Disabilities Coordinator (3386)

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

LSF is seeking a talented Disabilities Coordinator who wants to make an impact in the lives of others.

Purpose and Impact:

The Disabilities Coordinator works with Child Health and Safety Manager to plan, coordinate and monitor compliance with the Head Start Performance Standards and Florida licensing laws. Assists with the completion of the child health requirements and other required screenings and assessments. Plans, develops and implements training for education staff, parents, and volunteers in collaboration with HS/EHS staff development team. Participates in the HS/EHS Quality Assurance efforts.

Essential Functions:

• Works with Family & Community Engagement Specialists in encouraging parents to adhere to medical, dental, screenings, nutrition and ensure follow-up treatments are completed within established federal guidelines.
• Organizes and participates in team functions of planning, implementing and evaluating family health goals and objectives.
• Assists Child Health and Safety Manager in disability planing. Monitors, guides and provides advice to families and staff who work with infants/toddlers with disability concerns.
• Works cooperatively with local agencies to assist families to linkup with services in the local community.
• Assists with the completion of the required child screenings and assessments and is familiar with referral requirements. May assist in recruiting prospective families and assists with enrollment process through coordinating and facilitating pre-staffing for children with disability concerns.
• Coordinates implementation of health and individual treatment plans. May provide parent consultation, and coordinate care between parent/staff/physician.
• Conducts and documents follow-up on all referrals to ensure that needs of the child are met.
• While respecting family confidentiality, regularly shares information with teachers to ensure coordinated services that meet the needs of individual children and families.
• Provides disability management activities to parents, as appropriate.
• Develops a working knowledge of community resources, and visits, at least annually, with major agencies for service delivery updates and community resource guide updates.
• Assists in interpreting and implementing federal performance standards. Participates in the development and revisions to the Parent & Staff Health Handbook specifically the area of disability.
• Attends parent/teacher conferences as requested.
• Assists in ensuring the health and safety of children enrolled in the Childcare Homes option.
• Enters data into ChildPlus (Head Start/Early Head Start specific software) regarding critical disability and notes. Documents all efforts to assist families, tracks childs efforts and outcomes, records, monitors and follows up on referrals, and submits reports as required.
• Monitors and rescreens developmental and behavioral screeners and compiles a list of children who have been or will be referred to Early Steps and/or Child Find based on the developmental and behavioral screening results, and provides list to administrative staff for record keeping with data entry into ChildPlus and reporting to external agencies as applicable. Refers children to local community agencies if there is a concern for services if needed.
• Maintains strict confidentiality at all times, including the ability to recognize situations in which confidentiality is required.
• Attends all workshops and meetings as deemed necessary by the Child Health and Safety Manager.
• Attends all required staff and parent meetings and activities.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Other Functions:

Note: The duties above are illustrative and not exhaustive. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. Depending on assigned area of responsibility, incumbents in the position may perform some or all of the activities described above.

Physical Requirements:

Must be able to lift at least 45 pounds. Reasonable accommodation may be made for otherwise qualified persons with disabilities.

Education:

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Special Education, ESE or Behavior related field. Training or course work in early childhood education and children with special needs a plus. Applicant must have working knowledge of Florida’s health care providers and community resources related to ESE, or Disabilities services. Must possess working knowledge of computer, word processing, spreadsheets and software (MS Word, MS Access, MS Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)

Experience:

• At least two years of experience working in a ESE\School District, Early Head Start, Head Start or a social services environment that serves culturally diverse low-income children and families. Experience working with comprehensive record keeping systems. Start/Early Head Start experience preferred. As is the ability to identify special needs children.
• Bilingual preferred: English/Spanish or English and other languages present in the local area. Also required: Successful completion of a Level II background screening, local criminal record check and drug screening prior to hiring.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of human development and health.
• Knowledge of social services and health services available in the area.
• Knowledge of computer data entry processes.
• Knowledge of family-centered practices.
• Ability to communicate ideas and instructions orally and in writing.
• Ability to write reports and business correspondence.
• Ability to speak before groups of individuals, such as Committees and Staff meetings.
• Ability to calculate amounts by adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing and figuring percentages.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of instructions.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to make recommendations and develop implementation strategies.
• Computer skills, including MS Office Suite (Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, etc).

Other:

Must demonstrate sensitivity to our service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics and needs.

Principal Accountabilities:

• Team player with co-workers and central service office staff.
• Cost effective program operations.
• Adherence to LSF and Head Start/Early Head Start policies and management practices.
• Effective leadership skills.

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
• Telehealth (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)
  • Note: Head Start employees paid time off and holiday schedule may differ
• 403(b) Retirement plan with 3% discretionary employer match OR 3% student loan repayment reimbursement
• Tuition reimbursement

LSF is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

Lutheran Services Florida is mandated to perform background screenings for employment in accordance with the Florida Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse as outlined in Section 435.12, Florida Statutes. Additionally, pursuant to House Bill 531 (2025), Lutheran Services Florida must ensure that all job vacancy postings and advertisements include a clear and conspicuous link to the AHCA Clearinghouse website and its requirements. For more information on background screening requirements please visit: https://info.flclearinghouse.com

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.