Full Time
GENERAL SUMMARY
The Direct Support Professional provides instruction, support, and serves as a positive role model to individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, autism, acquired brain injury or other unique challenges. DSPs are expected to encourage development of life, social and recreational skills, community and health care access. Provides direct, active, and constructive interactions with individuals in collaboration with colleagues, supervisors, clinical staff, community members, and families.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS*
- Implements Individual Service Plan (ISP) objectives and behavior plans as required by Clinical team.
- Provides personal care assistance to supported individual(s).
- Provides assistance to individuals in preparing meals that are nutritious and in compliance with physician’s dietary orders.
- Provides one-on-one supervision to individual as assigned by the treatment goals, behavior plans and other relevant plans in a non-intrusive manner to ensure individual’s safety.
- With appropriate certification, administers medications and other specialized treatments in compliance with state and Agency guidelines.
- Remains awake and alert during overnight shifts unless authorized by management to sleep.
- Assists individuals with maintaining a clean and sanitary household.
- Assists individuals in attending medical appointments, as assigned by management. May cover off-site work shifts for hospital stays. Ensures health care practitioners complete required documentation.
- Provides assistance and support to individuals with scheduling and attending social and leisure activities.
- Assists individuals with attending religious faith workshops or services.
- Completes written reports including shift reports, program objective documentation, incident reports and other reports as directed by management.
- Maintains regular, open lines of communication and a positive rapport with co-workers, families, supervisors and Department of Developmental Services (DDS) or Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) representatives.
- Attends required meetings and trainings.
- Adheres to program routines and schedules to ensure the individual needs are met.
- Provides transportation to individuals to appointments and social activities utilizing the Agency assigned vehicle, when available.
- Assists individual supported in managing personal finances in full accordance with Agency policy and procedures and DDS regulations.
- Ensures basic human rights, well-being and safety of individuals is respected at all times.
- Adheres to all supervisory directives and follows all established protocols when providing one-on-one support to individuals.
- Serves as mandated reporter for suspected cases of abuse and/or neglect to the Disabled Persons Protection Commission (DPPC) or Elder Abuse Hotline, as appropriate.
OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Performs additional duties, as assigned.
COMPETENCIES
- Adaptability: Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events; manages competing demands; changes approach or method to best fit the situation; inspires others to be adaptable to change.
- Ethics, Values and Diversity: Promotes an appropriate and effective work environment and strives to ensure that the agency’s core values and beliefs are applied during all circumstances; genuinely cares about people; deals effectively with all races, nationalities, cultures, disabilities, ages, lifestyle choices and genders; supports equal and fair treatment and opportunity for all; adheres to and promotes the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); advocates for the rights and interests of individuals with disabilities to maximize their potential in the programs and communities of their choice.
- Integrity and Trust: Is respectful, truthful, and transparent; keeps confidences; takes ownership and responsibility for decisions and outcomes.
- Problem Solving and Judgment: Probes all useful and constructive sources to find pertinent answers; can analyze issues, identify problems and work toward appropriate solutions; collaborates with others or as part of a team; displays willingness to make decisions; makes timely decisions; exhibits sound and accurate judgment.
- Oral and Written Communications: Speaks clearly, appropriately and effectively with a diverse group of individuals; is an active listener and gets clarification when necessary; participates constructively in meetings; is able to write clearly and succinctly; is able to communicate clearly in a variety of settings and situations.
PREPARATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES
- High school diploma or equivalent required.
- 1 year of direct care, CNA, or human services experience preferred.
- Ability and willingness to provide hands-on personal care.
- Must be able to effectively communicate in both verbal and written form with coworkers and supported individuals and read fluently.
- Valid driver’s license in the state of Massachusetts required.
- Successful completion of all state and Agency mandated trainings required upon hire.
- Successful completion of Medication Administration Training certification required upon hire.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY
- No supervisory responsibility.
WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS
- Frequent standing, walking and bending.
- Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
- Ability to physically intervene in instances of extreme behavior that might jeopardize safety of individuals supported and staff.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to do this job. The above is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required.