Job Description

Introduction

The Maryland Department of Aging helps establish Maryland as an attractive location for all older adults through vibrant communities and supportive services that offer the opportunity to live healthy and meaningful lives. Through action, investment, leadership, and reform, the Department will create a society in which all older Marylanders can lead lives that are healthy, financially secure, socially connected, and purposeful throughout their full lifespan.

* This is a contractual position, with limited benefits. *

This is a Management Service position, and serves at the pleasure of the Appointing Authority.

GRADE

LOCATION OF POSITION

Department of Aging

36 S. Charles Street

Baltimore, MD 21201

POSITION DUTIES

The Legal Assistant Developer will lead efforts to secure and maintain the legal rights of older adults. This position is responsible for overseeing compliance with the Older Americans Act (OAA) and leading the state’s legal services advocacy system through policy development and stakeholder engagement. By building strong partnerships with stakeholders and legal providers, the Developer will coordinate technical assistance, training, and resource targeting to protect the rights of older Marylanders.

The position serves as the statewide Legal Assistant Developer for the State Unit on Aging (SUA) ensuring that legal services are available to older adults and those with disabilities demonstrating the greatest economic and greatest social needs. This position serves in a leadership role that ensure compliance with the Older American Act (OAA) as related to those mandated activities found with Title III and Title VII of the Act as related to legal assistant development. Build relationships with key internal and external stakeholders that result in strong partnerships supporting the new statewide vision of a legal services advocacy system focused on older and vulnerable adults including those at risk of guardianship, conservatorship, or other fiduciary proceedings. Ensure that all OAA Title III-B Legal Assistance Programs within the State deliver high quality legal assistance to older and vulnerable adults. Evaluate and monitor for compliance to ensure it is meeting federal regulations. Collaborate with State Unit on Aging Staff. This position works with statewide stakeholders such as Area Agencies on Aging (AAA), legal service providers, long-term care ombudsman; Elder Justice agencies, adult protective services; and others to coordinate and provide oversight of legal assistance for older and vulnerable adults.

• Develop key partnerships including that with local area agencies on aging.

• Works with stakeholders to assess and identify groups of people living with the greatest social and financial needs who need legal services, paying particular attention to individuals with low-income, from historically marginalized communities, and living in rural areas.

• Develop guidelines and guidebooks and recommend policies and procedures for legal services in a variety of areas, such as but not limited to housing assistance, Medicaid, denials, appeals, grandparents raising grandchildren.

• Identifies and works with AAAs in developing and implementing legal programs designed to address the needs of older and vulnerable adults.

• Provides technical assistance, training, and other supportive functions to area agencies on aging, legal assistance providers, Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs, adult protective services, and other service providers.

• Solicits input from citizens and providers of long-term care services statewide.

• Work with AAAs and legal providers in developing case priorities and other mechanisms to ensure that legal assistance services are properly targeted.

• Ensures comprehensive needs assessments are completed statewide.

• Creates a statewide plan that defines the vision of a high quality, high impact legal service delivery system for older and vulnerable adults statewide

• Analyzes ongoing program operations and utilizes program data to recommend modification or modify policies and procedures for enhanced effectiveness.

• Work with State Monitor to regularly evaluate and monitor the OAA Title III legal assistance programs to ensure compliance with Federal and State laws, regulations, and standards.

• Determine training needs for legal providers, AAAs, Ombudsmen, and other stakeholders appropriate to enhance the quality and quantity of legal assistance.

• Provide training or obtain training opportunities as permitted by available resource.

• Collaborate with a variety of stakeholders on elder justice issues, including discussions at the legislative level, attending hearings, and implementing new regulations.

• Issues reports defining statewide standards for the delivery of legal assistance services.

• Review and enforce guidelines for SUA reporting of legal assistance activity into the OAAPS-SPR portal.

• Work with providers to establish and ensure data collection and reporting of legal assistance activities and services into the Legal Assistance Provider SPR Tool (LAPST).

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education : A Juris Doctor degree or equivalent law degree from an accredited school of law.

Experience : Six months of experience working with stakeholders and/or legal providers to ensure compliance with the Older Americans Act.

DESIRED OR PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

State and/or federal grant experience.

Experience working with external stakeholders to build partnerships and provide training.

SELECTION PROCESS

Please make sure that you provide sufficient information on your application to show that you meet the qualifications for this recruitment. All information concerning your qualifications must be submitted by the closing date. We will not consider information submitted after this date. Successful candidates will be placed on the eligible (employment) list for at least one year.

EXAMINATION PROCESS

The evaluation may consist of a rating of your education, training, and experience related to the requirements of the position. It is important that you provide complete and accurate information on your application. Please report all experience and education that is related to this position.

BENEFITS

Contractual employees who work for an agency and have a current employment contract of 30 or more hours a week (or on average 130 hours per month) will be eligible for subsidized health benefits coverage for themselves and their dependents. View rates on the Department of Budget & Management website, State Employees, Health Benefits, Contractual/Variable rates. You can also elect to enroll in dental coverage, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, and life insurance, but will be responsible to pay the full premium for these benefits.

Leave may be granted to a contractual employee at a rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked, not to exceed 40 hours per calendar year.

FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS

Online applications are highly recommended. However, if you are unable to apply online, the paper application and supplemental questionnaire may be submitted to: Department of Budget and Management, Recruitment and Examination Division, 301 W. Preston St., Baltimore, MD 21201. Paper application materials must be received in our office by the closing date for the recruitment. No postmarks will be accepted.

For questions regarding this recruitment, please contact the DBM Recruitment and Examination Division at ***email_hidden*** or 410-767-4850, MD TTY Relay Service 1-800-735-2258.

We thank our Veterans for their service to our country.

People with disabilities and bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply.

As an equal opportunity employer, Maryland is committed to recruitment, retaining and promoting employees who are reflective of the State's diversity.

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