Behavior Support Specialist

Melmark; Berwyn (PA); On-site; USD 30,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Melmark is a nonprofit organization providing clinically-sophisticated special education, residential, vocational, and therapeutic services for individuals with autism and related developmental disabilities. The Behavior Support Specialist supports students ages 5-22 in a structured classroom while assisting behavior analysts with program development and crisis interventions.

Responsibilities include supervising the residential shift on school days, implementing data collection on Behavior

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in education, special education, psychology or applied behavior analysis or closely related field.
• A valid US driver’s license and age 21+.
• Prefer at least one year experience with specialized populations.
• Ability to implement function-based interventions and apply ABA principles.

Responsibilities

• Attend to hygiene, grooming, and dressing needs.
• Maintain continuous supervision of assigned individuals.
• Report health issues and incidents; document promptly and accurately.
• Provide supervision during the 7a-9a shift, school breaks, and holidays.
• Assist behavior analysts and teachers in developing and monitoring programs.
• Implement and collect data on BSPs, Protocol Summaries, and Teaching Plans.
• Respond to crises following approved management techniques.
• Create materials for BSP and Teaching Plans for each case.

Skills

Special populations experience

Strong teaching skills

ABA knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in education, special education, psychology or applied behavior analysis

Job description

Melmark is a nonprofit organization providing clinically-sophisticated evidence-based special education, residential, vocational, and therapeutic services for children and adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, developmental and intellectual disabilities, acquired brain injuries, medical complexities, and other neurological and genetic disorders.

Behavior Support Specialist Overview

The Behavior Support Specialist (BSS) provides educational instruction in a structured classroom environment, catering to children and adolescents (ages 5-22 years) with intellectual/developmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, and behavioral needs. They work directly with students in a classroom and assist behavior analysts with program development and monitoring on other days. This role demands vigilance due to the potential for challenging behaviors, requiring adherence to effective behavior analytic interventions and crisis intervention protocols. The BSS is also responsible for supervision of the residential shift from 7a-9a on school days, and 7a-3pm during non-school days.

Schedule and Salary Information

• Monday- Friday 7a-3:30p
• Starting Rate: $24.75/hour (+) based on years of experience

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in education, special education, psychology or applied behavior analysis or closely related field required.
• A valid US driver’s license and a minimum age of twenty-one (21) years old. Must be capable of attaining approved Melmark driver status.
• Prefer at least one (1) year experience with specialized populations.
• Possess strong teaching skills with children with intellectual/ developmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorders and/or behavioral needs. Ability to implement function-based interventions for the reduction of challenging behaviors. Experience in the principles and application of Applied Behavior Analysis.

Behavior Support Specialist Responsibilities

• Attend to individual hygiene, grooming, and dressing needs, ensuring appropriate attire for the weather.
• Maintain continuous supervision for assigned individuals, seeking assistance when necessary.
• Follows proper protocols for reporting health issues, behavioral concerns, and incidents, and completing documentation promptly and accurately.
• Provide consistent and supportive supervision during the 7a-9a shift, school breaks, and holidays, including scheduling and on-call responsibilities, ensuring documentation and communication of incidents, and assisting with recruitment as needed.
• Assist behavior analysts and classroom teachers in developing and monitoring clinical and educational programs, providing training and feedback as needed.
• Implement and accurately collect data on Behavior Support Plans, Protocol Summaries, and Teaching Plans.
• Responds appropriately during crises, following approved crisis management techniques and ensuring the safety of all individuals involved.
• Creates and maintains materials required for the implementation of the Teaching Plans and BSP for each assigned case(s), or as assigned by supervisors.