Lead Investigator

Job Description : Investigator V -

Investigator V -

Come work in an environment where we truly value and respect those we serve and believe in the mission that all people can achieve a higher level of wellness and independence.

The state supported living centers serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are medically fragile or who have behavioral problems.

The centers provide campus-based direct services and supports at 13 centers located throughout the state.

The state of Texas offers many benefits to employees. HHSC is a qualifying organization for the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, which forgives the remaining balance on college student Direct Loans after making qualifying monthly payments.

We also offer excellent health benefits, a lifetime monthly retirement annuityas well as (k) and Programs under the Employees Retirement System of Texas.

If you are looking for a place to work where you can establish a career that is filled with purpose, this is the job for you!

The Investigator V, Lead Investigator, performs highly complex (senior-level) investigative work at the State Supported Living Center (SSLC).

Works under the supervision of the Incident Management Coordinator (IMC) or the Director of Incident and Risk Management (DIRM) depending on SSLC structure.

Serves as the SSLC’s Lead Investigator to ensure reports of unusual incidents including serious injuries and allegations of resident abuse, neglect or exploitation (ANE) are reported to HHSC Provider Investigations (PI) / Regulatory, HHSC State Office, and other agencies within required timeframes and investigated in accordance with agency policy and protocol.

Upon receiving a notification of a qualifying incident, follows the incident management protocols and guidelines and coordinates immediate actions.

Conducts assigned investigations. Evaluates, analyzes, summarizes documents and evidence collected to produce investigative findings.

Prepares and reviews reports and communicates findings to designated supervisory staff. Enters, maintains, and tracks data.

Makes and follows up on recommendations. Works collaboratively with internal and external entities ensuring qualifying cases are referred for investigation by HHSC-PI / Regulatory, law enforcement and / or the Office of Inspector General (OIG).

Provides oversight, coaching, on-the-job training and mentoring of entry and journey level investigative staff. Assists the IMC / DIRM, when needed, to ensure case assignment are made.

Serves as the back-up IMC / DIRM as needed for coverage and business continuity, when assigned. Attends meetings, participates in audits and inspections and performs other duties as assigned.

Works under limited supervision, with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. Serves in on call capacity and / or works a rotating schedule to assist with emergency investigation work, as needed.

Essential Job Functions :

Attends work on a regular basis and may be required to work a specific shift schedule or, at times, even a rotating schedule, extended shift and / or overtime in accordance with agency leave policy and performs other duties as assigned.

Serves in on call capacity and / or works a rotating schedule to assist with emergency investigation work, as needed.

Serves as the SSLC’s Lead Investigator to ensure reports of unusual incidents including serious injuries and allegations of resident abuse, neglect or exploitation (ANE) are reported to HHSC Provider Investigations (PI) / Regulatory, HHSC State Office, and other agencies within required timeframes and investigated in accordance with agency policy and protocol.

Conducts assigned investigations, ensuring policies and procedures for conducting investigations are followed. Collects and reviews evidence and data through field investigations and data collection, including direct observations and review of video surveillance.

Contacts and interviews witnesses and complainants. Effectively collaborates with other staff, such as nursing, behavioral health, habilitation therapies, to gather necessary information to complete investigations successfully.

Evaluates, analyzes, summarizes documents and evidence collected to produce investigative findings. Prepares reports and communicates findings to designated supervisory staff.

Prepares cases for presentation and provides testimony and evidence at administrative hearings, such as disciplinary hearings, or in court proceedings if called to testify.

Assists the IMC, when needed, to ensure case assignment are made. Serves as the back-up IMC / DIRM as needed for coverage and business continuity, when assigned.

Upon receiving a notification of a qualifying incident, follows the incident management protocols and guidelines including contacting the on-call administrator to discuss the reported incident and determining the most appropriate course of action.

Coordinates immediate actions such as making the necessary additional reports to state-office and / or HHS-PI / Regulatory, putting in protective action(s) such as reassigning staff, initiating the preliminary investigation, sending out notifications, and completing any required documentation.

Serves in on call capacity and / or works a rotating schedule to assist with emergency investigation work and serves as a member of the critical incident team (CIT), as needed.

Provides oversight, coaching, on-the-job training and mentoring of entry and journey level investigative staff to ensure investigations of unusual incidents and serious injuries involving residents of the SSLC meet or exceed program compliance measures.

Trains new Investigators and serves as a resource for them during their investigations. Reviews and coaches them to develop their investigative techniques in accordance with the training provided by investigative subject matter experts.

