Behavior Specialist

Our Mission and Vision:

The mission of United Cerebral Palsy of Georgia is to positively support and impact the achievement of a Life Without Limits for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

UCP of Georgia’s vision is to create a community in which every person, regardless of ability, can participate as an equal citizen. To realize this vision, UCP of Georgia offers supports designed to help people maximize their potential and achieve independent, productive, and rewarding lives.

Job Summary:

The Behavior Specialist provides positive behavior support (through plan development and program monitoring) to individuals supported by the agency in residential and day services.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

NA

Duties/Responsibilities:

Assessment

• Assesses individuals served who exhibit maladaptive behaviors when referred by the program manager staff or others.
  1. Reviews files
  2. Meets with staff
  3. Conducts onsite observations of individuals
• Performs a functional analysis on individuals served exhibiting maladaptive behaviors which includes, but is not limited to review of file, observation of the individual in day and residential settings (as applicable) and formal assessment via the use of the QABF or FAST assessment questionnaire.
• Communicates with Regional Director and interdisciplinary team members to develop a positive behavior support program that is individual specific. Develops individualized positive behavior support programs for all individuals who need them.
• Trains staff and monitors implementation of Positive Behavior Support and/or Crisis Safety Plans.
• Assesses the effectiveness of the positive behavior support programs and makes changes, as needed.
• Provides individual and/or group educational sessions to individuals served and their families to improve social skills, communication skills, or coping skills, as needed.

Documentation

• Documents all interactions relevant to supports provided to the individuals served, including, but not limited to, reported changes in behavior, observations conducted, communication between interdisciplinary team members regarding the individual served, behavior/crisis safety plan development and updates.
• Documents a monthly assessment of the behavior support progress for each of the individuals served, which includes a summary of noted progress, recommendations made, data analysis and graphed behavior data.
• Documents training completed with staff on behavior support and/or crisis safety plans.
• Maintains an itinerary in Microsoft Outlook.

Training

• Develops competency-based training curriculum specific to the individual’s behavior support/crisis safety plan.
• Trains all staff who work with the respective individual served on their positive behavior support programs.
• Maintains records of staff training.
• Teaches Non-violent Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI curriculum) to staff in need of training.
• Conducts regular competency checks to assess the fidelity of behavior support/crisis safety plan implementation.

Crisis Intervention

• Responds to all calls from staff requesting assistance with a behavior and/or behavior-related crisis.
• Provides assistance in de-escalating behaviors (can be on-site or via phone).

Contact Visits

• Makes at least 1 monthly contact visit with individuals served on the assigned caseload. Frequency of visits may increase if behaviors presented are more challenging and the individual requires more support.

Meetings

• Attends monthly interdisciplinary team meetings.
• Attends CABS meetings for all individuals on the assigned caseload.
• Attends ISP and SIS meetings for individuals on the assigned caseload, as schedules permit.
• Attends in-services and training in the residential and/or day program settings as requested/necessary.
• Attends supervisory meetings with the Chief Clinical Officer and Behavior Support Team as scheduled.

Appointments

• Attends appointments or coordinates care via phone with psychiatrist or other outpatient providers as appropriate for individuals served with behavior support programs.
• Visits individuals served while hospitalized due to behavioral incidents when schedules permit. Coordinates care with hospital personnel if a visit is not feasible, and documents all visits/contact, pertinent information obtained and communication with all team members.
• Provides staff with relevant information needed to present to outpatient providers when behavior concerns arise.

Other Responsibilities:

• Adhere to all agency policies and procedures.
• Develop and maintain positive and productive relationships with individuals, families, co-workers, and community members.
• Maintain objectivity in position to set appropriate limits, while working with individuals and team members.
• Maintain respect for cultural, ethnic, spiritual, and individual differences.
• Travel to various program sites and external locations for meetings and other events.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong supervisory and leadership skills.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate them when appropriate.
• Ability to function well in a high-paced and at times stressful environment.

Required Certifications and Licenses:

Valid Georgia Driver’s License

Education and Experience:

Master’s degree in Behavioral Science or related field. 2-3 years experience in designing, training, and implementation of behavior programs for individuals with I/DD.

Physical Requirements:

The list of requirements below must be met with or without reasonable accommodations.

• Must be able to train and perform all physical aspects of Non-Violent Physical Crisis Intervention.
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time.
• Must be able to occasionally move about to access file cabinets, office machinery and other locations in the building.
• Must be able to continually operate a computer and other office machinery such as a calculator, copier machine and computer printer.
• Must be able to communicate and converse with others, detect and discern others’ communication, and express oneself.
• Must be able to relay information to all levels of staff.
• Must be able to lift and/or move up to 15 lbs.
• Must be able to operate a motor vehicle.

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