Direct Support Professional(Home Places)

Pressley Ridge Career • Pittsburgh, PA

81d • Onsite

About The Position

The Direct Support Professional (DSP) at Home Places actively engages youth in their day-to-day activities, affording them opportunities to learn, build, and master skills to increase their independence. The primary population of youth enrolled in the program include those with intellectual disabilities and autism. These activities include the facilitation of recreational and leisure activities to build positive peer and familial relationships; identifying, role-modeling, and practicing the functional use of coping skills to use when faced with challenging situations & life stressors; community-based activities to foster a sense of belonging; activities of daily living within the home such as meal preparation, chore completion, hygiene routines and recreational/leisure activities.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.
• State Police FBI Child Abuse Clearances
• CPSL Mandated Reporter-Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse training per state regulation.
• Employee must meet minimum requirements for hearing, speech, and vision.
• The position requires the ability to implement physical interventions and meet the physical demands of TCI.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree is preferred.
• Experience with neurodivergent youth and/or youth have experienced trauma, preferred.

Responsibilities

• Participate and collaborate with treatment team members in goal development.
• Respond to and communicate routine and emergency health care issues to necessary treatment team members.
• Manage conflict and facilitate group and individual problem-solving.
• Effectively use group process as opportunities to teach community living skills, assessing and responding to group behavior and dynamics.
• Plan, implement and evaluate all aspects of daily living routines and activities, including structuring the environment and managing group transitions.
• Identify and build upon child’s strengths, teaching and role modeling pro-social behaviors.
• Provide ongoing advocacy and support for children.
• Facilitate and implement Short Range (Daily, Weekly) and Long Range (Monthly, Yearly) planning of activities, connecting them to individual and group treatment goals.
• Demonstrates flexibility, fairness and consistency in setting rules and guidelines.
• Conveys a genuine interest and concern for youth in their care, considering the youths’ emotional, psychological and physical well-being when engaging in activities or interventions.
• Implement treatment interventions as it relates to a child’s individual service plan, evaluating the effectiveness of treatment interventions and provide feedback.
• Participates with youth in recreational and other daily activities, while observing and attending to their needs.
• Ensure evaluation occurs for each individual activity and overall evaluation of the treatment plan.
• Develops rapport, listens, and engages youth in daily interaction and is available and approachable to youth.
• Assess and respond to dangerous situations and conditions per organization policies and program expectations.
• Provide direct supervision of youth as required by individual, program and/or regulatory requirements.
• Participate in clinical supervision and implement clinical recommendations as determined in clinical supervision.
• Use written documentation to communicate effectively with peers, subordinates and supervisors.
• Complete the minimum number of annual professional development training hours in accordance with regulatory guidelines.
• Complete all training requirements as identified.
• Complete all required paperwork in a legible, accurate and professional manner, making sure to submit paperwork by timelines established by the program and organization.
• Achieve professional development goals as identified in performance evaluations.
• Participate in ongoing professional development in-service trainings.

Benefits

• Medical coverage available with a Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer match
• Prescription coverage
• Dental and vision plans
• Patient advocate and Medicare specialists available at no cost
• Dependent Care Flexible Savings Account
• Retirement savings plan with an employer match
• Free life insurance and AD&D
• Paid Time Off
• 9 paid holidays (7 recognized holidays plus a floating and birthday holiday per year)
• Tuition reimbursement (if applicable)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

What This Job Offers

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