Identifies best practices in investigative techniques and coaches other to implement them. Coaches others on the collaborative process with the other disciplines.

Provides feedback to supervisor for follow up.

Assists others to ensure effective decisions are made during and after the investigation of unusual incidents and / or crisis situations.

Attends meetings such as the Individual Service Plan (ISP) - Addendum, Critical Incident Team (CIT), Review Authority, Incident Management Review Team (IMRT) as appropriate.

Participates in, and facilitates, individualized root cause analysis related to specific investigations and makes recommendations for proactive measures to prevent future injury occurrences and / or policy violations.

Maintains a primary contact relationship with external entities for cases being investigated through HHSC-PI / Regulatory and the Office of Inspector General (OIG) to ensure compliance with statutory standards and regulations.

Works effectively with external agencies including HHS-PI / Regulatory, local law enforcement, Office of the Inspector General (OIG), and other entities, to complete collaborative investigations as assigned by the supervisor.

Ensures internal investigations running concurrently do not interfere with HHS-PI / Regulatory, local law enforcement and / or OIG investigations.

Serves as a resource for other Investigators to review the aspects of a case and determine when notification to another entity is necessary, such as when additional information is uncovered during the course of an internal investigation warranting a hand-off to an external entity.

Follows up with HHSC-PI and OIG when necessary to ensure documentation guidelines are adhered to, supplying them with information necessary for timely resolution of their cases.

Reviews reports prepared by others for compliance with adherence to standard protocols and rules, including full and complete reporting and accurate data analysis.

Coaches and develops new Investigators on report writing and reports feedback to the supervisor. Reviews investigation completed and submitted by HHSC-PI / Regulatory for ANE cases and elevating any concerns to the supervisor for discussion and action.

Follows up on concerns provided by HHSC-PI / Regulatory. Tracks implemented actions to completion.

Maintains and tracks data for management reports such as trend analysis. Completes and ensures other complete required data entry such as the Unusual Incident Reporting (UIR), high profile incident reports and tracking logs.

Transfers HHSC-PI / Regulatory information to the UIR system. Reviews completed data entry for unusual incidents and follows-up with unusual incident recommendations.

Assists with tracking injury reports.

Participates in audits and inspections as assigned by the supervisor such as a routine review of all investigations to ensure reporting guidelines are followed and ad hoc environmental or behavioral checks on living units.

Participates in the buddy-home process. Reviews policies, procedures and regulations and recommends improvements, changes, or modifications.

Consults with SSLC State Office Incident Management on a regular basis.

Serves as a member of the Incident Management Team, conducts Root Cause Analysis meetings and participates on other assigned committees as needed.

Actively participates in daily meeting related to Abuse Neglect and Exploitation (ANE), Unusual Incidents, peer-to-peer aggression and falls to follows up on identified issues and to analyzes the general SSLC operations to ensure compliance with statutory standards and regulations.

Makes recommendations for improvements to the designated supervisor.

Other duties as assigned include but are not limited to actively participating and / or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency’s obligations for disaster response and / or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation.

Such participation may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and / or location.

Knowledge Skills Abilities :

Knowledge of state and federal laws and Intermediate Care Facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF-IID) rules, regulations, policy and procedures related to State Supported Living Center, or ability to gain that knowledge.

Knowledge of existing laws and legislative actions that relate to protection from harm and residential rights, or ability to gain that knowledge.

Knowledge of investigative principles, techniques and procedures.

Skill in the use of a computer and applicable software including Word, Excel, and MS Outlook and the electronic health and incident management systems.

Skill in interviewing and gathering facts.

Skill in searching records to identify and retrieve information.

Skill in the formulation of comprehensive investigative report.

Skill in critical thinking, problem solving and research.

Skill in evaluating findings.

Skill in preparing concise executive-level investigative reports.

Ability to convey thoughts, actions, and reasons, to explain events leading up to the incidents.

Ability to effectively communicate and interview witnesses with varying emotional, educational, cultural, and social classes.

Ability to effectively manage and control emotions.

Ability to interpret and apply laws and regulations.

Ability to work collaboratively with other investigators or investigative entities such as HHSC state-office, law enforcement, HHSC-PI.

Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

Ability to testify in hearings and court proceedings.

Ability to effectively direct and utilize the assistance of other staff to complete investigations successfully.

Ability to train, coach, mentor and oversee the work of others.

Ability to plan, organize, and conduct investigations including death investigations.

Ability to interpret and apply laws and regulations.