Community Navigator - Rural Justice Initiative, East, TX

Disability Rights Texas (DRTx) is excited to announce that we are now recruiting for a RJI Community Navigator as part of our new Rural Justice Initiative (RJI) based in East, Texas.

The Rural Justice Initiative Community Navigator is a project-funded attorney position established as part of Disability Rights Texas' (DRTx) participation in the Rural Justice Initiative (RJI), a collaborative effort designed to expand access to civil legal services for low-income Texans living in designated rural communities and legal-desert counties. The Rural Justice Initiative (RJI) Project Supervisor is responsible for coordinating and managing the day-to-day implementation of Disability Rights Texas' participation in the Texas Access to Justice Foundation Rural Justice Initiative, a five-year, multiregional initiative designed to expand access to civil legal services for low-income Texans with disabilities in designated rural and legal-desert communities.

This is a special project, time-limited, five year position funded specifically for the Rural Justice Initiative. Continued employment in this position is contingent upon the continuation of the project, availability of project funding, and organizational need. The position is not intended to constitute a permanent position beyond the duration of the Rural Justice Initiative or its available funding.

The Navigator will develop and carry out regionally targeted community engagement and outreach activities to expand meaningful access to Disability Rights Texas (DRTx) services for residents with disabilities in rural and legal-desert counties. The Navigator identifies informational, technological, physical, medical, mental/behavioral and geographical barriers in accessing services necessary to support disability-related needs. In Collaboration with the RJI project staff and Outreach Manager, The Navigator will execute a strategic plan for community engagement that results in accurate and appropriate internal and external referrals, and appropriate information sharing. The Navigator builds and sustains relationships with trusted local partners to facilitate the RJI initiative and long term legal access. The Navigator will assist individual clients in navigating community resources and represent DRTx at local/state level events to educate communities and promote awareness of the organization’s services and activities. The Navigator will support dissemination of DRTx information, collaborate with private and public partners to further outreach goals, assist in building partnerships within the communities we serve to establish DRTx as a trusted partner and resource. Additionally, under the direction of a Supervising Attorney, the Navigator may provide non-litigations legal support and perform short-term case work as instructed.

Local Presence Requirement

This position is assigned to the East, TX region. Interested applicants must reside within, or sufficiently near, one of the following counties (Rusk, San Augustine, Tyler, Chambers, Trinity, Panola, Sabine, Hardin, Liberty, Houston, Shelby, Newton Orange, San Jacinto, and Anderson) to maintain a regular and meaningful local presence in the designated counties and communities served by the position.

The Navigator must be reasonably available for in-person community outreach, legal clinics, meetings with community partners, and other project activities throughout the assigned service area.

This requirement reflects the project's emphasis on establishing relationships with trusted rural institutionsincluding but not limited to schools, libraries, disability-service organizations, medical providers, and faith-based and community organizationsand translating those relationships into meaningful access to legal services.

Special Project / Funding Notice

This position is established specifically to support the Rural Justice Initiative and is funded through project-specific grant funds. It is a time-limited position associated with the duration and funding of the Rural Justice Initiative. Employment in this position does not create a guarantee or expectation of continued employment beyond the project period or the availability of project funding. DRTx may modify the position, geographic assignment, duties, or staffing structure as necessary to meet grant requirements, project priorities, funding availability, and organizational needs.

Essential Functions

1. Develop and implement an assigned county/region community engagement plan.Conduct outreach activities to promote RJI specific initiatives and DRTx general services.
2. Identify potential opportunities for internal and external collaboration and community education that results in potential DRTx referrals and increased access to legal services, such as targeted information distribution, hosting/ presenting at community education sessions, organizational education, community event attendance, and other direct-client facing scenarios.
3. Work collaboratively with Rural Justice Initiative external partner organizations, DRTx RJI staff , Community Justice Workers, community navigators, intake personnel, pro bono attorneys, and other project personnel. Make appropriate referrals to partner organizations.
4. Conducts research on and is familiar with regional and local community needs, legal-service gaps, accessibility barriers, trusted referral networks and community-based organizations' trends, and issues to inform specific priorities and engagement strategies.
5. Collect and accurately, record data for and about outreach and community engagement activities, to aid DRTx in meeting RJI objectives. Support RJI grant reporting consistent with project data standards and procedures.
6. Planning, organize and executing various accessible, rural community events and legal access activities with local partners and RJI staff.
7. Develop and deliver approved outreach educational materials in collaboration with substantive issue teams and Outreach Manager.

1. Identifies and navigates available resources for needed services of clients and makes appropriate referrals for wrap-around services.

1. Communicate with clients and the community in respectful and appropriate manners, potentially in a challenging environment regarding rights violations and other issues.
2. Manages difficult conversations in a calm, professional, and courteous manner.
3. Gather and accurately document preliminary information from individuals requesting assistance and provide approved and accurate information, materials, or referrals.
4. Identify, understand, and be able to clearly communicate applicant eligibility, case priority, funding source and level of services of RJI initiative.
5. Follow and implement the organization’s client services policies and procedures regarding client interviews, case records, and case documentation.
6. Clearly communicate relevant information to clients, fellow staff members, other stakeholders, and necessary parties.

1. When applicable for case work, Identify and develop case strategy for short term cases within the parameters set by the Supervising Attorney.
2. Accurately and timely completes required letters, documentation and correspondence.

1. Continually educate oneself to increase disability related knowledge and collaborate with other DRTx colleagues to keep abreast of changing regulations, policies, laws and similar issues affecting clients and the work of this position.
2. Appropriately utilize case management software(s), prioritize tasks as needed and multi-task numerous responsibilities in a timely manner.
3. Establish personal credibility throughout the organization, with clients, and other parties of interest.
4. Apply the principles of the organization’s vision and values in all work-related business and interactions.

Additional Duties

Perform other job-related duties as assigned that are consistent with the scope and level of the position and the purposes of the Rural Justice Initiative.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Education, Psychology, Rehabilitation Counseling, Disability Studies, Social Service or other related field of study plus two (2) years’ previous related experience with demonstrated success working with persons with disabilities, OR four (4) years’ experience working with persons with disabilities, OR being an individual with a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Experience

• One-year experience in a field related to outreach work involving a variety of social service programs.

Knowledge and Skills

• Ability to develop and sustain professional relationships and establish credibility within the community

• Ability to work well independently and in isolated conditions but also with others in a team environment
• Ability to work remotely or from home.
• Must have a current valid Texas motor vehicle operator’s license
• Ability to travel at least 70% of the time throughout the State.
• Ability to work during weekend and evenings when required.
• Ability to communicate effectively
• Ability to enter complete, thorough, accurate data in a timely manner
• Knowledge of disability issues and current events relating to persons with disabilities.
• Willingness to take direction and ability to independently follow through on all instructions in an accurate and timely fashion.
• Demonstrated ability to manage individual workloads so that services are delivered timeline and appropriately.
• Time management, ability to multitask, prioritize conflicting assignments, and work under challenging conditions while meeting required deadlines
• Ability to follow complex directions, conduct research and apply it effectively

• Excellent interpersonal, relationship-building and collaboration skills to be able to work effectively with others inside and outside of the organization; relationship builder with the flexibility and finesse to “manage by influence”.

• Excellent detail-orientation, follow-up skills and organizational skills.
• Functional knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word and PowerPoint.
• High level of commitment to service excellence plus High degrees of integrity, ethics and judgment.
• Experience working with computer and web-based information systems and telephone systems.

Other Requirements

• Must reside within, or sufficiently near, the geographic service area assigned to the position to meet the project's local-presence and community-engagement requirements.
• Ability and willingness to travel regularly throughout rural Texas, including travel to communities where public transportation and other transportation options may be limited, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Ability to attend in-person outreach events and community activities within the assigned service area.
• Ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse socioeconomic, geographic, cultural, linguistic, and disability backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in public interest, legal aid, disability rights, special education, housing, public benefits, or other civil legal services.
• Experience developing relationships with community organizations, schools, healthcare organizations, government entities, or other community-based institutions.
• Existing professional or community ties to the assigned RJI service area.
• Spanish bilingual proficiency (written and spoken), as required for this position.

Work Environment & Functional Requirements

This position involves regular use of computers, telephones, videoconferencing systems, case-management systems and outreach tracking systems, and other communication tools to perform community engagement, non-legal work, including research, service navigation, documentation, client communication, and collaboration with geographically dispersed colleagues.

Duties may be performed in a seated, standing, or alternative position. The role requires managing multiple priorities, meeting deadlines, traveling throughout the assigned service area, and engaging in complex or sensitive legal matters.

The position includes work performed in a variety of environments, which may include DRTx or partner offices, courthouses, administrative hearing locations, schools, libraries, community organizations, clinics, community events, and other locations within rural communities.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.