Program Specialist - Pittsburgh

Summary

Overview:

We are "making dreams come true." Our organization provides children and adults with autism, intellectual disabilities, and behavioral health challenges—and their families—the education, support, and resources needed to be self-reliant, independent, and valued members of their communities.

We are seeking a dedicated and person-centered Program Specialist to support our Residential service line. In this role, you will serve as the programmatic lead for assigned Community Homes, ensuring individuals receive high-quality, coordinated supports that align with their goals, preferences, and Individual Support Plans (ISPs). You will play a key role in care coordination, regulatory compliance, documentation oversight, and collaboration with interdisciplinary teams to promote positive outcomes and quality of life.

What You'll Bring:

• A passion for supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism.
• Strong organizational, problem-solving, and time management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with families, support coordinators, healthcare providers, and community partners.
• Commitment to person-centered planning and community inclusion.
• Strong attention to detail and documentation quality.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities while maintaining compliance and service excellence.
• Leadership skills that support coaching, accountability, and continuous improvement.

What You'll Have:

• Master's degree and one year of experience working directly with individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism; OR
• Bachelor's degree and two years of experience working directly with individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism; OR
• Associate degree or 60 college credits and four years of experience working directly with individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism.
• Experience supporting person-centered planning, ISP implementation, and regulatory compliance preferred.
• Medication Administration, CPR, and First Aid certifications upon hire.
• Valid driver's license and ability to meet agency driving requirements.
• Experience using electronic documentation and incident management systems.
• Successful completion of all required background checks and clearances.

A Typical Day May Include:

• Coordinating programmatic, health, behavioral, and social supports for assigned individuals.
• Participating in ISP development, annual reviews, assessments, and interdisciplinary meetings.
• Monitoring implementation of person-centered supports and ensuring services align with individual goals.
• Reviewing documentation for quality, accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with Chapter 6400 regulations.
• Preparing for audits, licensing inspections, and regulatory reviews.
• Conducting visits to Community Homes to monitor service quality and support implementation.
• Collaborating with Residential Supervisors, Nursing, Behavior Specialists, and Support Coordinators to ensure continuity of care.
• Supporting admissions, transitions, annual meetings, and discharge planning.
• Monitoring health and safety concerns and escalating risks when appropriate.
• Entering and following up on incident reports in accordance with agency and regulatory requirements.
• Providing guidance and training to staff on documentation, ISP implementation, and individual-specific supports.
• Supporting onboarding and ongoing staff development related to person-centered practices and compliance expectations.
• Participating in quality improvement initiatives, committees, and cross-functional projects.

Job Description

Overview:

We are "making dreams come true." Our organization provides children and adults with autism, intellectual disabilities, and behavioral health challenges—and their families—the education, support, and resources needed to be self-reliant, independent, and valued members of their communities.

We are seeking a dedicated and person-centered Program Specialist to support our Residential service line. In this role, you will serve as the programmatic lead for assigned Community Homes, ensuring individuals receive high-quality, coordinated supports that align with their goals, preferences, and Individual Support Plans (ISPs). You will play a key role in care coordination, regulatory compliance, documentation oversight, and collaboration with interdisciplinary teams to promote positive outcomes and quality of life.

What You'll Bring:

• A passion for supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism.
• Strong organizational, problem-solving, and time management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with families, support coordinators, healthcare providers, and community partners.
• Commitment to person-centered planning and community inclusion.
• Strong attention to detail and documentation quality.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities while maintaining compliance and service excellence.
• Leadership skills that support coaching, accountability, and continuous improvement.

What You'll Have:

• Master's degree and one year of experience working directly with individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism; OR
• Bachelor's degree and two years of experience working directly with individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism; OR
• Associate degree or 60 college credits and four years of experience working directly with individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism.
• Experience supporting person-centered planning, ISP implementation, and regulatory compliance preferred.
• Medication Administration, CPR, and First Aid certifications upon hire.
• Valid driver's license and ability to meet agency driving requirements.
• Experience using electronic documentation and incident management systems.
• Successful completion of all required background checks and clearances.

A Typical Day May Include:

• Coordinating programmatic, health, behavioral, and social supports for assigned individuals.
• Participating in ISP development, annual reviews, assessments, and interdisciplinary meetings.
• Monitoring implementation of person-centered supports and ensuring services align with individual goals.
• Reviewing documentation for quality, accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with Chapter 6400 regulations.
• Preparing for audits, licensing inspections, and regulatory reviews.
• Conducting visits to Community Homes to monitor service quality and support implementation.
• Collaborating with Residential Supervisors, Nursing, Behavior Specialists, and Support Coordinators to ensure continuity of care.
• Supporting admissions, transitions, annual meetings, and discharge planning.
• Monitoring health and safety concerns and escalating risks when appropriate.
• Entering and following up on incident reports in accordance with agency and regulatory requirements.
• Providing guidance and training to staff on documentation, ISP implementation, and individual-specific supports.
• Supporting onboarding and ongoing staff development related to person-centered practices and compliance expectations.
• Participating in quality improvement initiatives, committees, and cross-functional projects.