<p>THIS IS A REPOST - PREVIOUS APPLICANTS DO NOT NEED TO REAPPLY IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS VACANCY.</p> <p>The primary role of the Hard of Hearing Services Specialist position is to serve as an advocate for individuals who are Hard of Hearing of all ages, the majority of whom lose their hearing later in life. This involves working with local consumer base groups for the Hard of Hearing, following up with recent hearing aid recipients, presentations on communication tips for speaking with the Hard of Hearing, advocacy for Hard of Hearing individuals, conducting hearing screenings, and other duties as assigned.  </p> <p>Job responsibilities include but are not limited to:</p> <p>Community Development</p> <ul> <li>Designs and delivers training to help Hard of Hearing (HOH) individuals access community services and resources. </li><li>Supports the creation and promotion of HOH peer support groups (e.g., HLAA chapters). </li><li>Provides consultation and follow-up on assistive technology use through the equipment distribution program. </li><li>Advises agencies on improving communication access and services for the HOH and aging populations. </li></ul> <p>Counseling</p> <ul> <li> <p>Educates individuals and families on the types, degree, and impacts of hearing loss.</p> </li><li> <p>Provides training on hearing aids, cochlear implants, and assistive technologies to support decision-making.</p> </li><li> <p>Addresses the emotional and mental health aspects of hearing loss, including stigma, grief, and cognitive effects.</p> </li><li> <p>Guides families and consumers through stages of hearing loss acceptance and coping strategies.</p> </li></ul> <p>Advocacy</p> <ul> <li> <p>Monitors regional ADA compliance and consults with agencies and businesses on accessibility for HOH individuals.</p> </li><li> <p>Advocates for communication access in employment, education, healthcare, and daily life.</p> </li><li> <p>Conducts trainings to increase awareness among providers and promote independence for the HOH population.</p> </li><li> <p>Maintains current ADA materials and uses them to support advocacy and education efforts.</p> </li></ul> <p>Public Outreach and Awareness</p> <ul> <li> <p>Builds public awareness through events, community education, and ADA-focused outreach.</p> </li><li> <p>Maintains relationships with HOH advocacy groups, service providers, and government agencies.</p> </li><li> <p>Responds to public inquiries and provides up-to-date information and referrals on hearing loss issues.</p> </li><li> <p>Prepares articles, maintains a resource database, and participates in advisory or planning groups.</p> </li></ul> <p>About the NC Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DSDHH):</p> <p>The Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing works to ensure that all Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or Deaf-Blind North Carolinians have the ability to communicate their needs and to receive information easily and effectively in all aspects of their lives, especially their health and well-being.</p> <p>About the NC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS):</p> <p>The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is one of the largest, most complex agencies in the state, and has approximately 17,000 employees. It is responsible for ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of all North Carolinians, providing human service needs for special populations including individuals who are deaf, blind, developmentally disabled, and mentally ill, and helping poor North Carolinians achieve economic independence.</p> <p>Compensation and Benefits:</p> <p>The State of North Carolina offers excellent comprehensive benefits. Employees can participate in health insurance options, standard and supplemental retirement plans, and the NCFlex program (numerous high-quality, low-cost benefits on a pre-tax basis). Employees also receive paid vacation, sick, and community service leave. In addition, paid parental leave is available to eligible employees. Visit website for benefits.</p> <p>Candidates now meet the minimum qualifications of a position if they have the minimum education and experience listed on the vacancy announcement.</p> <p>The following Management Preferences are not required, but applicants that possess these skills are preferred:</p> <ul> <li>Strong knowledge of hearing loss, adaptive technology, and audiological tools, including hearing aids and cochlear implants. </li><li>Experience organizing or supporting social and cultural activities for individuals who are hard of hearing and/or part of the aging population; working knowledge of communication strategies and techniques. </li><li>Awareness of the communication and psychological challenges commonly experienced by individuals with hearing loss and aging adults. </li><li>Familiarity with North Carolina's federal and state laws, programs, and services that support residents who are hard of hearing. </li><li>Skilled in delivering presentations and interacting with diverse groups in public or community settings. </li></ul> <p>Some state job postings say you can qualify by an "equivalent combination of education and experience." If that language appears below, then you may qualify through EITHER years of education OR years of directly related experience, OR a combination of both. See Education and Experience Equivalency Guide for details.