Full Time Direct Support Professional – Residential and Community Learning Center

Job Title: Full Time Direct Support Professional – Residential and Community Learning Center
Department:  Residential and CLC
Reports To: Member Services Coordinator/QIDP Administrator
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Summary

The Direct Support Professional (DSP) provides coaching, assistance, instruction, support, and advocacy to Members in various New Horizons programs including Residential, day services, and community living services. The DSP provides services that enrich the lives of New Horizons’ Members through living skills development, health maintenance, personal care, and behavioral development. The DSP empowers Members by providing the support they need to live safely in their own home, neighborhood, community and job site.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Community Learning Center – Onsite In-Person and Community

1. Instructs, trains, and supervises Members in a variety of settings throughout the community to enable them to accomplish the goals identified on their ISP service plans and to achieve their full potential for learning and practicing independent living skills at home and in the community.
2. Creates lesson plans for in-person instruction in accordance with Members’ ISP objectives.
3. Prepares all lesson materials to ensure everything is in place for each lesson.
4. Conducts inventory of supplies for activities and advises MCSs and Program Manager on supply needs.
5. Uses lesson plans, discussions, activities and outings to teach independent living skills.
6. Contributes new ideas, activities, and discussion topics to existing lesson plans in order to enrich the Members’ learning experience.
7. Implements the Members’ ISPs.
8. Reports objective observations of Members’ abilities, behavior, and attitudes to the Member Services Coordinator and carries out intervention strategies recommended by the Coordinator.
9. Maintains accurate daily records including, but not limited to: Member attendance, monitoring sheets, progress notes, annual reports, etc.
10. Reports, documents, and maintains records of all Member incidents, accidents, and seizures. Maintains confidentiality of all Member information.
11. Reports all suspected cases of Member physical abuse, verbal abuse, or neglect as mandated by law to the Director or the Program Manager.
12. May need to assist Members who have had a toileting accident while out in the community. (May include assisting non-ambulatory Members’ transfer to /from toilet while out in community.)
13. Follows activity schedules as approved by CLC Manager/ Coordinator.
14. For volunteer settings, staff will provide appropriate moral support and encouragement, instruction, coaching, counseling, mentoring, and advocacy as needed for the person to succeed in their job.
15. For recreational activities, staff will ensure that they have all of the necessary materials and equipment needed to engage the Members when they arrive at their destination.
16. Teaches the Member appropriate community social skills and work place behavior and attitudes.
17. Provides travel training to and from community settings, including use of public transportation.
18.  Transports Members out into the community using agency vehicle. Must complete the agency’s Smith Driver’s training and receive safe driver’s certification by the agency instructor within 90 days of employment.
19. Reviews Members’ progress with each Member on an on-going basis and works with each Member towards achieving desired outcomes.
20. Picks up vehicles in the morning from New Horizons residential locations as directed by MSCs and/or Program Manager; returns vehicles to their designated locations in the afternoon.

Community Learning Center – Onsite for Virtual Learning

1. Contacts assigned Members on a regular basis as directed by supervisor. Interacts with family members, care givers, or other support staff as needed to have facilitated communication and support for the Member.
2. Encourages Members to follow daily schedule as outlined on New Horizons website or in weekly packet of activities that is mailed or dropped off to the Members.
3. Creates lesson plans for daily remote instruction according to Members’ ISP objectives.
4. Assists MSCs in creating Member work packets and activity kits.
5. Delivers work packets to Members who are off site.
6. Uses a variety of creative ways to connect with the Member, such as Zoom, online classes, chat groups, packet drop offs, etc.
7. Participates in the Member’s IPP meeting as directed by supervisor.
8. Provides appropriate moral support and encouragement, instruction, coaching, counselling, mentoring, and advocacy as needed for the Member to maintain relationships and/or increase skills.
9. Reviews the Members’ progress with each Member on an ongoing basis and works with each Member on targeted areas towards desired outcome.
10. Documents daily contacts, interactions, and services provided to the Members on the daily report form, at the end of each shift, for each assigned Member.
11. Participates in trainings as directed by supervisor. This may include agency and program-specific trainings, classes to increase competencies and improve computer skills, and learning specific computer applications.

Residential

1. Assists with living skill development and personal care needs of the Members as directed by the Home Manger and outlined in the Member’s individualized service plan (ISP). This may include the supervision and/or assistance of cooking, shopping, doing laundry, showering, feeding, dressing, toileting, and mobility (this may include lifting a Member from a seated or lying down position) as indicated by the Member’s need.
2.  Assists in active treatment programs as outlined in the ISP. Including assisting the Member with their behavioral development by implementing approved behavior plans and physical techniques when necessary to protect the Member and others.
3. Writes documents as assigned such as case notes, special incident reports, and emergency drill summaries.
4. Administers medications to residents as directed by the facility’s Registered Nurse and as prescribed by the resident’s physician. Must attend medication administration course given by the facility RN, pass the test within 90 days of employment, and become certified by the facility RN.
5. Transports and accompanies Members to recreational outings (i.e. movies, musicals, parks) and medical appointments using the agency’s 8-passenger van. Must complete the agency’s Smith Driver’s training and receive safe driver’s certification by the agency instructor within 90 days of employment.
6. Assists the Home Manager with day-to-day household management duties: food preparation and cleanup, housekeeping, and laundry.
7. Handles Member funds and facility petty cash funds in accordance with facility policy and procedures.
8. Participates in initial and ongoing training.

Other Duties & Responsibilities

1. Serves as a back-up to Campus Monitor as needed.
2. Has daily bus duties to help ensure seamless Member arrival and departure.
3. Assists with developing curriculum and creative learning opportunities for Members in accordance with personal interests and experience.
4. Participates in cross-training opportunities and support for essential programs.
5. Helps prepare for CARF survey as directed by CARF Coordinator.
6. Demonstrates a respectful attitude toward the clients and allows them to have as much independence as their potential allows.
7. Attends meetings as directed by supervisor.
8. Believes in and supports the agency’s core values, mission, and vision. Works effectively with co-workers, Members, and others by sharing ideas in a constructive and positive manner; listening to and objectively considering ideas and suggestions from others; keeping commitments; keeping others informed of work progress, timetables and issues; addressing problems and issues constructively to find mutually acceptable and practical solutions; addressing others by name, title or other respectful identifiers; and respecting the diversity of the New Horizons workforce in actions, words and deeds.
9. Maintains the highest professional and ethical standards at all times.
10. Supports the Agency’s mission and partners with others to accomplish the mission.
11. Performs additional duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The individual must be able to become proficient in the use of agency-provided devices, such as Surface Pro tablet, and in the use of applications such as Outlook, Teams, Google docs, Zoom, GoToMeeting, scheduler, Member database, and other applications as directed.

The individual must have good oral communication skills to engage Members over the phone or in virtual settings. The individual must have basic knowledge of and be able to demonstrate appropriate communication and interaction styles for individuals with special needs.

Must have a valid California Driver’s License, and a driving record acceptable to the agency’s insurance carrier. Must also pass a criminal background clearance and drug screening/test.

Education and Experience

A high school diploma or equivalent; one year of experience working with adults with developmental disabilities is preferred.

Language Skills

Ability to receive instructions in English and ability to communicate in English in virtual settings and by phone. Being bilingual in Spanish is advantageous but not required. Ability to clearly and accurately document in English the daily contacts and activities with Members. Both oral and written English competency is required.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.  The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.