Monitoring and Investigation Specialist

Job Title: Monitoring and Investigation Specialist

Location: 606 Walnut St, Ste 2220 Des Moines IA 50309

Job Type: Full Time; Non-Exempt,

Job Location: Disability Rights Iowa Office, full-time in-office position

Opening Date: May 15, 2026

Closing Date: For earliest consideration apply by May 29,2026

Start Date: July 2026

Supervision: Managing Attorney for Investigations & Intake

Agency Description:

Disability Rights Iowa (DRI) is a well-established, innovative, legally based non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the rights of Iowans with disabilities. DRI is the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy agency (P&A) for individuals with disabilities in Iowa. DRI works to achieve equality and justice for people with disabilities through quality representation, advocacy, investigations of abuse and neglect, peer/self-advocacy services, community partnerships, regulatory advocacy work, education, and outreach.

DRI strives to pursue litigation and advocacy that addresses current pressing needs of the Disability Community, proactively identities future needs and constructs innovative solutions that continue to expand the human and legal rights of individuals with disabilities. DRI’s legal work includes individual and impact litigation. For more information, go to www.driowa.org.

Salary/Benefits: Current salary $41,000 per year. DRI offers a comprehensive benefit plan for eligible employees. Benefits include health insurance, dental insurance, basic life, short-term and long-term disability insurance, a 403(b)-retirement plan, and flexible spending accounts. Flexible spending accounts feature reimbursement for both medical and dependent care

Time-off: DRI offers generous holiday time off, paid sick time and vacation accrual package to full-time employees.

Job Description: DRI is seeking passionate Disability Rights Monitoring and Investigations Specialist to protect and advance the rights of Iowans with disabilities.

The Disability

Monitoring and Investigations Specialist will monitor and investigate allegations of abuse, neglect, and rights violations occurring in youth and adult public and private facilities and group homes across the state. In this role, the Monitoring and Investigations Specialist will conduct thorough, objective investigations of serious allegations of abuse and neglect, including cases involving deaths, promote individual and systemic policy reforms that protect the rights of individuals with disabilities and help prevent future occurrences. The Monitoring and Investigative Specialist is also responsible for conducting regular monitoring visits to various settings including, but not limited to, residential care facilities, both mental health institutes, the state resource center, intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, providers of services for individuals with traumatic brain injuries, youth facilities, and 3 nursing facilities to identify and prevent abuse, neglect, and other rights violations. Additionally, the Monitoring and Investigations Specialist will be responsible for providing individual advocacy, and self-advocacy assistance to residents who are experiencing rights violations in residential facilities and service settings.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

  1. Investigate incidents of abuse or neglect of individuals with disabilities occurring in residential facilities, congregate care facilities, and service settings if the incidents are reported to DRI or if there is probable cause to believe that the incidents occurred
  2. Monitor residential facilities and home and community based service settings to ensure compliance with respect to the rights and safety of individuals with disabilities
  3. Provide advocacy to individuals with disabilities to defend and promote their human and legal rights
  4. Interview people with disabilities to understand their concerns and identify rights violations
  5. Develop creative solutions when needed to address issues experienced by individuals with disabilities
  6. Remain familiar with the federal statutes and regulations related to DRI’s access authority
  7. Stay up to date with state and federal statutes, regulations, and policies governing care and treatment of people with disabilities
  8. Write thorough, accurate, and well organized internal and external reports regarding findings, conclusions and recommendations resulting from investigations or monitoring activities
  9. Conduct outreach on protection and advocacy services
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