Residential Live-In Direct Support Professional

Position: Direct Support Professional - Residential Live-In Position

Reports to: Direct Support Professional Team Leader of Area Director

FTE: Full-time

Position Summary:

Direct Support Professionals are employees hired to oversee the day-to-day activities of the group home and promote the maximum growth of its residents intellectually, spiritually, physically, socially, emotionally, and vocationally. Staff guide and train residents in personal hygiene and grooming, caring for their home, individual and group behavior, meal preparation, and other similar life skills. Health/mental/dental care responsibilities, the management of medications, transportation and supporting residents in their volunteer jobs and various activities are also key components required of the Direct Support Professional.

Care of Residents and Home:

• Manage medication administration following regulatory guidelines.
• Manage health/mental/dental care responsibilities for residents as necessary.
• Provide training in life skills.
• Support residents volunteering, employment, and activities.
• Assist residents with their assigned tasks for maintaining home, grounds, and vehicle.

Essential Functions:

• Provide direct care to those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Train, supervise as needed, assist residents with good personal hygiene, proper personal presentation, and encourage healthy and safe quarters maintenance, organization, laundry procedures, and housekeeping.
• Ensure residents follow daily hygiene and grooming routines and aid and train as needed. Redirect and assist residents if not properly clean or dressed.
• Foster positive relationship between support staff and residents.
• Follow guidelines and procedures concerning supervised medication management (training required).
• Food Service responsibilities, including food preparation and educating on healthy and nutritional choices.
• Assure proper training for residents, which may include how to get along with others, selected life skill goals, fire drills, and health ans safety training. House meetings can be used as a training session.
• Conduct and document training of residents in Daily Service Log.
• Transport residents to various appointments, volunteer opportunities, and other services as required.
• Ensure Daily Service Log, for each resident, is updated within 24 hours of providing services. As needed, supervise residents during special activities, group gatherings, and off-campus outings.
• Listen to residents who may need to express an opinion or concern and make referral to management when appropriate.
• Effectively communicate with all staff regarding resident needs.
• Ensure changeover notes are written and communicated during the changeover meeting.
• Maintain confidentiality and follow all HIPAA guidelines.
• Complete and pass all required courses, certifications, and recertifications as applicable by company policy and/or regulatory policy. Retraining will be required for some courses and certifications on specific time-intervals.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be in good physical, mental, and emotional health and able to assist residents as needed.
• Able to bend, reach, lift, drive, use cleaning supplies, and assist with yard maintenance.

General Qualifications

• Meet all the employment qualifications and pass all background screenings. This includes a local and Level II background check, drug screen, and TB screen.
• Strong personal integrity, character, and reputation paired with a willingness to model these behaviors and lifestyles to residents
• A willingness to support residents who wish to be spiritually-involved and assist them with practicing spiritual activities and encourage them to grow in their faith.

Education, Experience, and Skills Required

• High School diploma equivalent or higher degree.
• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• Must hold and maintain a current valid driver license and maintain a good driving record.
• Minimum of one year of experience working in medical, nursing, or experience working with recipients with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities or have 30 seminar hours, 45 quarter-hours, or 720 classroom hours of college or vocational school.
• Professional communication skills relating to staff, residents, vendors, and families.
• Ability to document daily activities.
• Ability to manage time, set priorities, and to organize and follow structured routines.
• Must demonstrate exceptional problem solving and customer service skills.
• Ability to work in partnership with others in a team-approach.

This job description should not be construed to imply that these requirements are the exclusive standards of the position. The Direct Support Professional may be required to follow any other instructions, and to perform any other related duties as may be assigned by the Direct Support Professional Team Leader, Area Director, Chief Operating Officer and/or President/CEO.

Continued employment remains on an “at-will” basis.