How to hire a qualified mental retardation professional

How to hire a qualified mental retardation professional, step by step

Here's a step-by-step qualified mental retardation professional hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a qualified mental retardation professional job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new qualified mental retardation professional
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the qualified mental retardation professional you need to hire. Certain qualified mental retardation professional roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A qualified mental retardation professional's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, qualified mental retardation professionals from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of qualified mental retardation professionals.

   Type of Qualified Mental Retardation Professional	Description	Hourly rate
   Qualified Mental Retardation Professional	Social and human service assistants provide client services, including support for families, in a wide variety of fields, such as psychology, rehabilitation, and social work. They assist other workers, such as social workers, and they help clients find benefits or community services.	$14-45
   Advocate	An advocate is a voice for the voiceless. It is their responsibility to speak on behalf of an individual or a particular cause... Show more	$12-27
   Liaison	A liaison is a middle person responsible for collaborating different institutes, managing professional relationships to create benefiting results that would help a business' meet its goals and objectives. Duties of a liaison include facilitating communications, establishing partnership contract plans and procedures, managing conflicts, providing immediate resolution for concerns, and evaluating collaboration parameters... Show more	$14-45

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Developmental Disabilities
   • Group Homes
   • State Regulations
   • Intellectual Disabilities
   • Mental Health
   • Crisis Intervention
   • Qmrp
   • Mr
   • Icfs
   • Mental Retardation
   • IDT
   • Direct Support Professionals
   • Staff Training
   • Federal Regulations

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage all client and CILA department funds.
   • Organize and manage IHP and IBP meetings with families, medical, educational and legal personnel.
   • Manage SharePoint inventory repository and assign access levels to new hires as needed.
   • Certify CPR instructor and teach CPR classes to staff and supervisors.
   • Review clients on intensive or active clinical monitoring with the interdisciplinary team (IDT).
   • Assist QMRP in working with disable individuals to advance their developmental skills to become productive members of society.

   More qualified mental retardation professional duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your qualified mental retardation professional job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A qualified mental retardation professional salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a qualified mental retardation professional in Maine may be lower than in California, and an entry-level qualified mental retardation professional usually earns less than a senior-level qualified mental retardation professional. Additionally, a qualified mental retardation professional with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average qualified mental retardation professional salary

   $54,963yearly

   $26.42 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level qualified mental retardation professional salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 1, 2026

   Average qualified mental retardation professional salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$76,770	$37
   2	California	$76,674	$37
   3	California	$76,521	$37
   4	California	$76,511	$37
   5	California	$75,958	$37
   6	California	$73,610	$35
   7	New York	$71,403	$34
   8	New Mexico	$67,301	$32
   9	Illinois	$64,738	$31
   10	Texas	$56,660	$27
   11	Texas	$56,492	$27
   12	Texas	$55,916	$27
   13	Missouri	$51,795	$25
   14	Ohio	$48,130	$23
   15	Maine	$47,869	$23
   16	Maine	$45,952	$22
   17	Maine	$44,795	$22

   Average qualified mental retardation professional salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Sandia National Labs	$87,761	$42.19
   2	University Health	$56,664	$27.24	8
   3	NorthPointe Resources, Inc.	$50,385	$24.22
   4	Texas	$50,268	$24.17	28
   5	State of Ohio	$41,634	$20.02	16
   6	Avondale House	$34,396	$16.54	2
   7	HeartShare Human Services of New York	$33,024	$15.88

4. Writing a qualified mental retardation professional job description

   A qualified mental retardation professional job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a qualified mental retardation professional job description:

   Qualified mental retardation professional job description example

   It's fun to work in a company where people truly BELIEVE in what they're doing!
   
   We're committed to bringing passion and customer focus to the business. See below job description:
   Job Specific Information:
   The Time-Type:
   Part time
   Job Description:
   1. Provide initial and ongoing assessment, evaluate effectiveness of PCP and progress made by person receiving services, participate in team meetings/case reviews with other providers and natural supports as needed and give input into person-centered plan modifications.
   2. Identify opportunities for community connections and development/enhancement of natural support networks for people served. Work with service staff to educate people served on these options and access opportunities.
   3. Use a range of communication skills and strategies to establish a mutual relationship with the individual, staff, co-workers, supervisors, other stakeholders and people who are important to the individuals receiving services.
   4. Coordinate disciplinary actions with Regional Director or Clinical Director to ensure superior service for the individuals being supported.
   5. Ensure requests for services are made considering eligibility, continued stay and discharge criteria for the service definition. Services and supports that match the person-centered plan and the individual's needs shall be in place and be fiscally viable.
   6. Conduct clinical authorization and billing systems that ensure all aspects including, but not limited to: timeframes, audits, following through on clinically related issues preventing authorization approval or billing, how to resolve issues locally/regionally, conducting reviews of clinical documentation to ensure that it meets the requirements for the service being provided.
   7. Prepare and submit required or requested reports, documents, assessments, evaluations and paperwork. Review and sign off on clinical documentation as required. Designated to release confidential information within assigned department(s).
   8. Identify methods whereby services can be provided utilizing existing community resources whenever possible. Continuously use person-centered approaches and positive approach strategies when interacting with consumers. Integrate strategies into program plans.
   9. Attend and actively participate in meetings and training as required. Maintain certification in all agency, state and federal training requirements.
   10. Demonstrate knowledge of emergency procedures including preventative and crisis services. Schedule and participate in on-call coverage.
   11. Work with supervisor on the continual assessment and enhancement of services provided throughout the agency.
   12. Demonstrate knowledge of and comply with all agency policies and procedures, as well as state and federal statutes and regulations related to specific program areas.
   13. Follow service definition guidelines for services being provided.
   14. Complete all other relevant responsibilities as assigned by the supervisor.
   15. Driving and travel may be required.
   Education:
   Bachelors: Human Services (Required)
   Certifications:
   North Carolina Driver License (Valid) - NC Division of Motor Vehicles, QMHP - Monarch-DSM
   Experience:
   Mental Health Experience, Qualified Developmental Disability Professional Experience, Substance Use Experience
   Qualifications:
   1056054, Bachelors - Human Services, Mental Health Experience, North Carolina Driver License (Valid) - NC Division of Motor Vehicles, QMHP - Monarch-DSM, Qualified Developmental Disability Professional Experience, Substance Use Experience
   Skills:
   Ability to assess, interpret large volumes of information, Ability to change routine in a positive manner, Ability to effectively manage multiple priorities, Ability to evaluate large systems, identify strengths/needs, Ability to provide positive feedback., Ability to read/interpret Federal/State/Local laws, Ability to solve problems as they arise, Able to maintain good work attendance, Build positive relationship with people supported, Competitive work output, Demonstrate strong organizational skills, Excellent negotiation and social skills, Follow through on assignments independently, Maintain safe work environment, Maintain stable work behaviors daily, Must be able to self-educate, Must be able to think through complex tasks, Must participate in decision-making, Must possess adequate individual coping skills, Must respond appropriately to emergency situations, Physical stamina to work 40 hours, Proficient mathematic, Proficient writing/reading/oral presentations, Receive and provide constructive criticism professionally, Relate to people in a supportive manner

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right qualified mental retardation professional for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with qualified mental retardation professionals they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit qualified mental retardation professionals who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your qualified mental retardation professional job on Zippia to find and recruit qualified mental retardation professional candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit qualified mental retardation professionals, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new qualified mental retardation professional

   Once you have selected a candidate for the qualified mental retardation professional position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new qualified mental retardation professional. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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