Personal Support Professional

Full-time position in St. Mary's County.

About the role

The Arc of Southern Chesapeake is hiring full-time Personal Support Professionals to assist individuals who need support to access the community, make friends, have fun, and be as self-sufficient as possible. Support may be provided at home, in recreational settings, or in the community, and can include personal hygiene, light housekeeping, grocery shopping, banking, medical appointments, medication administration (if necessary), transportation, or social and recreational assistance. The goal is to enhance individuals' ability to lead self-directed lives by providing support, guidance, and information to build self-esteem, confidence, and assertiveness.

Responsibilities

• Community Living Skills & Supports:
  • Assist individual(s) with physical needs (e.g., health, grooming, toileting, eating) and personal management (e.g., human development, human sexuality) by teaching skills, providing supports, and building on individual strengths.
  • Assist with household management (e.g., meal prep, laundry, cleaning, decorating) and transportation to maximize independence or perform tasks if the individual(s) cannot.
  • Assist with and/or dispense medication (as certified) or other prescribed medical treatments.
  • Support individual(s) in developing friendships and other relationships.
• Community and Service Networking:
  • Provide opportunities for involvement in community and leisure activities.
  • Identify needs for community supports, working with the individual(s) informal support system and/or initiating community connections.
• Participant Empowerment:
  • Assist individual(s) in planning, making informed choices, following through on responsibilities, and advocating for themselves.
• Communication:
  • Use effective, sensitive communication skills to build rapport and adapt to individual(s) communication styles.
  • Learn and use appropriate terminology, explaining as necessary to ensure understanding.
• Facilitation of Services:
  • Maintain collaborative professional relationships with individual(s) and all support team members, follow ethical standards (e.g., confidentiality, informed consent), and recognize personal limitations.
  • Assist and/or facilitate the implementation of an individualized plan based on individual(s) preferences, needs, and interests.
• Advocacy:
  • Facilitate, assist, and/or represent individual(s) when there are barriers to service needs.
  • Interact with and educate community members and organizations (e.g., employers, landlords, civic organizations) as relevant to individual(s) needs.
• Crisis Intervention:
  • Identify, evaluate, and defuse crisis situations, contacting necessary supports.
  • Monitor crisis situations, discuss incidents with authorized staff and individual(s), adjust supports and environment, and comply with reporting regulations.
  • Implement behavior plan(s) as necessary and indicated.
• Documentation:
  • Maintain accurate records and submit them to appropriate sources in a timely fashion.
  • Uphold standards of confidentiality and ethical practice.
• Organization Participation:
  • Comply with all agency guidelines, procedures, and practices.
  • Incorporate sensitivity to cultural, religious, racial, disability, and gender issues into daily practices and interactions.
• Education, Training & Self-Development:
  • Attend, complete, and pass all required training, both initially and ongoing.
• Additional Duties:
  • Accomplish all tasks as assigned or requested.
  • Demonstrate appropriate role model behavior at all times.

Requirements

• 18 years of age with a high school diploma or GED equivalent.
• Valid driving license (no permit or provisional license accepted).
• Ability to pass a criminal background check mandated by the State of Maryland.
• Good driving record with no more than 2 points on the license.
• Reliable vehicle for transporting individuals served.
• Enjoy assisting people and providing hands-on support.
• Demonstrated ability to read and write clearly and concisely.

Skills

• Proficiency in computer-based software (e.g., Excel, Word, Access).
• Dependable, responsible, consistent, and punctual.
• Flexible and able to take direction.
• Ability to work as part of a team and independently.
• Ability and desire to create long-term, trusting, and respectful relationships.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

• Occasionally required to stand, walk, sit for long periods, use hands to hold/handle objects/tools/controls, reach with hands and arms, climb stairs, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to talk, hear, taste, or smell.

Work Environment

• Generally not exposed to weather conditions.
• Moderate noise level in the work environment.
• Required to work evenings and weekends, when scheduled.

Pay

$18.50 per hour.