110-12 Direct Support Professional

Direct Support Professional position providing daily care, supervision, and safety for developmentally disabled individuals in residential and community settings. Ensures overnight awake coverage is alert and responsive to individuals' needs.

Responsibilities

• Monitor individuals for health and safety.
• Safely evacuate individuals from residence in the event of fire or disaster.
• Physically assist individuals with transfers, carries, bathing, and personal hygiene (including lifting individuals weighing 150–250 pounds).
• Escort or restrain individuals during emergencies or behavioral episodes.
• Educate, supervise, and monitor individual self-medication programs.
• Train individuals in goals and objectives specified in Individual Support Plans (ISP) and behavior plans.
• Assist with medical appointments, scheduling, and transportation.
• Educate and assist individuals with meal preparation, food shopping, and finances (banking, receipts, purchasing, record-keeping).
• Transport, accompany, and supervise individuals to/from place of worship.
• Maintain records and document daily data.
• Perform daily housekeeping: laundry, dishes, mopping, sweeping, snow shoveling, and report repair/maintenance needs.
• Overnight awake staff: clean common areas and bathrooms.
• Overnight asleep staff: assist with morning routine; paid at direct care rate if awakened for overnight assistance (after 5 uninterrupted sleep hours).
• Write, evaluate, and assess individuals for programmatic planning.
• Work flexible schedule for program coverage, weekends, holidays, and emergencies.
• Implement agency policies and procedures.
• Maintain confidentiality and positive demeanor while managing multiple priorities.
• Coordinate and assist with leisure time planning.
• Provide emergency coverage, including overnight.
• Perform individual advocacy duties, including palliative care and hospice support.
• Remain on duty after scheduled hours until relieved by oncoming staff.
• Attend and participate in weekly staff meetings (full-time staff only).

Specialized Responsibilities

• Advocate: Full-time staff advocate for one resident, prepare advocate agendas for staff meetings, lead discussions, ensure all records are complete, and meet medical, dental, personal, and social needs.
• Safety Officer: Perform safety checks of home, van, and grounds; report at staff meetings; attend quarterly Safety Committee meetings; maintain focus on safety and best practices.
• Healthy Eating Officer: Comply with agency nutritional policies, participate in training, prepare weekly menus, lead discussions on healthy eating, manage shopping lists, and role model healthy eating practices.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or G.E.D.
• 21+ years old with a valid driver’s license.
• Daily use of a car on-site (preferred but not required).
• Available by telephone for daily contact.
• Maintain First Aid, CPR, MAP, and PABC certifications.
• Complete Agency Orientation and Applied Non-Violence certification.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including weekends, holidays, and emergencies.
• Advocate for and establish rapport with disabled individuals, families, co-workers, and service providers.

Pay

$17.50–$19.00 per hour. Paid training provided.

Schedule

• Full-time: 40 hours per week.
• Sun: 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
• Mon & Tues: 2:00 PM–10:00 PM
• Wed: 1:00 PM–10:00 PM
• Thurs: 2:00 PM–10:00 PM