Assistant BIS - Suffolk County

YAI • Town of Brookhaven, NY

5d • Onsite

About The Position

YAI is hiring an Assistant Behavior Intervention Specialist (ABIS) for Residential Services in Suffolk County. In addition to performing Direct Support Professional duties, the ABIS provides clinical support for the habilitative, behavioral, and psychiatric needs of people supported, under the direction and supervision of a Behavior Intervention Specialist (BIS). This includes educating direct-care staff and program leadership on habilitative and Behavior Support Plans, supporting assessments and interventions, promoting consistent data collection, and giving staff feedback.

The ABIS also provides shift leadership, directing and assisting staff when a Program Supervisor or Assistant Supervisor is absent. The position supports person-centered care, community inclusion, individualized programming, staff training, documentation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the health, safety, and well-being of people supported. Experienced ABIS staff may be assigned to the BIS Department to cover multiple programs and support teams across a region.

The schedule is full-time, working Sunday through Thursday evenings or Tuesday through Saturday evenings. Some flexibility may be required. The role may involve travel to regional trainings and meetings, and some assignments require transporting people supported. Compensation is $23.60 per hour.

Requirements

• Meet one of the following qualification paths: a bachelor's degree in psychology, social work, or a closely related human-services discipline and at least six months of relevant experience; formal training including college coursework in a relevant subject and at least two years of relevant experience; or at least four years of experience in a direct-care role in a YAI program in good standing.
• Relevant experience involves working with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and/or supporting adults or children with complex social-emotional, mental-health, or behavioral-support needs in a group or individual setting.
• Have working knowledge of behavioral and psychiatric conditions, including the interplay between I/DD and other conditions, and be able to gather, document, and accurately communicate related information.
• Have strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to objectively document services, summarize progress, and convey information to staff, clinical teams, external providers, and circles of support.
• Be able and willing to lead, direct, and teach others technical skills and knowledge on the job and in individual or group training settings.
• Hold foundational certifications for the service setting: Strategies for Crisis Intervention and Prevention – Revised (SCIP-R), CPR issued by the American Red Cross or American Heart Association, and YAI-issued AMAP certification for residential assignments or Day Services Model Mentorship Training for day assignments.
• Maintain foundational and program-specific certifications. Current YAI employees changing settings must obtain the applicable setting-specific certification and other required certifications within three months of appointment; newly hired employees must obtain and maintain required certifications within six months of appointment.
• Be at least 18 years old if newly hired. A satisfactory equivalent combination of education, experience, and/or training may be considered.
• Meet the physical demands of the role, including frequent walking, sitting, standing, bending, twisting, stooping, kneeling, crouching, pushing, pulling, reaching, and handling or feeling objects, tools, or controls; assist with lifting or moving people of any weight using mechanical lifts or other equipment and/or other staff, and/or push wheelchairs; occasionally lift or move up to 25 pounds; and have the physical capacity to implement emergency interventions under a person's Behavior Support Plan as needed.
• Be able and willing to assist with a variety of supports and activities of daily living, including regular exposure to and handling of bodily fluids.
• Have strong clinical skills, including assessing and analyzing information, drawing appropriate conclusions, explaining clinical rationales, compiling and comparing information, and interpreting data.
• Remain calm, act assertively, and exercise professional competence and good judgment in stressful situations, including challenging behaviors, and work in a high-energy, fast-paced environment.
• Be proficient with computers and electronic systems, including email and Workday and/or related systems such as DA.
• Be able to work full time, including at least one regularly scheduled weekend day, and work beyond scheduled hours or shifts or report as scheduled on holidays, in inclement weather, or during emergencies to maintain minimum program coverage, unless otherwise authorized.
• Travel to regional trainings or meetings at designated YAI locations and, on occasion, locations in the NYC metropolitan area.
• For assignments requiring transportation of people supported, hold or obtain and maintain a valid driver's license and Van certification based on the position, location, and program.
• For assignments in the BIS Department: have at least three years of I/DD-field experience, including at least one year as an Assistant BIS in a YAI program in good standing; be able to travel regularly to multiple programs in the region and work varying schedules or shifts as needed; and be able to develop productive working relationships quickly and work effectively with different teams.

Nice To Haves

• Active pursuit of a master's degree in a clinical or treatment field of psychology, social work, school psychology, or applied psychology.
• A bachelor's degree in psychology, social work, or a closely related human-services discipline.
• At least two years of experience working in the I/DD field.

Responsibilities

• Perform Direct Support Professional duties in addition to ABIS responsibilities, supporting the supervision, protection, care, rights, strengths, interests, abilities, and community connections of people supported.
• Identify, facilitate, and schedule community-inclusion activities based on the needs and feedback of people supported; coordinate resources, secure funds, and document activities.
• Support appropriate levels of supervision by communicating and documenting updates, and assist with shift meetings, staff assignments, shift sheets, and recommendations concerning staff qualifications and supervision requirements.
• Use person-specific clinical knowledge to recognize needs and signs or symptoms of medical and mental health conditions, provide effective supports, and escalate concerns to leadership.
• Stay informed about the current needs, diagnoses, issues, and supervision levels of people supported, under BIS supervision.
• Work with the BIS to identify habilitative, behavioral, and psychiatric needs and implement programming and clinical interventions consistently with individualized plans.
• Guide program staff by modeling person-centered care, counseling skills, and required standards of care.
• Implement Behavior Support Plans using person-centered thinking and an understanding of behavior as communication to support positive interactions and prevent escalation.
• Train direct-care staff individually, on the floor, and in groups using the EMOE training system; observe staff, provide feedback, explain clinical rationales, and promote appropriate data collection.
• Serve as lead trainer for weekend staff and help new staff develop and demonstrate OPWDD Core Competencies.
• Participate in treatment-plan development, including individualized habilitative plans, collaborating with the BIS on services, goals, outcomes, and supports based on assessments and individual needs and learning capabilities.
• Assist the BIS with behavioral and habilitative assessments by gathering information and conducting observations or soliciting information from staff and other applicable sources.
• Monitor data collection for habilitative and behavioral goals; ensure data sheets are available, review documentation, retrain staff, follow up, and assist with designing data-collection systems as needed.
• Complete and maintain required documentation, including data summaries, monthly progress reports, person-centered materials, and psychiatric and therapy anecdotal records; assist staff with documentation as needed.
• Participate in interdisciplinary team, life-plan, regional assistant, and clinical team meetings; provide information and feedback and complete resulting tasks as directed.
• Lead weekend and evening shifts, or other assigned shifts, and monitor daily program operations in the absence of the Program Supervisor, Assistant Supervisor, and/or BIS.
• Monitor program operations, staff performance, and the condition and wellness of people supported; address concerns, recommend solutions, and escalate issues appropriately.
• Complete and maintain required trainings and certifications and apply or teach relevant skills.
• Comply with applicable federal, state, local, and regulatory requirements, including HIPAA.
• Operate a YAI motor vehicle to transport people supported when required by the assignment and with appropriate credentials.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• For ABIS staff assigned to the BIS Department: provide coverage across multiple programs; adapt to different program teams and needs; train new staff on behavioral and clinical systems; communicate clinical information to interdisciplinary teams and families as directed; and track follow-ups across programs.

Benefits

• DailyPay access.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Medical and dental insurance, with family and extended medical-plan options; vision coverage is available for full-time positions.
• Paid vacation, holiday, and sick time, depending on employment type.
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer matching contributions.
• Life insurance and long-term disability coverage.
• Discounts on travel, entertainment, wireless services, shopping, and more.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level