Dementia Care Specialist

Units within the department include the Adele and Dale Young Child Development Laboratory, which provides service for children and families, research, and training pre-professionals; the Dolores Doré Eccles Center for Early Care and Education provides high quality day care services and is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children; the Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic (MFT) provides therapy services to individuals, couples, and families; and Housing and Financial Counseling (HFC) services, which provides programs for first time home buyers, reverse mortgages, and debt management. Rural Provider Outreach & Referral Infrastructure (~30% Effort): Proactively establishing and maintaining trusted referral pipelines with rural healthcare providers, Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), USU Extension county offices, rural clinics, local community libraries, Tribal health systems and other providers or community-based programs.

Overview:

The Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Research Center (ADRC), in partnership with the Sorenson Center for Clinical Excellence (SCCE), at Utah State University, seeks a dedicated, full-time Clinician I / Dementia Care Specialist to lead the statewide rural telehealth expansion of our Dementia Caregiver Clinic (DCC). Funded by the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) LIFT initiative, this position is designed to eliminate geographic access barriers and increase specialized telehealth delivery for family caregivers navigating dementia in rural communities across Utah.

This role is divided into two primary complementary functions:

1. Direct Virtual Clinical Care (~70% Effort): Providing evidence-based, 1-on-1 virtual (video and phone) care consultations, baseline caregiver needs assessments, personalized geographic care plans, and longitudinal follow-up care for family caregivers in targeted rural counties.
2. Rural Provider Outreach & Referral Infrastructure (~30% Effort): Proactively establishing and maintaining trusted referral pipelines with rural healthcare providers, Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), USU Extension county offices, rural clinics, local community libraries, Tribal health systems and other providers or community-based programs.

The position requires regular on-campus clinical work at USU in Logan, UT, combined with travel (approximately 6 in-person multi-day trips per year) to rural communities and conferences across Utah.

 

Continued employment is contingent upon performance and ongoing funding.  Long term, this role is structured for institutional permanence, transitioning into the DCC core funding to become the primary statewide clinical consultant for the Dementia Caregiver Clinic, both in-person and via telehealth.

The Clinician I reports directly to the ADRC Director (Dr. Beth Fauth) in coordination with the SCCE Clinical Leadership. The position works collaboratively with the ADRC Program Coordinator and SCCE social work interns, and has no direct supervisory responsibilities, however they may contribute to intern/practicum student training in dementia-specific topics.

 

 

Responsibilities:

Telehealth Care Consultations & Clinical Delivery (~70% Effort)

• Conducts comprehensive, tailored 1-on-1 telehealth consultations (via HIPAA-compliant Zoom or telephone) with family caregivers of individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias residing in designated rural Utah counties.
• Administers baseline intake screenings and caregiver needs assessments to evaluate caregiver burden, competence, behavioral symptoms, and urgent priorities.
• Synthesizes consultation findings into customized action plans that detail localized services, county-specific respite programs, legal/financial resources, and evidence-based dementia coping strategies.
• Executes structured follow-up touchpoints at 4 weeks and 6 months post-consultation.
• Maintains rigorous, timely electronic health records (EHR) using the SCCE's PnC software, ensuring absolute adherence to HIPAA and Institutional Review Board (IRB) ethical standards.

Rural Community Outreach & Referral Infrastructure (~30% Effort)

• Initiates and builds proactive referral partnerships with rural primary care physicians, local health departments, rural hospital networks, and community clinics.
• Builds active referral channels with local Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), Meals on Wheels programs, USU County Extension offices, and rural public libraries acting as community resource hubs.
• Where invited, engages in culturally humble outreach with Tribal Health Departments, Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities, and Title VI Native American Aging Programs to establish welcoming, culturally adapted referral pathways for Indigenous caregivers.
• Conducts approximately 6 annual outreach and educational trips across rural Utah to lead caregiver workshops, present at local/regional conferences, and meet directly with community stakeholders.
• Collaborates on the deployment of statewide and rural-targeted promotional campaigns, toolkits, and educational presentations.

Program Compliance, Metrics & Sustainable Integration

• Carefully tracks client intake, zip codes, and consultation counts to ensure strict separation between rural LIFT grant metrics and the state DHHS tri-county (Cache, Rich, Box Elder) DCC contract.
• Compiles quarterly and annual service utilization metrics, geographic reach summaries, and empowerment outcome data for LIFT grant renewal reports.
• Collaborates with ADRC leadership to integrate rural consultation protocols into the broader Dementia Caregiver Clinic model as the role transitions toward permanent institutional support (75% clinical consultations, 25% ADRC center presentations/outreach).

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Education & Background: Master's degree in Social Work (MSW), Gerontology (MSG), Public Health (MPH), Health Education, Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS), Nursing, or a closely related field; OR Bachelor's degree in a related field plus at least two (2) years of dedicated professional experience in dementia care, aging services, or clinical case coordination.
• Excellent professional written and verbal communication skills.
• Valid driver's license and willingness to travel across rural Utah (approx. 6 multi-day trips per year). 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience providing 1-on-1 care consultations, resource navigation, or case management for older adults and family caregivers.
• Familiarity with Utah's aging service network, including Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), USU Extension, and rural health clinics.
• Experience administering standardized psychometric or caregiver assessment scales (such as the North Dakota Care Consultation Empowerment Scale).
• Bilingual proficiency (English/Spanish) is an asset. 

