Independent Living Specialist

Tarrant County Association for the Blind - Fort Worth, TX 76104

$55,000.00 - $75,000.00

Full Time

Day

Position Title: Independent Living Specialist (ILS)

Reports To: Head of Client Services

Location: 912 West Broadway Avenue, Fort Worth, TX 76104

Position Type: Full Time, Salaried and Exempt

Salary Range: $55,000 - $75,000

The mission of the Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth is to encourage and empower blind and significantly visually impaired children, youth, adults and seniors to achieve their highest level of independence through competitive employment, specialized training and client services (at no charge).

The Independent Living Specialist (ILS) provides services to clients with significant visual impairments that often create barriers for them to function independently in their home and with their community. The ILS will provide the necessary tools so that clients can make informed decisions to achieve equality of opportunity, employment, independence, and social self-sufficiency.

• Teach basic independent living skills like kitchen preparation and home organization.
• Establish trust and rapport with individuals with vision loss and other types of disabilities.
• Facilitate one-on-one training with older adults who are blind or visually impaired.
• Independently manage your appointments, prioritize client visits, and provide in-home services in multiple surrounding counties in North Texas.
• Practice dedication, patience, and compassion in a workplace setting to help individuals overcome obstacles and increase independence in their homes.
• Increase client decision-making skills by ensuring clients are aware of all devices available to them, not just the ones, you the trainer, deem most appropriate.
• Empower the client as the decision-maker to develop a self-advocating strategy and support network.
• Implement a training curriculum for clients to achieve personal goals towards independence.
• Develop a checklist or progress report to track skills and service progress growth.
• Determine specific learning styles, strengths, and limitations to adapt teaching strategies and materials to address individual learning styles.
• Provide training on assistive technology devices like video magnifiers and recorders.
• Evaluate progress and recommend strategies for continued learning and support.

• Complete onsite, in person assessments according to the referral partner request to determine training needs and develop training plans.
• Manage and coordinate the ILS case load, which includes referrals from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Older Individuals who are Blind (OIB) program, community clients and internal employees that may need assistance.
• Build and cultivate long-term relationships with community referral partners.
• Complete case notes and all required documentation within a specific timeframe.
• Meet weekly performance measures in line with overall agency outcomes.
• Familiarity with Microsoft 365 and Case Management Databases.

• Promotes the Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth in the community to increase the Client Services department in the number of persons served and scope of services provided.
• Experience with “Cooking without Looking” and other types of IL training techniques.
• Collaborate with internal employees and external partner organizations to ensure all clients receive appropriate accommodation and resources related to transition, job retention, self-employment, or vision related services.
• Provide IL skills and support as needed for internal employees.
• Provide consultation, guidance, direction and support to community members as needed regarding accommodating a person with vision loss.
• Partic…