Direct Support Professional

Job Summary

Direct Support Professionals assist clients with disabilities in vocational, daily living, health maintenance, and recreational activities. Employees provide job coaching and teaching to clients and supervise their activities. Work may occur at STEP facilities or in the community at various job sites. Employees will provide assistance to clients to assure that work is completed at contracted work sites. Employees must have the ability to work with individuals with disabilities and with customers at contracted job sites. Employees must have the ability to recognize and function in the event of client emergencies.

Major Job Duties

Implementation of annual client goals and quarterly objectives as specified in individual program plans and as assigned by the designated coordinator.

Supervises, trains and instructs client in on/off center activities, including employment sites, as specified in general program schedule or as assigned with the goal of maximizing client’s abilities and training opportunities.

Implementation of behavioral management techniques as specified in agency procedures or in individual behavior plans

Maintain accurate records pertinent to clients, work and agency functions. For example: petty cash, client related data, production sheets, time sheets, incident reports, transportation sheets, and customer billing forms.

Provides necessary assistance to clients during program and nonprogram times.

Assists clients with personal care needs such as: dressing, grooming, hygiene and toileting.

Regularly attends and actively participates in staff meetings, conferences, in-services and other training.

As rider or driver, safely prepares for and transports clients utilizing company vehicles as directed. Appropriately uses wheel chair lift, secure wheel chairs, and other assistive devices.

Effectively and promptly communicates problems and concerns to the immediate supervisor regarding clients, programming, vehicles, safety, and other environmental issues.

Assist in the development of adaptations or accommodations to assist clients in completing job duties or daily living activities.

Promote social integration between clients and community members.

Complete job tasks assigned by the employer in the event that the client is unable to complete tasks.

Is aware of and appropriately utilizes current information regarding clients (e.g. annual and quarterly reviews, psychologicals, individual risk management plans, etc.)

Is familiar with and adheres to agency procedures and policies (e.g. Vulnerable Adult Policies, Behavioral Support Policies, Emergency procedures, employee policies, etc.)

Maintain equipment, work areas, vehicles, and common areas in a neat and clean manner and communicate problems promptly to the supervisor.

Accurately administer medications and treatments, provide first aid, and implement medical protocols according to established agency procedures. Perform range of motion, positioning, and other therapy activities.

Transfer clients with physical disabilities safely and correctly using appropriate methods and ergonomics. May require mechanical lifts, personal transferring, two-person lifts, wheelchairs and other equipment.

Respects and maintains the confidentiality of clients and of agency information. Appropriately shares and seeks out information on a need-to-know basis.

This job description is not comprehensive and all employees must be adaptable, flexible, willing to perform other duties as assigned by their supervisor.

Required Skills and Abilities

1. Attitude toward clients: Shows respect toward and promotes each client as an adult individual.

2. Dependability and reliability: Performs all duties and assignments whether or not supervision is present.

3. COMMUNICATION skills: Expresses ideas, information and instruction in a proactive, positive and respectful manner that ensures that there is the intended effect and/or response.

4. TEAMWORK: Acts as an effective team member through cooperation, mutual respect, and shared work in an effort to realize common goals.

5. INITIATIVE: Observes the need for action and acts accordingly without the need for supervisory direction.

6. JUDGMENT: Makes reasonable and appropriate decisions in day-to-day interactions with clients, coworkers and customers.

7. ADAPTABILITY: Readily and effectively adjusts to changing ideas and activities in order to cope with varying situations.

8. ORGANIZATIONAL ABILITY: Effectively establishes priorities that organize the client’s job duties into a plan of action that maximizes the use of client’s abilities and minimizes the use to time and money.

9. TEACHING: Develops or utilizes the appropriate instructional methods to meet the individual needs of the client.

10. ROLE MODELING: Acts as a positive role model for clients in dress, grooming, manner, problem solving, conflict resolution, etc.

11. STRESS MANAGEMENT: Respond to stressful situations in a manner that that does not interfere with programming or with the needs of the client or the employee.

12. PROFESSIONALISM: Is aware of how one’s behaviors and attitudes reflect on the agency, acts in a manner that indicates the awareness of the importance of one’s own job performance as important to the client, the agency and to one’s self.

13. POSITIVE IMAGE PROJECTION: Interacts with employers and the general public in a manner that projects positively on the reputation and image of the client, agency and self.

14. CREATIVITY: Shows imagination and innovation in solving problems and making adaptations in the client’s job duties.

15. ATTENDANCE: Reliably reports for work as scheduled.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Salary: $15.50 - $16.50 per hour

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Referral program
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Application Question(s):

• Will you be able to pass a background check with the Department of Human Services?
• Our staff transport our clients in our company vehicles. Can you pass a MVR check?

Work Location: In person