Direct Support Professional - Setauket, NY

YAI • Town of Brookhaven, NY

10d • $20 - $21 • Onsite

About The Position

YAI is hiring a Direct Support Professional for its residential programs in Setauket, New York. DSPs work closely with people of all ages who have intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), supporting their goals, rights, well-being, and participation in their communities. The role is full-time, with weekday and/or weekend positions available on morning and evening schedules.

DSPs provide individualized support in accordance with service and behavior support plans. Duties include personal care and activities of daily living; health, safety, and crisis support; medication assistance as authorized; skill development; meal preparation; transportation and community activities; and help with purchases and personal funds. DSPs also implement behavior plans, observe and document progress or changes, maintain required records and trainings, and collaborate with individuals, their support networks, clinical staff, and program leadership.

The position requires patience, empathy, effective communication, and the ability to remain calm in a fast-paced environment. It includes frequent physical activity and may involve assisting with lifting or moving individuals, exposure to bodily fluids, emergency interventions, working beyond scheduled hours, and reporting for work during holidays, inclement weather, or emergencies to maintain program coverage. Some assignments require driving a YAI vehicle.

Requirements

• At least 3–5 years of Direct Support Professional experience supporting the I/DD population.
• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Ability to meet the position’s physical demands, including frequent walking, sitting, standing, bending, twisting, stooping, kneeling, crouching, pushing, pulling, reaching, and handling objects, tools, or controls.
• Ability to assist with lifting or moving individuals of any weight with mechanical lifts or other equipment and/or other staff, push individuals in wheelchairs, and occasionally lift or move up to 25 pounds.
• Physical capacity to carry out emergency interventions specified in an individual’s Behavior Support Plan, including lifting or moving individuals with or without equipment or assistance from other staff.
• Effective written and oral communication skills, including the ability to document services for billing and tracking.
• Enthusiasm for working with people with I/DD; initiative; and positivity, patience, empathy, and compassion in interactions.
• Ability and willingness to provide varied supports and assistance with activities of daily living, including regular exposure to and handling of bodily fluids.
• Basic computer skills, including email and use of Workday and related systems such as Digital Agency.
• Must hold or obtain and maintain Strategies for Crisis Intervention and Prevention – Revised (SCIP-R) within one year of appointment.
• Must hold or obtain and maintain certifications required by program assignment and the people supported, such as Choking – Return Demonstration, Approved Medication Administration Personnel, Diabetes Care, CPR, or Tube Feeding, within one year of appointment.
• Ability to develop and maintain professional relationships in alignment with YAI’s mission and vision.
• Ability to remain calm in stressful situations and work in a high-energy, fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work beyond regularly scheduled hours or shifts and/or report as scheduled on holidays, in inclement weather, or during emergencies to maintain minimum program coverage, unless otherwise authorized.
• For assignments involving transportation, must hold or obtain and maintain a valid driver’s license and Van certification, as applicable to position, location, and program.

Nice To Haves

• High school diploma or educational equivalent.
• Work or life experience in the I/DD field is a plus for DSP 1 positions, but is not mandatory.
• For elevated DSP positions, at least three years of direct support professional experience with the I/DD population and obtaining and maintaining setting-specific YAI certifications within six months of appointment.

Responsibilities

• Support individuals in maximizing their strengths, interests, abilities, personal rights, and quality of life goals.
• Build positive relationships and communicate respectfully using person-first language; encourage socialization and community connections.
• Supervise and protect individuals, maintain program safety guidelines, facilitate fire-safety learning, and escalate signs of potential harm to self or others.
• Promote health, wellness, and safety; provide appropriate supervision and manage crisis situations in accordance with policies and regulations.
• Provide support in varied settings according to individualized service and behavior support plans and applicable supervision requirements.
• Implement person-centered plans, including IPOP safeguards, Behavior Support Plans, Staff Action Plans, and Life Plans.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and organized therapeutic environment; use safe handling procedures and infection-control protocols.
• Provide personal care and assistance with activities of daily living, hygiene, laundry, and housekeeping as appropriate and authorized.
• Ensure prescribed medication is administered in accordance with applicable guidelines.
• Teach and develop skills, support advocacy and self-expression, help resolve disputes, and facilitate ethical decision-making.
• Plan or provide supervision for balanced meals and snacks in accordance with individual dietary restrictions and guidelines.
• Transport or escort individuals to recreational activities, appointments, home visits, volunteer sites, employment sites, and other locations as needed.
• Assist individuals with purchases and safeguard personal allowance and other funds.
• Develop knowledge of specialized, person-specific needs, including challenging behaviors, autism spectrum disorders, and complex medical needs.
• Implement Behavior Support Plans and collect, record, and summarize data on observable behavior.
• Observe and report behavioral changes, signs, and symptoms to clinical staff or program leadership.
• Collaborate with the support team, communicate program needs, provide feedback, participate in team meetings, and use a solution-oriented approach to conflicts.
• Complete required trainings and certifications and apply the skills in accordance with YAI policies and regulations.
• Review communication logs and enter events, progress notes, services, and other information in electronic systems such as Digital Agency and eMAR.
• Complete required documentation accurately and on time, including notifications, incident reports, file updates, maintenance requests, and tracking records.
• Use foundational and progressive teaching skills, including Explain, Model, Observe and Evaluate, task analysis, and appropriate supports and modifications.
• Use person-centered approaches to understand behavior as communication and prevent escalation.
• Comply with applicable federal, state, local, and regulatory requirements, including HIPAA.
• Report facility maintenance, upkeep, and safety concerns to the Program Supervisor or designee.
• Use approved YAI and OPWDD verbal, environmental, and physical intervention techniques, including take-downs, when required to respond to challenging or self-injurious behavior.
• Provide coverage for other direct support staff, potentially at another YAI or off-site location, and remain on shift as needed to maintain minimum coverage.
• May participate in developing treatment plans.
• For certain assignments, operate a YAI motor vehicle to transport individuals when appropriately credentialed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• DailyPay, allowing employees to access pay for work completed that day.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Medical and dental insurance, with family and expanded medical plan options, and vision coverage for full-time positions.
• Paid vacation, holiday, and sick time, depending on time type.
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer matching contributions.
• Life insurance and long-term disability.
• Discounts on travel, entertainment, wireless services, shopping, and more.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed