Direct Support Specialist - Child/Adolescent Crisis Center (PRN)

Seven Counties Services•Louisville, KY

5d•Onsite

About The Position

This position involves teaching, modeling, and coaching daily living activities, including personal hygiene, housekeeping, meal preparation, and money management. The specialist will also teach psychoeducation classes on recovery topics such as medication side effects, communication skills, and stress management. Planning and facilitating community-based activities like medical appointments and grocery shopping, as well as facilitating access to community resources such as AA/NA meetings, school, and job placement, are key responsibilities. The role requires contributing to a safe and therapeutic environment through verbal de-escalation and other authorized behavior management techniques. The specialist will act as an ambassador for SCS and its clients by integrating clients into the community and educating community members about people with disabilities and SCS's services. Collaboration with community systems on behalf of individuals served, including schools, landlords, families, transportation providers, and employers, is essential. Providing transportation, teaching the use of public transportation, and offering personal care as needed are also part of the role. The specialist will administer First Aid and CPR, supervise self-administered medication according to program protocols, and identify and avoid food or medication allergens. Communication of relevant care information with SCS staff and authorized non-SCS providers is crucial for ensuring appropriate care. Specific program assignments, such as food programs or admissions at the Crisis Stabilization Unit, may be assigned. Documentation of services and care provided, maintaining confidentiality of protected health information, assisting with discharge planning, and supporting training needs of direct support staff are also required. Attendance and participation in required staff and service planning meetings and trainings are mandatory. This job description is intended to be a representative summary of duties and responsibilities, and incumbents may be asked to perform other related tasks.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent required.
Zero to one year full-time experience working with individuals who receive services for treatment of a mental health, substance abuse, intellectual disability, or physical health condition.
Ability to provide nurturing attention and care to individuals with disabilities.
Ability to communicate with verbal and nonverbal individuals.
Good interpersonal skills.
Teaching skills.
Patience and empathy.
Maturity and judgment.
18 years of age or older.

Responsibilities

Teaches, models, and coaches activities of daily living (ADL) (e.g., personal hygiene, housekeeping, meal preparation, money management, educational and vocational goal-setting, nutrition needs); monitors performance of ADL skills and provides therapeutic feedback.
Teaches psychoeducation classes on recovery (e.g., medication side effects, ADL, communication skills, stress management strategies).
Plans and facilitates community-based activities (e.g., medical appointments, grocery shopping, leisure/recreation / socialization); facilitates access to community resources (e.g., AA/NA meetings, school, job placement).
Contributes to safe and therapeutic environment by practicing verbal de-escalation and, as authorized, other behavior management techniques.
Serves as “ambassador” of SCS and its clients by integrating clients into the community and educating community members about people with disabilities and about SCS’s services and programming.
Collaborates with community systems on behalf of individuals served (e.g., school, landlord, family, transportation provider, employer).
Provides transportation (e.g., driving SCS van or personal vehicle), ensuring adherence to standard safety practices (e.g., driver certification, seat belts, child safety seats); teaches and facilitates use of public transportation systems.
Provides personal care, as needed (e.g., personal hygiene, toileting, laundry, meal preparation, safe eating techniques).
Administers First Aid and CPR, as needed.
Supervises self-administered medication, depending on the specific clinical program’s protocols.
Identifies assigned clients’ food and/or medication allergies and exercises reasonable care to avoid exposure to allergens.
Communicates information relevant to care, treatment, and services, with other SCS staff members and, as authorized, with non-SCS providers, to ensure appropriate level and quality of care.
May take responsibility for specific assignments within the program (e.g., food programs, admissions at Crisis Stabilization Unit).
Documents services and care provided by timely completing various forms (e.g., attendance records, daily logs, shift/progress notes, incident reports, time reports in accordance with SCS and regulatory standards.
Maintains confidentiality of protected health information, consistent with SCS procedures and state and federal law.
Assist with discharge planning as needed.
Provide support for additional training needs of direct support staff as needed.
Attends and participates in all required staff and service planning meetings and trainings.