Behavior Support Specialist

At the Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities (DCBDD), we believe every person deserves the opportunity to live, learn, work, and thrive as a valued member of our community. We support individuals with developmental disabilities and their families at every stage of life, connecting them with resources, creating opportunities for inclusion, and empowering them to achieve their goals. Our work is driven by compassion, collaboration, and a deep respect for the dignity and potential of every person we serve. Joining our team means more than just starting a new job—it is becoming part of a mission-driven organization where your skills make a lasting difference in the lives of others and in the heart of our growing community.

About the Role

Completes specialized work in developing, coordinating, and monitoring all facets of behavior support with a focus on increasing the quality of life for individuals with developmental disabilities served by DCBDD. Candidates must model the following established core values: Inclusion, Equity, and Integrity.

Qualifications

• Hold a valid license issued by the Ohio Board of Psychology OR hold a valid license issued by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board OR hold a valid physician license issued by the State Medical Board of Ohio OR hold a bachelor’s or graduate-level degree from an accredited college or university.
• Minimum of three (3) years paid, full-time (or equivalent part-time) experience in developing and/or implementing behavioral support and/or risk reduction strategies or plans.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain DODD Service and Support Administration Certification.
• Must possess a valid State of Ohio Driver's License and acceptable driving record as stipulated by the Board’s insurance carrier.

Physical Requirements

• Light work strength level, which may require lifting up to 25 pounds occasionally.
• Physical activities include manual dexterity, talking, hearing, reaching, and navigating your environment.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment (e.g., copy machine, fax machine, personal computer, and telephone).

Other Requirements

• Successful completion of a criminal records check (BCI and/or FBI) and registry/database check as required by DODD.
• Driving record checks and favorable reference reports.
• Schedule may need to be flexible based on DCBDD operational need and/or the individual or families served.

Responsibilities

• Serves as entry point for all behavior support referrals; coordinates and tracks all behavioral assessments.
• Communicates regularly with individuals served and teams in the community; adheres to the guidance in OAC 5123-2-06 to create, implement, and maintain restrictive strategies as needed.
• Provides guidance and oversight on positive behavior support practices and implementation; collects and analyzes data, performs assessments to determine the functions of behavior, defines target behaviors, and develops formats for behavior data collection.
• Measures effectiveness of interventions; makes on-site observations of individuals; develops structured environments and programmatic interventions to support individuals with challenging behaviors.
• Ensures behavior assessments identify risk of harm and support strategies are implemented to reduce that risk; ensures behavior supports are provided in the least restrictive manner possible while maintaining health, safety, and dignity.
• Develops, implements, and monitors all facets of behavior support (both positive and restrictive) for individuals served; partners with Service and Support Administrators (SSA) to write strategies into Individual Service Plans (ISPs).
• Ensures restrictions in plans are temporary, tracks reductions of restrictions over time, and works toward elimination of restrictions from plans.
• Provides regular training to DCBDD employees, designated provider staff, and parents on behavior strategies, restrictive measures, and specific interventions; develops trainings based on identified needs (e.g., curriculum, instructional materials, visual aids, training manuals).
• Supports SSAs and teams by providing technical assistance with behavior strategies and/or restrictive measures.
• Serves as a non-voting member of the Human Rights Committee (HRC); recruits new HRC members.
• Presents assessment and recommendations for restrictive measures to the HRC; reviews restrictive measures quarterly, submits semi-annual summaries to the HRC, and provides annual analysis of all behavior support strategies to the HRC in accordance with OAC 5123-2-06.
• Completes Restrictive Measures Notification process on the DODD website; ensures completion of annual assessments when plans contain restrictive measures.
• Completes Targeted Case Management (TCM) notes in a timely manner; maintains confidential records.
• Creates, maintains, and provides annual Behavior Support training to DCBDD employees and HRC members.
• Develops and revises Behavior Support policy and procedures as needed in accordance with OAC 5123-2-06.
• Provides referrals for contracted behavior support services if needed; serves as a liaison for contracted behavior support services.
• Works closely with the MUI Department on cases where a risk of harm is occurring and with all prevention plans containing restrictive measures.
• Attends meetings, seminars, conferences, and other job-related training sessions.
• Adheres to all ORC, OAC, and DCBDD policies and procedures.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.