Direct Support Professional
About The Position
The Direct Support Professional provides day-to-day direct care and specialized behavioral support to individuals with intellectual disabilities, autism, and complex behavioral needs. The role supports individuals who may experience significant behavioral challenges, mental health concerns, aggression, self-injurious behavior, or other behaviors that could pose a risk to themselves or others. The position requires extensive knowledge of behavioral support practices, crisis prevention, de-escalation, and approved physical intervention techniques. The employee implements each individual’s Behavioral Support Plan, Individual Support Plan, crisis plan, and other clinical recommendations exactly as written. BrightPath provides crisis and de-escalation training. The position collaborates with residential leadership, the clinical department, medical personnel, and other interdisciplinary team members to identify and address clinical or behavioral concerns. It also helps individuals safely access and participate in their communities while protecting the health and safety of individuals, staff, and community members. Responsibilities include providing direct care and supervision; assisting with activities of daily living; promoting dignity, respect, choice, independence, privacy, and community inclusion; administering medication as taught through the PA DHS Medication Administration course; implementing behavioral plans and safety procedures consistently; collecting behavioral data and completing documentation; supporting coping, emotional regulation, communication, and replacement skills; and reporting relevant observations or concerns to the appropriate team members.
Requirements
- High school diploma or equivalent.
- At least one year of direct support experience with individuals who have intellectual disabilities, autism, complex behavioral needs, aggression, self-injurious behavior, or significant mental health needs.
- Demonstrated experience implementing Behavioral Support Plans and collecting behavioral data.
- Demonstrated competency in crisis prevention, verbal de-escalation, and approved physical restraint or physical intervention techniques.
- Ability to maintain composure and make appropriate decisions during behavioral emergencies.
- Extensive knowledge of behavioral support practices, crisis prevention, de-escalation, and approved physical intervention techniques.
Responsibilities
- Provide day-to-day direct care and supervision according to each individual’s assessed needs.
- Assist individuals with personal hygiene, bathing, dressing, toileting, meal preparation, housekeeping, medication administration, transportation, and other activities of daily living.
- Promote dignity, respect, choice, independence, privacy, and meaningful community inclusion.
- Provide the level of supervision required by individual plans, assessments, and identified risks.
- Maintain professional boundaries while developing supportive and therapeutic relationships.
- Recognize and respond appropriately to changes in an individual’s mood, behavior, physical health, mental health, or functioning.
- Administer medication as taught through the PA DHS Medication Administration course.
- Review, understand, and implement each individual’s Behavioral Support Plan exactly as written.
- Follow proactive strategies, reinforcement procedures, coping strategies, replacement-skill programs, crisis procedures, and safety protocols specified in plans.
- Maintain consistency in behavioral interventions across shifts, environments, and community settings; do not use unauthorized, unapproved, or inconsistent interventions.
- Collect accurate behavioral data and complete required documentation within established timeframes.
- Identify potential patterns, triggers, environmental concerns, or changes in presentation and communicate observations to appropriate clinical and operational team members.
- Support individuals in practicing coping skills, emotional regulation techniques, communication strategies, and replacement behaviors.
- Immediately report concerns about the effectiveness, safety, or implementation of a Behavioral Support Plan.
- Collaborate with residential leadership, clinical and medical personnel, and interdisciplinary team members to address clinical or behavioral concerns.
- Assist individuals in safely accessing and participating in their communities while protecting health and safety.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