</p> <p>Bachelor's degree in a field relative to the program from an appropriately accredited institution and two years of directly related work experience with the client population; </p> <p>OR</p> <p>Bachelor's degree from an appropriately accredited institution and three years of experience in a related programmatic area providing experience in the techniques of casework, group work, or community organization;</p> <p>OR</p> <p>an equivalent combination of education and experience.</p> <p>The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is an Equal Opportunity Employer who embraces an Employment First philosophy which consists of complying with all federal laws, state laws and Executive Orders.  We are committed to reviewing requests for reasonable accommodation at any time during the hiring process or while on the job.   For more information about DHHS: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/.</p> <p>DHHS uses the Merit-Based Recruitment and Selection Plan to fill positions subject to the State Human Resources Act with the most qualified individuals.  Hiring salary will be based on relevant qualifications, internal equity, and budgetary considerations pertinent to the advertised position.</p> <p> </p> <p>In accordance with Executive Order 303, our agency supports second-chance employment for individuals who were previously Justice System Involved.  We invite all potential applicants to apply for positions for which they may be qualified.</p> <p>Application Process</p> <p>Be sure to complete the application in its entirety.  Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing this application.</p> <ul> <li>Information should be provided in the appropriate areas, to include the following: Education, including high school and all degrees obtained, Work Experience, and Certificates & Licenses. It is critical to our screening and salary determination process that applications contain comprehensive candidate information. </li><li>Answers to Supplemental Questions are not a substitute for providing all relevant information within the body of your application. To receive credit for the supplemental questions, you must provide supporting information within the "Work Experience" section of the application, to support your answers. </li><li>If multiple applications are submitted to an individual posting, only the most recent application received prior to the closing date will be accepted. Applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM on the closing date. </li><li>Applicants may be subject to a criminal background check. All candidates selected for positions considered "Positions of Trust" will be subject to a criminal background check. </li><li>Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide information regarding the status of your application over the phone. To check the status of your application, please log in to your account.  Upon the closing date, applications are "Under Review" and will be screened by Human Resources for the qualified applicants. The hiring process may take several weeks.  </li><li>Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.  Transcripts and degree evaluations may be uploaded with your application. The State of North Carolina/Office of State Human Resources uses the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) as a referral resource for applicants who need to have their credentials certified as equivalent.  </li><li>For a list of organizations that perform this specialized service, please visit the NACES membership website at https://www.naces.org/members. </li></ul> <p>Degree/College Credit Verification</p> <ul> <li>Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.  Transcripts, degree evaluations and cover letters may be uploaded with your application. </li></ul> <p>Military Experience</p> <ul> <li>Applicants seeking Veteran's Preference must attach a DD-214 Member-4 Form (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to their applications. </li><li>Applicants seeking National Guard Preference must attach an NGB 23A (RPAS), along with the state application if they are a current member of the NC National Guard in good standing.  </li><li>Applicants who are former member of either the NC Army National Guard or the NC Air National Guard, with honorable discharge and six years of creditable service, must attach a copy of the DD 256 or NGB 22, along with the state application. </li></ul> <p>ADA Accommodations</p> <ul> <li>Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), DHHS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, DHHS will ensure that people with disabilities, or known limitations covered by the PWFA, are provided with reasonable accommodation.   If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the person indicated below. </li></ul> <p>NEOGOV Technical Assistance</p> <p>For technical issues with your application, please call the NeoGov Help Line at 877-204-4442.  If you have a technical issue with your Government Jobs account, please call their Help Line at 1-855-524-5627.</p> <p>CONTACT INFORMATION</p> <p>If there are any questions about this posting, please contact Talent Acquisition at talentacquisition@dhhs.nc.gov.</p>