Direct Support Professional

YAI • New York, NY

8d • $19 - $20

About The Position

YAI is hiring Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) for Residential Services in Astoria. DSPs work closely with people of all ages who have intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), supporting them in residences, family homes, day habilitation centers, or community settings according to individual needs. The role supports people in pursuing personal goals, building relationships and community connections, and living with dignity, choice, and safety.

DSPs provide person-centered support in accordance with individualized service and behavior support plans. Duties may include personal care and activities of daily living, medication administration, skills development, meal preparation, transportation, supervision, crisis response, behavior-plan implementation, and maintaining records and documentation. DSPs collaborate with individuals, colleagues, clinical staff, and program leadership, and complete required training and certifications.

Positions are available full time or part time, on weekdays and/or weekends, with morning, evening, and overnight schedules. Compensation is $18.50–$19.55 per hour, depending on qualifications and experience.

Requirements

• 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, and reaching; handling, fingering, or feeling objects, tools, or controls; assisting with lifting or moving individuals of any weight using mechanical lifts or other equipment and/or pushing individuals in wheelchairs; and occasionally lifting or moving up to 25 pounds.
• Physical capacity to work with and implement emergency interventions specified in a person's Behavior Support Plan, including lifting or moving individuals of any weight 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, willingness to take initiative, and ability to demonstrate positivity, patience, empathy, and compassion.
• Ability and willingness to provide a variety of supports and 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) certification within one year of appointment.
• Must hold or obtain and maintain additional certifications required by the program assignment and people supported, such as Choking – Return Demonstration, Approved Medication Administration Personnel (AMAP), Diabetes Care, CPR, or Tube Feeding, within one year of appointment.
• Ability to develop and maintain professional relationships aligned 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 scheduled hours or shifts and/or report to work as scheduled on holidays, during inclement weather, or during other emergencies to maintain minimum program coverage, unless otherwise authorized.
• For assignments requiring transportation of people supported, must hold or obtain and maintain a valid driver's license and Van certification based on the position, location, and program.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

• Support individuals in maximizing their strengths, interests, and abilities while upholding personal rights and building positive relationships.
• Help people pursue quality-of-life goals through respectful, person-first communication, social activities, and community connections.
• Provide supervision, protection, and care, including fire-safety training and identifying and escalating potential risks of harm.
• Promote health, wellness, and safety; supervise individuals and manage crisis situations in accordance with policies and regulations.
• Provide support in varied settings according to individualized service and behavior support plans and levels of need.
• Implement person-centered plans, including protective oversight, Behavior Support Plans, Staff Action Plans, and Life Plans.
• Maintain a clean, safe, organized therapeutic environment and follow safe handling and infection-control procedures.
• Assist with personal care and activities of daily living, including hygiene, dressing, bathing, toileting, laundry, and housekeeping.
• Administer medication as prescribed and in accordance with applicable guidelines.
• Teach and develop skills, support advocacy and communication, help resolve disputes, and facilitate ethical decision-making.
• Plan and prepare balanced meals and snacks in accordance with individual dietary restrictions and guidelines.
• Transport or escort individuals to recreational activities, appointments, home visits, volunteer sites, and employment sites.
• Help individuals make purchases and safeguard personal allowance and other funds.
• Develop specialized clinical knowledge relevant to individuals' 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 changes in behavior and other signs or symptoms to clinical staff or leadership.
• Collaborate with the support team, communicate program needs, provide feedback, and participate in team meetings.
• Complete and maintain required trainings and certifications and apply the skills learned.
• Review communication logs, document events and progress, and enter service and operational data in electronic health record systems.
• Complete required paperwork and documentation accurately and within applicable timeframes.
• Use foundational and progressive teaching skills, including explaining, modeling, observing, evaluating, and using task analysis and supports.
• Use person-centered approaches to understand behavior as communication, support positive interactions, and help prevent escalation.
• Comply with applicable federal, state, local, and regulatory requirements, including HIPAA.
• Report facility maintenance, upkeep, and safety concerns to program leadership or a designee.
• Use approved YAI and OPWDD techniques, including verbal, environmental, and physical interventions, to respond appropriately to challenging or self-injurious behavior.
• Provide coverage for other direct support staff as requested, potentially at another YAI or off-site location, and remain on shift when needed to maintain minimum coverage.
• Participate in treatment-plan development when assigned.
• Operate a YAI motor vehicle to transport individuals when required by the assignment and when appropriately credentialed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• DailyPay available.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Medical and dental insurance, with family and more extensive 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: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed