Direct Support Professional

Birch Family Services; New York (NY); On-site; USD 34,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Birch Family Services in New York provides direct care to individuals with developmental disabilities, helping them grow personal and social skills, manage home life, and participate in community activities. The role emphasizes safety, documentation, and compassionate support in daily routines.

The position requires AMAP and First Aid/CPR readiness, a valid NYS driver’s license, and a commitment to ongoing training, including SCIPR Competencies and potential promotional opportunities.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED is required.
• Minimum 1 year of experience with developmentally disabled individuals preferred.
• Must obtain AMAP certification during probationary period.
• Must maintain AMAP certification if employed.
• Valid NYS Driver's License required.
• Willingness to obtain First Aid/CPR certification.
• Willingness to obtain SCIPR Competencies.

Responsibilities

• Support individuals in daily living activities and skills.
• Assist with personal care, safety and behavior management.
• Document care activities in program records.
• Promote community integration and social skills.
• Assist with transportation and errands as needed.

Skills

Direct care

AMAP certification

First Aid & CPR

SCIPR Competencies

Promotion readiness

Education

High School diploma or GED

Tools

AMAP certification

First Aid/CPR certification

SCIPR Competencies

Job description

To counsel, assist and train individuals with developmental disabilities in the areas of personal care, travel skills, social skills, home management and life skills in order to maximize their functioning in the community.

Specialized Knowledge, Licenses, etc.

• Specialized training in direct care provision preferred.
• Must complete and obtain certification in OPWDD Approved Medication Administration Course (AMAP) during probationary period and maintain AMAP certification.
• Ability and willingness to be First Aid and CPR certified.
• Ability and willingness to obtain certification in SCIPR Competencies and advance to Promote

Competencies

• Demonstrated competency in written, verbal and computational skills to document records in accordance with program standards.

Physical Demands

• Regularly required to speak clearly and hear the spoken word well.
• Regularly required to utilize near vision ability to read data and documents, including spreadsheets and reports, in printed form and on computer screens.
• Regularly required to provide physical care for clients and individuals, which may include, but is not limited to bathing, feeding, changing clothes or diapers and pushing wheelchairs.
• Ability to physically restrain challenging behaviors that include aggression, self-injurious, and destructive behaviors.
• Ability to apply proper lifting techniques.

Work Environment

• Noise level is consistent with levels usually present in an office, education, group home, residential, rehabilitation, industrial, workshop or health related environment.
• Hazards present are consistent with those common to an office, education, rehabilitation, industrial, workshop or health related environment.
• Working with individuals whose age ranges from childhood to adulthood.

Essential Functions

Support the individual by supporting a comfortable home environment. Examples include but are not limited to:

• Work towards the satisfactory completion of each of the core competency goals according to the OPWDD timeline requirements.
• Provide safe and clean environment for the individual based on skill level and risks and support the safety of all individuals in everyday situations.
• Use verbal and physical means to create a positive environment that will encourage and enable individual growth.
• Assist the individual in the development of social skills that will help the individual become integrated/ included in his or her community.
• Perform protective oversight while engaging in community activities.
• Monitor each individual’s personal health on a continuous basis (during situations of high activity, while bathing/showering/swimming, in the morning and the evening, at meals, while in the community, at all times).
• Assist individuals in learning and practicing skills necessary for home living (indoor household chores such as, but not limited to, cooking, sweeping, dusting, bed-making, vacuuming, and dish-washing, laundry, folding and storing clothes, etc.).
• Perform advocate responsibilities, while demonstrating respect for the processes and people involved.
• Responsible for all documentation related to the essential function and services for the individual.

Qualifications

Education

High School diploma or General Education Degree (GED).

Experience

• Minimum 1-year experience working with developmentally disabled population preferably in a residential, health or treatment related setting preferred.

Valid NYS Driver's License required.

EEO Statement

Birch Family Services provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics.

In addition to federal law requirements, Birch Family Services complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Birch Family Services expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status.

Improper interference with the ability of Birch Family Services' employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.