Outreach Ombudsman

This role participates in outreach events to communities served by My Ombudsman and also serves to investigate, mediate, and resolve issues reported by MassHealth members. The Outreach Ombudsman devotes approximately 65% of their time to community engagement efforts (in-person and virtual) and provides direct member support via casework. The Outreach Ombudsman will work under the co-supervision of the Team Manager and Outreach Manager.
The role requires the ability to drive, a valid license, and a clear driving record.

Areas of Responsibility:

Community Outreach:

• Develop and implement a plan to visit My Ombudsman’s partner organizations and provide in-person Ombudsman services.
• Attend outreach events and give presentations to introduce My Ombudsman to new partners and members.
• Provide community education on MassHealth member benefits and rights.
• Participate in outreach meetings, event planning meetings, and other meetings related to community outreach.

Complaint Investigation, Resolution, and Documentation:

• Prepare a plan for investigating and resolving the complaint.
• Gather additional information, and help the member prioritize the importance of each complaint (if they have more than one).
• Investigate the complaint by contacting involved parties and conducting research via policies and handbooks.
• Flag emerging urgent or time-sensitive cases and alert the appropriate parties in accordance with program policies.
• Maintain ongoing communication with all involved parties (member, provider, plan, etc.) in accordance to program policies.
• Provide accurate and thorough answers (conducting research as necessary) in response to member requests for information.
• Provide members with referrals and “warm hand-offs” to external organizations when appropriate.
• Collect member data and document pertinent information in My Ombudsman’s database in accordance with program policies.

My Ombudsman, DPC, and MassHealth Knowledge:

• Learn the mission, philosophy, background, and operations of My Ombudsman and the Disability Policy Consortium.
• Build and maintain a strong foundation of MassHealth and health plan knowledge.
• Stay current with new MassHealth policies and health plan updates.

Member Communication and Support:

• Interact with all members compassionately and respectfully while remaining professional and impartial.
• Apply principles of disability rights, independent living, and accessibility when listening to and responding to member concerns.
• Employ active and mindful listening techniques while maintaining healthy, professional boundaries.
• Communicate with all members in an approachable, professional, and easy-to-understand manner.

Privacy and Confidentiality:

• Maintain the privacy, integrity, and storage of personal identifying information in accordance with program policies.
• Keep paper copies of personally identifying information (PII) or other sensitive information in locked filing cabinets and/or offices identified by DPC.
• Ensure that third parties are not allowed access to physical or electronic data or records.
• Comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and contractual provisions and abide by the procedures and requirements to maintain privacy and confidentiality, as outlined by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services.

General:

• Perform day-to-day program tasks such as documenting, writing, typing, faxing, copying, filing (following established protocols for paper and electronic files), processing forms and paperwork, and gathering data necessary for reporting.
• Participate in team meetings and discussions.
• Prepare and submit all required documents (such as case summaries, supervision worksheets, etc. in a timely manner).
• Ensure professional quality, technical accuracy, and timely completion and delivery of the responsibilities of the position.
• The Outreach Ombudsman will also work on the program’s outreach efforts, such as giving presentations or attending community events on the program’s behalf. This may involve some travel (expenses are fully reimbursed) and/or occasional weekend/evening work (with flex time offered).

Qualifications:

• Relevant professional experience will be considered.
• Must be able to drive to outreach events via personal car or provided vehicle. Mileage reimbursement applies for the use of the personal car.

Skills:

• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English; strong verbal and written command of another language (especially Mandarin, Cantonese, Haitian-Creole, Russian, Arabic, Spanish, and Portuguese) is a plus.
• Demonstrated interpersonal communication skills with people of various backgrounds, levels of education, and abilities.
• Effectively able to convey complex information in a simple, clear, and understandable manner.
• Demonstrated ability to remain calm and nonjudgmental in a crisis.
• Excellent problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills.
• Excellent note-taking, organizational, and multitasking skills.
• Strong command of the phone, computer, and navigating the internet.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Ability to properly maintain proprietary and confidential information.

Experience:

• At least three years of experience working in the customer service industry, healthcare setting, social services field, or related areas working directly with people.
• At least one year of experience with case management.
• Strong preference for someone with lived experience or extensive cultural knowledge of the disability community or other communities we serve.
• Prior experience with state or federal health care programs for people with disabilities is preferred.
• Experience working with MassHealth programs and services is preferred.
• Prior knowledge of ombudsman programs, disability civil rights policy, and the healthcare environment in Massachusetts is a plus, but not required.

Benefits include fully paid Dental, Life, and Long-Term Disability insurance, monthly Health Insurance premium stipend, 13 Paid holidays per year as well as 120 Hours of Paid Vacation and 80 Hours of Paid Sick time per year. Upon hire, the successful candidate must be cleared through the state's Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) service.