Knowledge, Skill, and Abilities

• Dementia Care Expertise: In-depth understanding of Alzheimer's disease, related dementias, disease progression, behavioral management, and the psycho-emotional toll experienced by family caregivers.
• Clinical Consultation Skills: Demonstrated ability to conduct empathetic, structured consultations, crisis de-escalation, and family needs assessments (formal therapy licensure is not required, as consultations do not include psychotherapy).
• Telehealth Delivery: Proficiency and comfort conducting clinical video conferences and telephone consultations using secure, HIPAA-compliant platforms.
• Rural Cultural Competency: Understanding of the unique geographic, economic, and logistical barriers facing rural and frontier communities in Utah, including healthcare workforce shortages and broadband limitations.
• Outreach & Public Speaking: Strong networking and presentation skills; comfortable reaching out to rural physicians, community leaders, and large audience workshops.
• Documentation & Data Management: Experience working within Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems (e.g., PnC), secure cloud storage (Box), and administering standardized evaluation tools.
• Self-Direction & Initiative: High degree of autonomy, organizational discipline, and creative problem-solving skills needed to build a new program footprint from the ground up.

 

Required Documents:

Along with the online application, please attach:

1. Resume to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”
2. Cover Letter to be typed/pasted at the end of your application
3. Contact information for three professional references

 

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Advertised Salary: Commensurate with experience plus excellent benefits ADA:

Employees work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes.  The employee is regularly required to sit and often uses repetitive hand motions.

College/Department Highlights:

College Highlights:

 

The Emma Eccles Jones College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences is home to eight departments and eleven centers, each of which are committed to enriching lives, enabling people from a range of backgrounds and interests reach their full potential, helping communities thrive, and ensuring that the state of Utah and our nation are vibrant and strong. Not only do we serve the public, but we also provide interdisciplinary training for students and professionals while offering fertile ground for conducting cutting-edge research on new and innovative human service practices.

 

Department Highlights:

 

The Department of Human Development and Family Studies (https://cehhs.usu.edu/hdfs/) is in the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education, Health and Human Sciences (https://cehhs.usu.edu). Departmental degrees offered include:

• BS/BA: Human Development and Family Studies
• MS: Human Development and Family Studies
• MMFT: Master of Marriage and Family Therapy (non-thesis degree)
• MRFT: Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy
• MHDFS: Master of Human Development and Family Studies (non-thesis degree)
• PhD in Human Development and Family Studies
• A Early Childhood Certificate
• A Gerontology Certificate

The department has 22 faculty members, over 300 undergraduate majors, and 48 graduate students.

 

The department is committed to optimizing the lives of individuals, families, and communities through excellence in research, teaching, and extension. Our nationally recognized faculty lead research, instructional, and outreach efforts in the areas of marriage and family relations, human development from infancy to later life, early childhood education, and marriage and family therapy. In the last fiscal year, the department generated $9.5M in research, service, and outreach expenditures.

 

Units within the department include the Adele and Dale Young Child Development Laboratory, which provides service for children and families, research, and training pre-professionals; the Dolores Doré Eccles Center for Early Care and Education provides high quality day care services and is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children; the Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic (MFT) provides therapy services to individuals, couples, and families; and Housing and Financial Counseling (HFC) services, which provides programs for first time home buyers, reverse mortgages, and debt management. The department is a proud partner of Cooperative Extension at Utah State University. Our faculty provide a variety of evidence-based family life education programs across the state. Signature program areas include healthy relationships, and parenting. 

University Highlights:

As Utah’s student-centered, land-grant research university, Utah State University expands opportunity and strengthens communities across the state through learning, discovery, extension, and engagement. Founded in 1888, USU now holds two Carnegie distinctions: R1 status for very high research activity and the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification. Its innovative research and scholarship is grounded in reciprocal partnerships with local, regional, and global communities, advancing knowledge and serving the public good across Utah, the nation, and the world. With over 50 world-class research facilities and the nation’s second-oldest undergraduate research program, USU prepares students to become active, civically engaged leaders who can address critical societal challenges.

 

USU enrolls over 29,800 students, both online and in person at locations throughout the state. Utah State’s 30 locations include a main campus in Logan, Utah, residential campuses in Price and Blanding, and six additional statewide campuses, along with education centers serving every county. USU educates students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries. For over 100 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns, serving every county in the state.

 

Competing at the NCAA Division I level in 16 sports, USU is a proud member of the Pac-12 Conference, which it joined July 1, 2026. The Aggies capped a historic final season in the Mountain West by capturing nine combined regular-season and tournament titles in 2025-26, with five teams advancing to postseason play. This tradition of excellence extends to the classroom, where 232 student-athletes earned academic honors, and to the community, where USU ranked second nationally in Division I service hours, with nine teams placing in the top 10 for community service.

 

Utah State is dedicated to fostering a community where all individuals feel respected, valued, and supported and where diversity of thought and culture are cultivated. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Forbes recognized our commitment to employees when it named Utah State the best employer in Utah in 2023. Learn more about USU.

 

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and a reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at 435-797-0122 or

hr@usu.edu

.

 

*updated 10/26

Notice of Non-discrimination:

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

 

Utah State University is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination including harassment in employment including in hiring, promotion, transfer, or termination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy or any other federal, state, or local law.

 

Utah State University does not discriminate in its housing offerings and will treat all persons fairly and equally without regard to race, color, religion, sex, familial status, disability, national origin, source of income, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Additionally, the University endeavors to provide reasonable accommodations when necessary and to ensure equal access to qualified persons with disabilities.

 

In all circumstances, Utah State University follows state and federal laws related to sex-segregated spaces.

 

The following office has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

 

Civil Rights & Title IX Office

Old Main Room 405

1475 Old Main Hill, Logan UT 84322

titleix@usu.edu

(435) 797-1266

 

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit crtix.usu.edu or contact:

 

U.S. Department of Education

Denver Regional Office

303-844-5695|

OCR.Denver@ed.gov

 

U.S. Department of Education

Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

800-421-3481 | 

OCR@ed.gov

 

*updated 08/2026