year of employment.
• $50,000 basic life and accidental death & dismemberment insurance, at no cost.
• Access to Employee Assistance Program resources, at no cost.
• Monthly internet reimbursement.

Legal Aid Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and an eligible employer for the federal public service loan forgiveness program.