BEING A HUMAN SERVICES PLANNER

Tara presents at the 11th Annual Long-term Care Conference in Jackson, Mississippi. (FYI: This was during the general session and the topic was "Implementing the National Family Caregiver Support Program."

“I am the state coordinator of Alabama Cares, a program for the caregivers of frail older people (ages 60+). I initially developed the state plan in 2001 and continue to be responsible for its implementation. As part of my responsibilities, I manage sixteen (16) regional coordinators, who are located across the state. I monitor program activities, program staff, and service delivery to ensure that the program is being implemented properly, i.e., caregivers are being served effectively and in a time-efficient manner. Through conference calls and email communication, I share experiences with other states so that others can learn from our successes and failures.

A primary responsibility as state coordinator is to serve as the liaison between regional and federal levels of government. I develop and execute policies and procedures as needed to ensure that the program is in line with federal law and other regulations. In addition, I review regional and state budgets and make recommendations about how the program dollars should be spent. At the beginning of each fiscal year, I formulate, review and oversee contracts and other agreements.

What I like most about my job is that I get to interact with many people on a daily basis and I get to travel quite a bit. I frequently make presentations on caregiving and other aging-related issues. I also write articles for newspapers, newsletters and other publications. In addition, I develop informational articles on caregiving and caregiver support. I serve on various task forces and committees to advocate for seniors and their caregivers. I also appear regularly on television programs to talk about my agency and the Alabama Cares program.

Being a human services planner requires flexibility, creativity and tact. It also requires a broad knowledge base and the ability to communicate effectively with audiences of mixed educational backgrounds, cultures and interests. As with any position that deals with the public, a positive attitude and open mind are important for success.”

Tara Shaver-Jarmon began her preparation as an outstanding healthcare leader during high school as a member of HOSA (HOSA). During her senior year, Tara distinguished herself as a state champion in the Career Health Display competitive event. Her chapter advisor was Margie Wooten.

HOSA INVOLVEMENT AND ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2002 Alabama HOSA/Health Science Advisory Council, Acting Chair/Secretary
• 2002 Alabama State HOSA Outstanding Alumni
• 2002 Alabama Career/Technical Education Advisory Council, Health Science Representative
• 2001 Organized partnership between Alabama’s Aging Network and Alabama HOSA
• 1997 1st place, Career Health Display (State Leadership Conference)
• 1995 3rd place, Prepared Speaking (State Leadership Conference)

EDUCATION

• 2002-Present Auburn University, candidate for a Master of Public Administration Concentration in Health Administration and Policy
• 2001 Auburn University, Bachelor of Science in Health Services Administration, Concentration in Gerontology, Summa Cum Laude, University Honors Scholar
• 1997 Arab High School, Advanced Diploma, Concentration in Healthcare Science and Technology

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HUMAN SERVICES PLANNER, HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAM SPECIALIST, AND/OR AGING SERVICES PROGRAM SPECIALIST

Additional career information is available from these sources:

American College of Healthcare Executives
Suite 1700
One North Franklin Street
Chicago, IL 60606-3491
Phone: (312) 424-2800
Fax: (312) 424-0023
http://www.ache.org/

National Association of Health Service Executives
NAHSE National Office
8630 Fenton Street, Suite 126
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Phone: (202) 628-3953
Fax: (301) 588-0011
http://www.nahse.org/

Additional information and job descriptions can be found by doing an Internet search on one of the following search terms - Human Services Planner, Human Services Program Specialist, and/or Aging Services Program Specialist.