Direct Support Specialist (Full time, Third Shift) - Adult Crisis Center

Seven Counties Services; Louisville (KY); On-site; USD 18,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

Seven Counties Services in Louisville, KY is seeking staff to support individuals with mental health and related needs in daily living and community integration. You will teach ADLs, provide therapy, coordinate medical appointments, arrange transportation, and safeguard clients in a compassionate team environment.

The role emphasizes collaboration with families and providers, confidentiality, and adherence to safety standards, with ongoing training and vaccination requirements.

Qualifications

• Zero to one year full‑time experience working with individuals who receive services for treatment of a mental health, substance abuse, intellectual disability, or physical health condition.
• Ability to provide nurturing attention and care to individuals with disabilities.
• Ability to communicate with verbal and nonverbal individuals.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Teaching skills.
• Patience and empathy.
• Maturity and judgment.

Responsibilities

• Teaches, models, and coaches activities of daily living (ADL) skills and monitors performance.
• Teaches psychoeducation classes on recovery.
• Plans and facilitates community-based activities and facilitates access to community resources.
• Contributes to safe and therapeutic environment by practicing verbal de-escalation and other behavior management techniques.
• Serves as ambassador of SCS and its clients by integrating clients into the community and educating community members about SCS’s services.
• Collaborates with community systems on behalf of individuals served.
• Provides transportation and teaches use of public transportation systems.
• Provides personal care as needed.
• Administers First Aid and CPR, as needed.
• Supervises self-administered medication, depending on program’s protocols.
• Identifies clients’ food and/or medication allergies and exercises reasonable care.
• Communicates information relevant to care with other SCS staff and non‑SCS providers.
• May take responsibility for specific assignments within the program.
• Documents services and care provided by timely completing forms.
• Maintains confidentiality of protected health information.
• Assist with discharge planning as needed.
• Provide support for additional training needs of direct support staff.
• Attends and participates in required staff meetings and trainings.

Skills

Empathy

Patience

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Teaching

Maturity

Judgment

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

1. Teaches, models, and coaches activities of daily living (ADL) (e. g., personal hygiene, housekeeping, meal preparation, money management, educational and vocational goal-setting, nutrition needs); monitors performance of ADL skills and provides therapeutic feedback.
2. Teaches psychoeducation classes on recovery (e. g., medication side effects, ADL, communication skills, stress management strategies).
3. Plans and facilitates community-based activities (e. g., medical appointments, grocery shopping, leisure/recreation/socialization); facilitates access to community resources (e. g., AA/NA meetings, school, job placement).
4. Contributes to safe and therapeutic environment by practicing verbal de-escalation and, as authorized, other behavior management techniques.
5. Serves as “ambassador” of SCS and its clients by integrating clients into the community and educating community members about people with disabilities and about SCS’s services and programming.
6. Collaborates with community systems on behalf of individuals served (e. g., school, landlord, family, transportation provider, employer).
7. Provides transportation (e. g., driving SCS van or personal vehicle), ensuring adherence to standard safety practices (e. g., driver certification, seat belts, child safety seats); teaches and facilitates use of public transportation systems.
8. Provides personal care, as needed (e. g., personal hygiene, toileting, laundry, meal preparation, safe eating techniques).
9. Administers First Aid and CPR, as needed.
10. Supervises self-administered medication, depending on the specific clinical program’s protocols.
11. Identifies assigned clients’ food and/or medication allergies and exercises reasonable care to avoid exposure to allergens.
12. Communicates information relevant to care, treatment, and services, with other SCS staff members and, as authorized, with non‑SCS providers, to ensure appropriate level and quality of care.
13. May take responsibility for specific assignments within the program (e. g., food programs, admissions at Crisis Stabilization Unit).
14. Documents services and care provided by timely completing various forms (e. g., attendance records, daily logs, shift/progress notes, incident reports, time reports in accordance with SCS and regulatory standards.
15. Maintains confidentiality of protected health information, consistent with SCS procedures and state and federal law.
16. Assist with discharge planning as needed.
17. Provide support for additional training needs of direct support staff as needed.
18. Attends and participates in all required staff and service planning meetings and trainings.

EDUCATION

High school diploma or equivalent required.

EXPERIENCE

• Zero to one year full‑time experience working with individuals who receive services for treatment of a mental health, substance abuse, intellectual disability, or physical health condition.
• Ability to provide nurturing attention and care to individuals with disabilities.
• Ability to communicate with verbal and nonverbal individuals.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Teaching skills.
• Patience and empathy.
• Maturity and judgment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/REQUIREMENTS

1. Position involves considerable physical exertion, lifting a maximum of 100 pounds, with frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing up to 50 pounds.
2. May include frequent lifting of patients.
3. 18 years of age or older.

Within the bounds of their respective job descriptions, all staff are expected to exercise principle‑centered leadership, focused on customer service responsiveness, with a continuous quality improvement orientation. Additionally, all staff are expected to develop a working knowledge of and follow all policies and procedures related to safety management and other Joint Commission standards.

Time Type: Full time

Seven Counties is the provider of choice for mental and behavior health services in and around the Louisville Metro. Over 1,400 employees work in 25+ locations throughout Bullitt, Henry, Jefferson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer and Trimble counties; making sure that the 31,000 people we serve annually have the best chance of living their best lives.

At Seven Counties, we give our staff the opportunity to do what they do best with continued training, effective mentoring and competitive salaries and benefits. In an effort to protect our employees, clients and community, we require the COVID and Influenza vaccinations for all employees.