Residential Counselor (Developmental Disabilities)

Vinfen•Billerica, MA

About The Position

As a Residential Counselor, you will provide direct support to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in a small group residential setting or an individual living arrangement. In your role you will work together with the people we serve, their families, friends, employers, and other support staff to transform their lives by either building independence skills or increasing each person's quality of life. Residential Counselors have a range of duties include administrating medication under the Medication Administration Plan (MAP), implementing treatment plans, and assisting people with activities of daily living, such as household chores and cooking. You also strengthen residents' connection to their community by providing transportation on outings such as shopping and doctor's appointments. Summary: Provide individual and group support to persons served in a residential program. Teach skills to enhance independence and quality of life. Ensure a safe, secure and clean residential environment. Assist individuals in becoming fully integrated into their communities. Teach skills to enhance independence and self-advocacy, and support choices that contribute to living a good and meaningful life. Ensure a safe, secure, and clean residential environment. Assist individuals in becoming full participants in their communities, develop and maintain friendships and strengthen family engagement and partnerships.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.
Experience working with people with developmental disabilities and/or brain injury strongly preferred.
Strong time management and writing skills.
All applicants must be at least 21 years of age and have a current, valid, US drivers' license for at least 6 months.
Must be able to become CPR, First Aid certified within 2 weeks of employment and MAP certified within 150 days of employment.
Must successfully complete Safety Care within 90 days
Must be able to successfully pass a CORI, reference, national fingerprinting and driving record check.
Knowledge and use of advocacy techniques
Knowledge and use of different communication styles
Knowledge of empowerment and self-advocacy techniques
Knowledge of participatory planning techniques
Knowledge of required physical personal management skills
Knowledge of required household management skills
Knowledge of crisis intervention techniques
Sensitivity to cultural, religious, racial, disability, and gender issues
Participatory skills, collaborative skills, teaching skills
Ability to work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team
Ability to adapt and communicate to a variety individuals through the use of different communication styles
Ability to work in a professional and confidential capacity
High motivation to learn, practice new skills
Consistency in performance
Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written formats
Knowledge and use of advocacy techniques
Knowledge of empowerment and self-advocacy techniques
Knowledge of participatory planning techniques
Knowledge of required physical personal management skills
Knowledge of crisis intervention techniques
Ability to stand, walk, bend, kneel, stoop, crouch, crawl, climb as this is a very physically active position.
Must be able to lift at least 25 pounds using proper lifting techniques or the use of a two-person lift.
Ability to operate a computer and other office equipment such as a calculator, copier, and printer.
Ability to sit, reach, climb stairs, and maneuver through narrow spaces or hallways.
Ability to assist clients with tasks of daily living.
Ability to speak, hear, and communicate with clients, staff, and external representatives.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
For positions in day programs or group residences, the ability to assist in routine living activities including cleaning, meal preparation, vacuuming, shoveling, and grocery shopping.
CPR required within two weeks of hire
First Aid required within two weeks of hire
MAP required within 150 days of hire
PBS Tier 1 required within 150 days of hire
Safety Care required within 90 days of hire

Nice To Haves

Candidates with one or more years of experience and/or training in a related function will be given preference for employment.

Responsibilities

Assist individuals in the home in becoming fully integrated into their communities, and develop and maintain friendships.
Assist individuals to access community-based support and resources.
Plan recreational and social activities that promote social inclusion and the emotional well being of individuals in support of living a good life.
Empower and support individuals in the home to make choices, be a self advocate, and be fully involved in making decisions in determining the directions of their supports and lives.
Support individuals in the home with access to assistive technology and adaptive equipment as a means to augment communication, access their communities, and generally live more independently.
Supports individual in securing, maintaining and growing in work, volunteer, and other community engagement opportunities.
Support individuals in the home to be more independent, be self-advocates, and make choices that define the direction and their vision for living a good life.
Encourage and support individuals and their involved families in maintaining strong partnership with staff and other interested parties.
Provide training and support to individuals in the home. This includes rehabilitative interventions, behavioral interventions and monitoring, fire & safety regulations, appointment scheduling, money management, ADLs, grocery shopping, meal planning and cooking, household chores, use of generic resources and other related areas.
Perform hands-on tasks in the program as required in order to facilitate implementation of support plans.
Provide transportation, as necessary.
Assess the physical and emotional status of individuals in the home and report changes to supervisor.
Monitor individual funds, as needed.
Maintain records for individuals in the home. Collect behavior and academic data and maintain progress notes. Document all information related to incidents, programs, and routine activities in a communication log.
Procure, store, administer, document, and dispose of medication for individuals consistent with MAP requirements, funding source regulations, and Company policy.
Communicate with and provide information to interested parties such as program nurse, case managers, and Visiting Nurses Association.
Participate in all mandated training and staff meetings as directed by the supervisor.
Ensure compliance with all internal and external regulatory policies, procedures, and standards.
Ensure home safety and maintenance as necessary at all times. This includes general housekeeping, snow shoveling, and trash removal.
Comply with all corporate and divisional policies and procedures, including safe work practices, workers’ compensation, universal precautions, and exposure control.
Complete various paperwork and logs including communication logs, community membership logs, and activity schedules.
Provide shift coverage, as necessary in other homes/programs as assigned by supervisor.
Function as human rights advocate. Provide physical intervention and/or First Aid in the event of behavior or medical emergency. Serve as a reporter to the Disabled Persons Protections Commission.
Assist in developing, implementing and documenting treatment including ISP/PSTPs and clinical programs.
Perform other related duties, as required.

Benefits

A fully funded, employer-sponsored retirement plan that requires no employee contribution as well as an employee-funded 403(b) plan
First-rate Medical, Dental and Vision plans that are open all employees scheduled to work 30 hours per week or more. Plus, we offer a generous employer contribution toward the cost of medical insurance!
Employer-paid Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment and Long-Term Disability Insurance (no cost to you!)
Employer-paid Short-Term Disability Insurance along with the option to purchase additional, voluntary, Short-Term disability insurance
Flexible Spending Reimbursement Accounts (Health and Dependent care)
Voluntary Term, Whole Life, Accident and Critical Care Insurance
Generous paid time off (Employees scheduled to work 20 hours or more per week)
Educational Assistance and Remission Programs
$500 Employee Referral Bonus with no annual cap!
Other generous benefits including discounted YMCA memberships, access to discounted movie tickets and more!