5027 Staffing

Georgia State Seal

Georgia Division of Aging Services
Access to Services Manual

Chapter:

5000 Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC)

Effective Date:

Section Title:

Staffing

Reviewed or Updated in:

MT 2020-01

Section Number:

5027

Previous Update:

Purpose

The Area Agency will recruit and hire ADRC staff, who are competent, ethical, and sufficient in number to implement service policies.[1]

Standards

  1. Minimum Education and Experience Required are:

    1. Bachelor’s Degree in social work, sociology, psychology, human services, or a related field, or

    2. Registered, professional nurse currently licensed to practice in the state of Georgia AND two years’ experience in the human services or health related fields, or

    3. Associate’s degree in human services or health related field AND a minimum of two years’ experience in working directly with aging or disability populations.

  2. Staff shall be qualified by training and/or experience in the following areas:

    1. Ability to use assessment tools and technology;

    2. Specialized knowledge of older persons, the aging process, and long-term care issues; persons with disabilities and disability etiquette;

    3. Knowledge of the service structure of the service area;

    4. Compilation, maintenance and/or use of a resource file and/or database; and

    5. Skill in coordinating with and communicating with people making inquiries and with service providers in relaying referral information.

  3. The Area Agency will provide written job descriptions for all staff, outlining responsibilities, essential job functions, and lines of accountability. Agencies will review job descriptions at least once during every planning cycle and update as indicated.

  4. The Area Agency will provide for ongoing supervision and annual performance evaluation of paid employees (and volunteers, if present) by qualified management-level staff. Annual evaluations will address specific duties and functions specified in job descriptions.

  5. Agencies may use trained volunteers to provide components of access services. Within the access system, the agencies will designate a staff person responsible for volunteer coordination. Volunteers are treated as unpaid staff.

  6. The Area Agency will designate at least a 0.5 FTE to the role of ADRC Resource Specialist whose first priority is dedicated to new resource identification and development and database management and maintenance. The Resource Specialist shall prioritize identifying and adding private pay resources to the database and build expertise on resources availability and unmet need throughout the planning area. Responsibilities include ensuring that resources are updated at least annually.

    1. Other responsibilities will include collaboration with Minimum Data Set Section Q Options Counselors (MDSQ OCs) and Money Follows the Person Transitions Coordinators (MFP TC) regarding community resource needs for individuals who are transitioning. This can be through individual case review or through a collaborative “solution circle” process.

    2. When the above responsibilities are fulfilled this person may assist in call rotation in any capacity deemed appropriate by the AAA Director and ADRC Program Manager. The Resource Specialist must meet required qualifications for the additional role (i.e. if serving as an Options Counselor must be certified).

1. The Division encourages Area Agencies to provide a balance in staff between social service and nursing professionals, to assure that the perspectives of both the social and medical models of service delivery are shared among the staff. See Appendix 5060-B for reference to minimum qualifications for social services staff. See 5024 for description of ADRC staff duties.