Child, Family and Adult Advocate in Northglenn, Colorado at The Arc of Adams County

About The Arc of Adams County

At The Arc of Adams County, we believe every person deserves the opportunity to live a meaningful life, make their own choices, and be valued as a contributing member of their community. We work alongside people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and our community to promote inclusion, advance advocacy, create opportunities, and help ensure that every person has the support and resources they need to thrive. Our work is about more than providing services—it is about listening, empowering, building connections, and helping create a community where everyone belongs. When you join The Arc of Adams County, you become part of a team committed to meaningful work, positive change, and building a more inclusive future for all.

Position Summary

The Child, Family & Adult Advocate provides non-attorney advocacy, education, and support to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families. The Advocate helps individuals and families understand their rights and options, prepare for meetings and decisions, communicate their needs, document concerns, and advocate for appropriate services, supports, and accommodations.

An Advocate works alongside individuals and families to strengthen their ability to understand systems, participate in decisions, and speak for themselves. Advocacy may involve education and preparation related to schools, Medicaid and other public systems, service providers, case management agencies, healthcare, housing, benefits, employment, transportation, and other systems affecting the individual's rights, services, and community participation.

An Advocate does not provide legal advice or representation, case management, benefits eligibility determinations, housing placement, transportation services, direct care, or ongoing service coordination. When a need falls outside the scope of non-attorney advocacy, the Advocate helps the individual or family identify and connect with an appropriate resource, provider, specialist, or legal service.

An Advocate exercises professional judgment within the scope of the position, organizational policies, and established advocacy practices and consults with the Assistant Executive Director or other appropriate leadership when an issue is complex, high-risk, outside the Advocate's authority, or requires specialized expertise.

This position supports The Arc of Adams County's mission by promoting self-advocacy, inclusion, dignity, independence, equal access, and the rights of individuals with IDD and their families.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Individual and Family Advocacy

• Provide non-attorney advocacy to individuals with IDD and their families regarding rights, disability services, special education services, supports, accommodations, and access to community resources.
• Help individuals and families understand information, notices, service decisions, policies, and communications in plain language.
• Help individuals identify questions, concerns, priorities, and desired outcomes related to their services and supports.
• Support individuals and families in communicating their needs and preferences to schools, government agencies, case management agencies, service providers, healthcare providers, and other systems.
• Support individuals in exercising self-advocacy and participating meaningfully in decisions affecting their lives.
• Assist individuals and families in identifying barriers, delays, reductions, denials, or interruptions in services or supports.
• Help individuals and families identify appropriate next steps when a concern or rights issue arises.
• Assist with documenting concerns, communications, timelines, decisions, denials, delays, and other information relevant to an advocacy matter.
• Attend meetings with individuals or families as an advocacy support person when appropriate and authorized.
• Help individuals and families prepare for meetings, including identifying questions, gathering relevant information, reviewing documents, and identifying desired outcomes.
• Encourage and support individuals to communicate directly whenever possible rather than speaking on their behalf unnecessarily.
• Escalate complex, urgent, high-risk, or unresolved advocacy matters to the Assistant Executive Director or appropriate leadership.

2. Rights Education and Systems Navigation

• Educate individuals and families regarding disability-related rights, responsibilities, processes, and available options within the Advocate's scope of knowledge and authority. Seek out consultation and resources beyond your scope of practice.
• Help individuals and families understand how relevant systems and organizations operate without assuming responsibility for managing those systems on the individual's behalf.
• Assist individuals and families in understanding service plans, notices, correspondence, policies, IEPs and other documents in plain language.
• Help individuals prepare for interactions with schools, Medicaid, case management agencies, healthcare systems, service providers, and public agencies.
• Help individuals identify appropriate questions to ask when services, benefits, supports, or accommodations are proposed, changed, reduced, delayed, or denied.
• Identify when an issue may require specialized assistance from a case manager, benefits specialist, housing specialist, attorney, healthcare professional, or other qualified provider.
• Provide appropriate referrals and resource information. An advocate does not assume responsibility for the delivery or coordination of those services.

3. Special Education Advocacy for Children, Families, and Adults

• Advocate for the human and civil rights and expressed needs of children, adults, and families affected by IDD.
• Support families in preparing for school meetings, including Individualized Education Program (IEPs/504s) and related educational processes, within the Advocate's scope and training.
• Support adults with IDD in understanding and communicating their preferences regarding services, supports, employment, community participation, relationships and other life decisions.
• Support families and individuals in identifying and addressing barriers to inclusion and participation in community life.
• Assist individuals and families in raising concerns when services or supports do not align with their needs, rights, or stated preferences.
• Promote person-centered, culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and dignity-centered advocacy practices.
• Recognize and respect the individual's right to make informed decisions, including decisions with which the Advocate may not personally agree.

