Direct Support Professional - Westwood, NJ

Young Adult Institute; New Jersey; Sur place; USD 36 000 - 42 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

Young Adult Institute is seeking dedicated staff to support individuals in maximizing their strengths, interests, and abilities while upholding their rights. The role emphasizes compassionate emotional support, safety, and positive relationship-building across settings.

You will assist with daily living activities, coordinate with families and providers, and implement person-centered plans to promote quality of life and community participation.

Responsabilités

• Assist individuals in maximizing strengths, interests and abilities while upholding personal rights.
• Provide emotional support and build positive relationships with individuals.
• Support personal goals and encourage socializing and community connections.
• Supervise and care for individuals, follow program guidelines for protection.
• Identify and escalate signs of potential harm to self or others.
• Ensure health, wellness and safety through appropriate supervision and crisis management.
• Implement person-centered plans and Behavior Support Plans as required.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and organized therapeutic environment.
• Follow infection control protocols and safe handling procedures.
• Assist with ADLs, personal hygiene, and daily living activities.
• Support meals, nutrition, and dietary restrictions per individual plans.
• Coordinate transportation to activities and appointments.
• Develop understanding of clinical needs for adults with challenging behaviors.
• Collect and summarize data on observable behavior and report changes.
• Communicate with families and external providers as directed by leadership.

Connaissances

Patience & empathy

Communication

Teamwork

Crisis response

Description du poste

Key/Essential Functions & Responsibilities

Assists individuals in maximizing their strengths, interests, and abilities, upholding their personal rights, displaying patience and tolerance while providing emotional support and building positive relationships.

Supports people to meet personal goals that characterize quality of life, engages in respectful communications and conversations through person-first language, encouraging socializing and facilitates activities that provide social capital and connections to the community.

Responsible for the overall supervision, protection, and care of individuals at all times including maintenance of program guidelines for the protection of individuals, facilitating learning and training in fire safety and identifying and appropriately escalating signs of an individual's potential harm to self or others.

Ensures health, wellness and safety by providing appropriate supervision of the people we support and by managing crisis situations while adhering to applicable policies, procedures and regulations.

Provides support in a variety of settings and in accordance with each person's individualized service and behavior support plans, utilizing support skills for people with varying levels of need and demonstrating the DDD Standards.

Ensures implementation of person-centered, individualized plans following levels of supervision and safeguards including Behavior Support Plans (BSPs), Individualized Service Plans (ISPs), Staff Action and/or Life Plans for all people we support, understanding the intentions and goals of the plans.

Maintains a clean, safe and organized therapeutic environment.

Utilizes safe and appropriate handing procedures when working with individuals and implements infection control protocols.

Assists with a variety of tasks for people we support, as appropriate/authorized, including:

• Providing personal care and assisting with activities of daily living (ADLs) including intimate care and personal hygiene (e.g. bathing, dressing, and toileting), laundry and housekeeping.
• Teaching/developing habilitative and rehabilitative skills.
• Supporting person-centered advocacy with the individuals.
• Assisting in communication, self-expression and resolving disputes amongst individuals.
• Facilitating ethical decision making.
• Providing supervision for and/or planning and preparing balanced meals and snacks for people we support in accordance with dietary restrictions and guidelines of specific individuals, including for modified diets or liquid consistencies.
• Transporting and escorting individuals on recreational activities, medical appointments, home visits, volunteer and/or employment sites; actively participates in establishment and/or creation of schedules for, volunteer opportunities, community and/or therapeutic activities for program .
• Assisting people with making purchases, as well as safeguarding personal allowance funds and any additional funds provided.
• Ensures that medication is administered as prescribed, in accordance with applicable guidelines.
• Assists with medication inventory, including medication cabinet checks and over-the-counter (OTC) inventory, performing within applicable timeframes and reordering medication and/or supplies, as needed.
• Assists with scheduling of medical appointments for people supported and ensures that follow-up appointments are scheduled and attended in a timely manner.
• Appropriately utilizes petty cash and house funds, including store cards, obtaining and maintaining documentation or receipts for purchases in accordance with applicable rules in coordination with supervisor.
• Operates agency vehicle to transport individuals to and/or from programs, residences, community or other locations on a regular basis and updates related logs and maintenance sheets, coordinating appointments with supervisor.
• Develops an understanding of specialized clinical knowledge for person specific needs (supporting adults, challenging behaviors, autism spectrum disorders, complex medical needs).
• Implements Behavior Support Plan /Behavior Guidelines and Protocols as specified in applicable plans.
• Collects, records, and summarizes data on individuals' observable behavior.
• Observes and reports any changes in behavior, or other signs and symptoms, to clinical and/or leadership team.
• Communicates by phone, email and/or in person with circles of support, including families and external providers, to provide updates and/or obtain information, as directed by clinical or program leadership.
• Serves as a member of a highly effective team (teamwork within the circle of support), providing feedback and communicating programmatic needs to members of team and maintaining a solution-oriented approach during conflicts.
• Completes and maintains all necessary trainings and certifications, including specialized training based on program and position to ensu