Respite Coordinator

About the School:

Located in the heart of Oakland, Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children is a one-of-a-kind educational experience committed to empowering our students to realize their full potential. The School also provides vital early intervention and outreach services to visually impaired students, with or without additional challenges, throughout western Pennsylvania. Founded in 1887, our School is best equipped to care for and educate students with visual impairments. As a private institution chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the School educates approximately 200 enrolled students from 80-85 school districts within western Pennsylvania.

Position Summary:

The Respite Coordinator is responsible for the development, coordination, and oversight of respite services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This role ensures services are person-centered, compliant with Pennsylvania regulations, and aligned with Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver requirements. The Respite Coordinator works closely with individuals, families, Supports Coordinators, and internal teams to ensure high-quality, flexible respite services that meet individual needs while maintaining regulatory compliance. This position will begin in July of 2026.

FLSA Status: Exempt

Work Schedule: Year-Round; Mondays through Fridays from 7a-3p or 8a-4p; Holidays included (holiday pay provided)

Salary: $50,000

Responsibilities:

Program Coordination & Oversight

• Coordinate and schedule respite services in alignment with individual support plans (ISPs) and individual need
• Manage intake, service authorization, and service delivery for respite participants
• Ensure appropriate staffing levels and coverage based on individual needs and regulatory requirements
• Track utilization of authorized respite units and services
• Bill authorized units under regulatory requirements

Individual & Family Support

• Serve as primary liaison for families, caregivers, and external partners
• Collaborate with Supports Coordinators to ensure services align with approved plans and outcomes
• Facilitate intake and ongoing communication regarding schedules, needs, and changes

Staff Coordination

• Partner with Facility leadership to assign trained staff to respite services
• Ensure staff are informed of individual care needs, behavior support plans, and medical considerations
• Support and provide training and adherence to best practices in respite care according to state regulations

Compliance & Documentation

• Ensure compliance with Pennsylvania Office of Developmental Programs regulations and licensing requirements
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation in accordance with HCBS waiver standards
• Prepare for audits, licensing reviews, and monitoring visits
• Ensure services meet Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) requirements including community integration, choice, and person-centered planning

Collaboration

• Work closely with residential, clinical, and administrative teams to ensure coordinated care
• Participate in ISP meetings and interdisciplinary team discussions as needed

An Equal Opportunity Employer

Qualifications:

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Services, Social Work, Special Education, or related field (preferred)
• Minimum of 2–3 years of experience in IDD services, residential care, or respite services
• Experience working within Pennsylvania’s waiver system strongly preferred

Required Knowledge

• Familiarity with Pennsylvania HCBS waivers, including:
  • Consolidated Waiver
  • Community Living Waiver
  • Person/Family Directed Support (P/FDS) Waiver
• Understanding of ISP development, service authorization, and unit-based service tracking
• Knowledge of ODP regulations, incident management, and documentation standards

Skills & Competencies

• Strong organizational and scheduling skills
• Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities
• Ability to navigate systems, regulations, and multiple stakeholders
• Detail-oriented with strong documentation practices
• Ability to problem-solve and adapt in a dynamic environment

Working Conditions

• Flexibility to work evenings or weekends as needed to support respite scheduling
• Combination of administrative and on-site responsibilities
• Participation in on-call rotation as needed

Physical Demands / Work Requirements:

The following physical demands are typical for a role in this setting:

• Ability to help lift and/or position students when necessary. Must be comfortable with lifting up to 50 pounds from the floor.
• Ability to lift and carry objects such as equipment, books, stacks of reports, etc, generally items weighing 20 pounds or less.
• Frequent reaching, bending, twisting, crouching, stooping, kneeling, crawling, sitting, and walking including up and down stairs.
• Pushing wheelchairs, moving/sliding student equipment.
• Ability to work in a hot humid environment in therapy pool area and outdoors during student activities and morning and afternoon transportation as needed.
• Communicate respectfully with multiple team members.
• Perform maintenance and upkeep of educational areas and therapy areas (i.e. OT/PT gym, clinic room, storage rooms).
• Assist with student enrichment groups and adapted sports programming as assigned.
• Ability to read and attend to computer screens.
• Manual dexterity skills for typing and use of various equipment.
• Comply with established policies and other duties.
• Perform other responsibilities as assigned.