Individual Placement and Support Trainer

Lutheran Services Florida (LSF) envisions a world where children are safe, families are strong, and communities are vibrant.

LSF is seeking a talented Individual Placement and Support Trainer who wants to make an impact in the lives of others.

Purpose and Impact:

The IPS Trainer will work as a team member with the IPS State Team within LSF Health Systems Training Institute to provide technical assistance, training, and quality improvement throughout Florida on the evidence-based practice of IPS Supported Employment and Education. IPS is a person-centered, behavioral health service with a focus on employment, that provides individualized assistance in choosing careers, obtaining training or education as needed, acquiring, and maintaining competitive paid employment in the community for individuals for whom employment has not been achieved or employment has been interrupted or intermittent.

LSF Health Systems has a deep and profound commitment to diversity as a valuable means for eliminating health disparities. As such, we strongly encourage applications from candidates who foster and promote the values of diversity and inclusion.

Essential Functions - Operational:

Training (25%)

• Provides training to agencies including didactic training, participation in vocational unit meetings, participation in treatment team meetings, in-the-field mentoring for job development, and in-the-field mentoring for other parts of the vocational process (e.g., vocational profile, job supports, employer connection and engagement).
• Helps agencies with issues related to; disclosure of an illness, helping individuals consider a return to work, supported education and helping individuals experiencing co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
• Provides assistance to agency administrators in building workplace cultures that value employment for clients and reorganizing services, as needed; provides assistance to agencies providing education-based supports.

Technical Assistance (25%)

• Performs technical assistance including in-person site visits at least 1-2 times per month for sites who have not yet reached 'good' fidelity adherence to the evidence-based practice of IPS. Phone, email, and web based technical assistance will be provided to any site needing assistance.
• Works face-to-face, over the phone, or via email with site IPS Supervisors to assist them with improving their supervisor skills, data collection, and fidelity adherence, including but not limited to: field visits with a supervisor to focus on field mentoring skills, attending employer or consumer meetings with Supervisors or Employment Specialists, working with Supervisors to implement a system for collecting data and using outcomes with the team, developing coaching plans for Employment Specialists who do not have positive outcomes.

Fidelity Reviews (25%)

• Conducts fidelity reviews and produce fidelity reports to assist sites in increasing adherence to the evidence-based practice of IPS.
• Coaches sites in using fidelity reports to develop and implement quality improvement action plans.

Planning, Consultation, and Data (15%)

• Meet with local Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) offices to discuss the evidence-based practice and develop strategies for providing VR services to individuals participating in IPS.
• Disseminate education about IPS, including providing breakouts at conferences, participating on state-based committees focused on community-based integrated employment for persons with disabilities, consumers, families, and interested community members.
• Develop training, data, and technical assistance products using available technology to track outcomes, promote effective communication, deliver data to the National IPS outcomes database, and deliver evidence of the positive outcomes of IPS in Florida.

Essential Functions - Administrative:

• Collaborate with LSFHS internal departments on best practices and procedures.
• Maintain a strong working relationship with key partners in the community and at the provider organizations.
• Schedule and coordinate trainings and events by recruiting and registering target audiences, ordering and organizing supplies, preparing, and packing materials for trainings, conferences, and special presentations, completing staff travel arrangements and expense reports.
• Develop, format, edit and/or proofread written project documents, email communications, and other materials and correspondence for meetings, trainings, conferences, and presentations.
• Input data and maintain databases for trainings, e-mail communications, conference registration, and evaluation data; develop regular reports.
• Offers technical assistance and coaching to provider organizations to identify training gaps and barriers to treatment.
• Collect data and share information in a timely manner as required by LSF Health Systems and the Department of Children and Families (DCF).
• Participate in monthly/weekly meetings as deemed necessary by supervisor.

Physical Requirements:

• Sedentary to light work exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.
• Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity such as a calculator, copy machine and computer printer.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in Vocational Rehabilitation, Social Work or other related field

Experience:

• At least one (1) year experience in an employment-related program required.
• At least one (1) year experience working in a mental health or substance use treatment setting required.

Preferred Experience:

• Working with the IPS evidence-based model, or in an IPS program, as an IPS trainer, or as an IPS fidelity reviewer.
• Lived experience of mental illness.
• Experience in supported employment or supported education, or other evidence-based practice.
• Experience providing training or education.

Skills:

• Strong interpersonal communication and writing skills with a variety of audiences.
• Ability to coordinate activities.
• Ability to work with community-based mental health and/or substance use treatment programs or in DCF and/or Department of Vocational Rehabilitation programs.
• Demonstrated skills in working independently and within a team and with a variety of stakeholders.
• Preference for knowledge of best practice implementation to enhance impact of training and technical assistance provided.

Other:

• Travel is required, occasionally overnight throughout Florida. Must provide own transportation or a valid driver's license.
• Perform other related duties/responsibilities as assigned.
• Represent LSF and DCF at meetings and events.
• Must demonstrate sensitivity to the diverse backgrounds, characteristics, and needs of the SAMH service population

Why work for LSF? 

LSF offers 60 programs across the state of Florida serving a wide range of populations in need. Mission Driven staff members become part of the LSF community while transforming the lives of those in need. Our staff additionally find growth opportunities as they explore areas of interest within the organization.   

Amazing benefits package including:  

Medical, Dental and Vision
Teladoc (24/7 online access to doctors)
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Employer paid life insurance (1X salary)
13 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday
Generous PTO policy (starting at 16 working days a year)
403(b) Retirement plan with 3% discretionary employer match OR 3% student loan repayment reimbursement
Tuition reimbursement

Lutheran Services Florida embraces diversity, equity and inclusion in all business practices. LSF is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.