Life Enrichment Assistant I- Behavioral Health

Application deadline: 2026-08-31. Full-time, non-exempt, benefit-eligible county position.

About the role

This position provides purposeful and meaningful activities to residents by interacting with them daily, leading workshop and sensory groups, and offering social, cognitive, emotional, community, and spiritual interactions and stimulation. The role also includes assisting with personal cares and active treatment per regulations.

Pay

Starting wage: $19.32/hour, plus a $3.00/hour weekend differential.

Schedule

9:00 AM – 5:15 PM, Monday – Friday. Weekend rotation: work every 3rd weekend, with the Friday before and the Monday after off.

Benefits

• Paid Time Off (PTO) available after 30 days of employment
• 10 observed paid holidays
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer contributions
• Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)
• Life insurance and long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts
• Participation in the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS)

Responsibilities

• Guide residents in recreational activities, lead workshops, and delegate tasks to staff to meet residents’ person-centered life enrichment needs and provide active treatment per regulations.
• Arrange and provide transportation for community outings, social activities, special meals, and events for the IID household; assist with whole-house events.
• Develop monthly activity calendars and sensory group schedules.
• Transport residents to and from activities and other functions.
• Decorate the household to support resident reality orientation for holidays and seasons; research and purchase approved items for the household.
• Prepare, organize, and facilitate materials for workshops, sensory groups, and other planned activities.
• Assist residents with purchasing or researching items they need or wish to have.
• Engage residents in routine interactions, such as making cards/letters for families, online shopping, scheduling movies, planning parties, and providing games/activities.
• Encourage resident participation in available programs and work with individuals on goals outlined in their Individualized Program Plan (IPP) for workshop, sensory, mealtime, and other ADL goals; report progress for charting.
• Maintain documentation of resident attendance at workshops, productivity time, and activity participation in Matrixcare to determine resident rewards.
• Assist and promote independence with personal cares, including hygiene, ambulation, and community access.
• Provide personal hygiene care, including bathing, oral care, skin and nail care, hand washing, grooming, shaving, dressing, and weighing residents.
• Encourage residents toward independent personal care and assist with toileting, including bowel and bladder retraining and perineal care.
• Perform and assist with mobility, transferring, ambulation, positioning, and range of motion per care plans.
• Report all cares given, including dietary intake/output, vital signs (temperature, weight, blood pressure, pulse, respiration), and any observations or changes in resident condition to licensed nurses or supervisors.
• Serve meals to residents and assist with nourishment and fluid intake.
• Participate in resident care planning through shift reports and care staffing meetings.
• Complete the designated section of the Comprehensive Skills Review for residents yearly.
• Encourage and assist residents in keeping their rooms clean and orderly; maintain household cleanliness, including the IID workshop.
• Keep residents’ personal belongings and equipment clean and properly labeled.
• Respond to resident emergencies, including bleeding, falls, seizures, and perform CPR or the Heimlich maneuver as needed.
• Perform housekeeping and laundry duties as needed.
• Assist with training and orientation of new Household Assistants and provide backup support to other department personnel.
• Perform additional duties as assigned, including cook duties in a household when required:
  • Prepare and portion food according to menus, resident diets, and preferences.
  • Track and update resident diet changes for accurate food production.
  • Maintain high standards of food production and sanitation.
  • Keep work areas and equipment clean and compliant with regulatory codes.

Requirements

• Knowledge of personal protective equipment (PPE) and its proper use for safety.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of resident care information and protect resident rights and privacy per HIPAA.
• Knowledge of chemicals used in housekeeping and laundry, including hazardous materials and isolation procedures.
• Ability to create and maintain a warm, personal, and clean environment.
• Ability to work tactfully and cooperatively with residents, families, visitors, and staff.
• Strong verbal communication skills with residents, families, the public, and team members.
• Exhibit a warm, cheerful, and caring manner.
• Safely perform essential job functions.
• Interpret and implement local policies, procedures, and regulations; follow written instructions and general correspondence.
• Organizational and time management skills to prioritize duties and adapt to changing priorities.
• Perform detailed work accurately and independently with minimal direction and supervision.
• Think quickly, maintain self-control, and adapt to stressful situations.
• Proficiency in computer software, including word processing, spreadsheets, and databases relevant to the position.
• Perform mathematical calculations required for the role.
• Prepare and maintain accurate, concise records and reports.
• Apply sound judgment and discretion in resolving problems and interpreting policies.
• Communicate sensitive information effectively and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Handle sensitive interpersonal situations calmly and tactfully.
• Maintain professionalism and effective working relationships.
• Work allocated hours and respond after hours as needed.

Physical and Work Environment

• Occasional exertion of up to 75 pounds of force.
• Regularly requires sitting; frequently requires standing, speaking, hearing, using hands to finger/handle/feel, and repetitive motions.
• Occasionally requires walking, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, and reaching with hands and arms.
• Standard vision requirements for the role.
• Vocal communication required for expressing or exchanging ideas.
• Hearing required to perceive information in moderately loud conditions.
• Frequent exposure to bloodborne pathogens; may require wearing specialized personal protective equipment.
• Occasional exposure to fumes or airborne particles.
• May work in any area of the facility and be subject to exposure to infectious wastes, diseases, and medical conditions.
• Work primarily in a healthcare setting with exposure to infectious agents, chemical agents, and resident behaviors.