Direct Support Professional I-69532903

ICL Inc. • New York, NY

137d • Onsite

About The Position

The Direct Support Professional (DSP) provides observations, evaluations, and reports to other team members to ensure and/or record an individual’s progress toward treatment/habilitation goals. In accordance with habilitative plans, they guide and teach individuals to develop skills required for a more independent lifestyle. DSPs may take a lead role in one or more of the following duties within a work site, performed in several or all of the following areas: Personal Care, Food Preparation, Mealtimes, Maintaining the Environment, Individual Development, Personal Interests, and Participating as Program Planning Team Member. DSPs communicate with other direct care staff, supervisory or clinical staff, individuals in their care, their families, and others they meet.

Requirements

• Knowledge of policies and procedures of OPWDD, as well as state and federal regulations as they apply to the care and treatment of the developmentally disabled.
• Knowledge of active treatment programs as they relate to the developmentally disabled.
• Currently AMAP certified or able to become certified within six months of hire.
• Currently SCIP-R certified or able to become certified within six months of hire.
• Currently CPR and First Aid certified or able to become certified within six months.
• Ability to operate a motor vehicle safely.
• High school diploma or GED or possess a Direct Support Professional (DSP) Certificate from an accredited public or private organization.
• Ability to provide direct services to adults with developmental disabilities.

Nice To Haves

• Related experience is desirable.
• Direct Care experience with people with mental and/or physical disabilities.
• AMAP, SCIP-R, CPR/SFA certified.

Responsibilities

• Provide observations, evaluations, and reports to team members regarding individual progress toward treatment/habilitation goals.
• Guide and teach individuals to develop skills for a more independent lifestyle in accordance with habilitative plans.
• Teach and reinforce infection control and personal grooming techniques; assist in bathing, dental care, hair and nail care, personal hygiene, toileting, incontinence care, menstrual care, and grooming routines.
• Teach and assist individuals in dressing, clothing selection, storage, laundering, and repair of clothing and accessories; help them shop for clothing.
• Teach and assist in proper use and care of shavers, razors, eyeglasses, hearing aids, and prostheses.
• Administer and teach first aid treatments; administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation and perform other health-related techniques.
• Take, record, and report temperatures, blood pressures, pulse rate, weight, and other significant symptoms/health-related occurrences.
• Maintain confidentiality of information.
• Report unusual incidents and physical or behavioral symptoms promptly and accurately to the supervisor.
• Apply valid and accepted limits for inappropriate behavior and help control and restrain individuals with challenging behaviors.
• Administer prescribed medications and treatments; teach, observe, and report problems and progress in self-administration of medications programs.
• Accompany individuals to medical, dental, and other health-related appointments; deliver prescriptions to pharmacy, take medication to home site and log same; instruct and observe individuals in use of medications.
• Assist individuals in eating who cannot feed themselves independently.
• Teach individuals to eat in a family-style setting; model and teach mealtime socialization skills.
• Teach and assist individuals to plan, shop, store, prepare, and serve meals using currently accepted nutritional standards; clean kitchen and dining areas, and dispose of leftover food safely.
• Perform various tasks to assure that the living environment is properly maintained and kept in a clean, neat, and orderly condition.
• Perform/teach routine housekeeping duties such as dusting, washing floors and walls, cleaning bathrooms, and vacuuming rugs.
• Assist individuals in bed making.
• Follow safety procedures in living unit by mopping up spills, reporting unsafe conditions, and teaching/reinforcing fire safety procedures.
• Store supplies and assure that storage areas are kept in a neat and orderly condition.
• Responsible for storage and replacement of linens.
• Assist in various household inventories.
• Perform/teach minor and routine maintenance tasks such as changing light bulbs, fuses, and replacing faucet washers; obtain repair services for appliances.
• Perform/teach routine removal of trash, cleaning of trash containers, ashtrays, etc.
• Teach/perform outdoor maintenance tasks and repairs of residence, yard, garden, walks; report need for or obtain repair services for automobiles, vans, mowers, etc.
• Check fire equipment and report any malfunction.
• Conduct fire drills following the fire evacuation plan.
• Teach and reinforce use of a variety of communication skills.
• Guide individuals through motor exercises designed to increase physical coordinative functions.
• Teach and reinforce principles of human growth and development, including human sexuality.
• Teach acceptable work habits, e.g., punctuality, dress and grooming.
• Accompany individuals to community activities including worksites, cultural, religious and social events, day programs, and visits to health practitioners.
• Provide support for maximum community integration.
• Transport/arrange for transport of individuals to community events; aid them in development of their mobility skills.
• Maintain an adequate supply of and accounting of personal clothing and possessions.
• Teach money management principles to individuals; complete/aid in completion of banking activities.
• Provide an accurate accounting of all financial transactions made on behalf of individuals.
• Help individuals develop/maintain positive interpersonal relationships.
• Teach/assist with feeding, grooming, and care of pets if they are in the home.
• Teach/supervise/participate in a variety of leisure and recreational activities, crafts projects, seasonal and permanent home decoration.
• Accompany individuals to dances, camping trips, swimming, horseback riding, basketball, or other sports; assist in selection and teaching of appropriate community inclusion leisure activities.
• Aid in the selection, purchase, care, and use by individuals of age-appropriate personal belongings.
• Observe and report on behavior and specific responses to programming, medication, interpersonal relationships, etc.
• Actively participate at staff meetings by communicating observations concerning progress and reaction to various therapy programs.
• Suggest alternative programs or procedures based on experience with the individual’s habilitation plan.
• Record all significant behavioral responses in the prescribed format.
• Participate in the development of individual program and habilitation plans.
• Assist in the orientation and training of other staff.
• Perform other duties that may be assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED