SAP Specialist

About the role

Join the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and be part of a team committed to creating a positive impact in the lives of fellow Texans. At HHSC, your contributions matter, and we support you at each stage of your life and work journey.

Our comprehensive benefits package includes 100% paid employee health insurance for full-time eligible employees, a defined benefit pension plan, generous time off benefits, numerous opportunities for career advancement and more.

Responsibilities

Performs highly complex skill acquisition planning (SAP) and instructional work with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in a State Supported Living Center (SSLC). Develops and implements Skills Acquisition Plans (SAPs) intended to promote future independence of individuals by addressing skill deficits in various domains such as education, vocation, socialization, recreation, self-administration of medication (SAM), and daily living.

• Works with an interdisciplinary team (IDT) to identify the individuals' skill acquisition needs.
• Develops, trains and implements the SAP.
• Produces training aids and manuals and works with others to ensure appropriate adaptive equipment and devices are in place to support SAP implementation.
• Monitors the individual’s progress in achieving the goals of the SAP across various settings.
• Communicates progress, attends meetings, and completes reports.
• Oversees and leads the work of others.
• Ensures and addresses safety issues and concerns.
• Provides presentations to community providers for discharge planning.

Essential Job Functions

• Attends work regularly and may be required to work a specific shift schedule or, at times, even a rotating schedule, extended shift, and/or overtime in accordance with agency leave policy and performs other duties as assigned.
• Develops and implements Skills Acquisition Plans (SAPs) to teach assigned individuals the skills necessary to prepare for successful reentry into a community setting and/or to have maximized independence in the current setting.
• Reviews and evaluates historical documentation contained in the electronic health record, including conducting a review of previous behavior support plans to look for challenging behaviors, dietary needs, communication strategies, prior Skill Acquisition Plans (SAPs) and associated outcomes.
• Administers, scores, and analyzes formal and informal assessments to evaluate strengths, needs, preferences and best strategies for skill acquisition planning.
• Works with the IDT members to develop the contents of the SAP.
• Identifies appropriate instructional strategies for the needs and abilities of the individual taking into account their preferred method of communication, personal strengths and preferences, appropriate prompt level and types of prompts based on learning style and level of performance.
• Produces training aids and manuals which provide the necessary instruction for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) to implement the SAP.
• Trials the SAP with the individual to ensure it can be carried out by Director Support Professionals (DSPs) as written.
• Updates the teaching instructions, training aids and materials as necessary, then trains the DSP to perform the SAP, observing implementation is performed correctly by the DSP.
• Revises the training aids and manuals based on either progress or lack thereof, or difficulty of DSPs implementing as designed.
• Monitors the quality of SAPs through treatment integrity checks, procedural fidelity checks, and a review of monthly progress notes across various settings.
• Documents the individual’s progress on the SAP in the electronic health record.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have knowledge of behavioral analysis theories and practice, and regulatory guidelines as related to the field of intellectual disabilities. They will also have knowledge of Skill Acquisition Plans and the active treatment loop, facility operations and policies, procedures, laws, rules, standards, and guidelines, and intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and ICF/IID standards.

Skills

• Skill in education/training and active treatment methods, tools, techniques, and processes.
• Skill in solving problems, making decisions, and using good judgments when dealing with critical incidents.
• Ability to assess clients’ functional levels.
• Ability to work with interdisciplinary teams and collaborate with other committees.
• Ability to train staff at all levels.
• Skill in implementing educational and behavioral treatment and therapy.
• Skill in observing and accurately documenting skills acquisition programming.
• Skill in modeling appropriate implementation of plans.
• Skill in using computers and relevant software, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, and electronic health data systems.
• Ability to communicate effectively and provide accurate and complete oral and written reports.

Pay

Salary Range: $3,793.41 - $5,921.25, Pay Frequency: Monthly, Salary Group: TEXAS-B-18

Schedule

Shift: Day, Additional Shift Telework: Not Eligible for Telework, Travel: Up to 5%, Regular/Temporary: Regular, Full Time/Part Time: Full time, FLSA Exempt/Non-Exempt: Nonexempt