4. Documentation and Advocacy Records

• Maintain timely, accurate, objective, and confidential documentation of advocacy contacts, concerns, actions taken, referrals, communications, and outcomes.
• Document advocacy matters in accordance with The Arc of Adams County policies, procedures, and required systems.
• Maintain organized records necessary to understand the history, status, and progression of an advocacy matter.
• Document factual information objectively and distinguish between reported information, observed information, and professional advocacy observations.
• Protect confidential and sensitive information in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and organizational policies.
• Maintain current knowledge and appropriate use of required Arc forms, systems, and documentation processes.
• Refer to organizational policies when using Artificial Intelligence (AI)

5. Community Education and Outreach

• Provide or support educational presentations and informational activities for individuals, families, community partners, and other stakeholders as assigned.
• Participate in community outreach, education, engagement activities, agency events, meetings, and trainings that promote disability rights, inclusion, self-advocacy, and access to services and supports.
• Develop and maintain professional relationships that support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Represent The Arc of Adams County professionally and consistently with organizational values and advocacy principles.

6. Collaboration, Consultation, and Escalation

• Always maintain professional boundaries.
• Consult with the Assistant Executive Director, or Executive Director, regarding complex, high-risk, unusual, or unresolved advocacy matters.
• Seek appropriate supervisory or leadership guidance when an advocacy matter may involve legal issues, immediate safety concerns, significant rights violations, ethical concerns, or matters outside the Advocate's scope.
• Participate in team meetings, case consultation, and advocacy discussions as assigned.
• Share patterns of recurring barriers, systemic concerns, or emerging advocacy issues with leadership to support broader systems advocacy and organizational learning.
• An Advocated does not assume responsibilities belonging to case managers, benefits specialists, housing specialists, transportation providers, direct service providers, attorneys, or other professionals.
• Advocates are Mandatory Reporters.

Decision-Making Authority

The Advocate:

• Exercises professional judgment within established organizational policies, procedures, ethical standards, and the scope of non-attorney advocacy.
• Determines appropriate advocacy steps within the scope of the position.
• May communicate with systems, providers, agencies, and other parties with appropriate authorization from the individual or family.
• Determines when additional information, consultation, referral, or escalation is appropriate.
• Does not independently make legal, clinical, benefits eligibility, case management, or service-delivery decisions on behalf of individuals.
• Escalates matters involving significant safety concerns, potential legal issues, complex rights violations, ethical concerns, or matters outside the Advocate's authority.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree, or experience in lieu of education, in social work, human services, psychology, special education, disability studies, education, or a related field preferred.
• Relevant professional or lived experience with intellectual and developmental disabilities may be considered in combination with education and experience.
• Experience working with individuals with IDD, children, adults, families, or disability-related systems preferred.
• Experience in advocacy, disability services, education, human services, community organizing, or a related field preferred.

Knowledge and Skills

• Understanding of the rights, needs, and experiences of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Understanding of the principles of self-advocacy, person-centered practices, inclusion, and informed decision-making.
• Ability to explain complex information in clear, accessible, and respectful language.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong listening, problem-solving, organization, and critical-thinking skills.
• Ability to gather, organize, and objectively document information.
• Ability to prepare individuals and families for meetings and difficult conversations.
• Ability to establish professional relationships while maintaining appropriate boundaries.
• Ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, and personal backgrounds.
• Ability to recognize when an issue falls outside the scope of non-attorney advocacy and seek appropriate assistance.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgment.
• Familiarity with disability-related systems, including education, Medicaid, HCBS, case management, benefits, healthcare, understanding or knowledge of special education processes and protections including IDEA, IEPs Section 504 plans, evaluations, procedural safeguards, parent and family rights, and community services, preferred.
• Employees who demonstrate proficiency in English and Spanish and are able to effectively communicate with individuals, families, and community members in both languages may qualify for an additional 1.5% increase in base pay. Eligibility is contingent upon verification of language proficiency and organizational approval

Work Environment

• Combination of office-based, community-based, and virtual work.
• May attend meetings in schools, government agencies, provider offices, healthcare settings, and other community locations.
• May encounter emotionally difficult situations, conflict, crisis, or individuals experiencing significant frustration or stress.
• Requires the ability to maintain professionalism, boundaries, and effective advocacy communication in challenging situations.
• Occasional evening or other non-standard hours may be required for meetings, community events, or organizational activities, with appropriate approval.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit, stand, walk, and travel within the community as required.
• Ability to use standard office equipment, computers, mobile devices, and other technology necessary to perform the position.
• Ability to communicate effectively in person, by telephone, electronically, through virtual meeting platforms and in individual homes.
• Reasonable accommodations will be considered consistent with applicable law.