Program Assistant I (FT)

The J; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 20,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

The J is seeking a Program Assistant I (Direct Support Professional) for its Adult Day programs in St. Louis. You will support participants with cognitive and physical impairments, guiding activities to build skills and independence while delivering compassionate care.

Key duties include documenting observations, assisting with mobility and daily living tasks, and collaborating with a multi-disciplinary team to ensure safe, engaging experiences aligned with licensure requirements.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED required; associates or bachelor's degree preferred.
• 1+ year experience with individuals with developmental/intellectual disabilities or elderly.
• Knowledge of medical conditions common among elderly and disabled populations.
• Experience with personal care assistance (toileting, transfers) preferred.
• Strong communication and computer skills; able to learn new software.
• Ability to swim and participate in activities.

Responsibilities

• Support participants in group activities such as swimming, exercise, volunteering, and socialization.
• Develop activities to benefit participants cognitively, socially, recreationally and physically.
• Complete daily documentation to record observations for licensure and contracts.
• Facilitate accommodations to help participants fully participate in activities.
• Intervene appropriately in crisis situations related to behavior or health as needed.
• Assist with mobility, personal care and serving food during meals.
• Attend staff meetings and assist with agency events as requested.

Skills

Communication skills

Computer skills

Teamwork

Swimming ability

Mobility support

CPR/First Aid

Education

High School diploma or GED

Associates or Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job DetailsJob Location: St. Louis, MO 63146Position Type: Full TimeSalary Range: $18.00 - $18.00 HourlyJob Shift: DayJob Category: Adult Day Services

Summary and Position Overview:

Adult Day at the J offers two specialized program tracks, Connections and IN. Our Connections program provides day support to older adults with Alzheimer’s/Dementia and other cognitive and physical impairments. Our IN program provides day support to individuals over the age of 18 who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other intellectual and developmental disabilities. Both programs are geared to help our participants build upon and maintain their current knowledge, discover new abilities and cultivate personal growth while working to achieve their individualized goals.

The Program Assistant I (Direct Support Professional) position is responsible for providing personalized services for our Connections or IN participants. Both programs are geared to help our participants build upon and maintain their current knowledge, discover new abilities and cultivate personal growth while working to achieve their individualized goals. This may include activities that support soft skills, speech therapy, physical fitness, volunteerism, and socialization. Adult Day at the J is accredited by the State of Missouri and licensed by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

The ideal candidate is a self-starter, is flexible, and comfortable working closely with others. They should have the flexibility to work within our operating hours, 7:30am to 5pm, Monday – Friday, including some evening and weekend hours.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Support individuals with developmental disabilities and cognitive impairments as they participate in group activities which include swimming, exercise, volunteering, interaction with animals, art, music, gardening, cooking, etc. Note, will be expected to get into the pool or participate in fitness classes to directly assist participants during the activity.
• Assist in researching, developing and implementing activities focused on benefiting participants cognitively, socially, recreationally, physically, and will assist with independent skills development, both for large and small groups of participants.
• Complete all daily documentation and data collection to record observations on assigned participants to maintain compliance with licensure and contracts: i.e. Department of Mental Health and Department of Health and Senior Services.
• Facilitate individual accommodations necessary to assist individuals to fully participate in activities.
• Facilitate physical location transitions or sensory breaks between activities (on and offsite) as needed.
• Appropriately intervene in all crisis situations related to behavior or health as needed.
• Work cooperatively with the Adult Day Center multi-disciplinary team to enhance offered programs.
• Observe participant behavior, assess its appropriateness, and apply appropriate behavior management techniques.
• Assist participants in mobility, personal care and serving food during mealtimes.
• Assist participants with activities of daily living including toileting.
• Care for the physical and emotional wellbeing of every Adult Day Center participant at all times.
• Recognize and respond to opportunities for problem solving.
• Enforce appropriate safety regulations and emergency procedures.
• Complete Incident Reports as required.
• Greet family members as they arrive to drop off/pick up participants.
• Work collaboratively with ADJ team members to effectively execute recreation activities, adapted programming, transportation services, individualized skill development, daily meal services, special events and direct support to the participants and families of ADJ.
• Provide exceptional customer service at all times, and represent the JCC and Adult Day in a positive and professional manner.
• Attend staff meetings, training sessions and assist with agency events and programs as requested.
• Provide backup coverage to Adult Day programs as needed.
• Adhere to Social Work Code of Ethics, HIPAA, and confidentiality guidelines at all times.
• Other duties as assigned.

QualificationsQualifications:

• High School diploma or GED is required; related Associates or Bachelor's degree is preferred.
• 1+ year(s) of experience working with relative population required; including, individuals with developmental/intellectual disabilities and/or the elderly, medically frail and/or people with various cognitive impairments such as dementia, preferred.
• Working knowledge of medical conditions and diagnoses common among elderly and disabled populations is required.
• Prior experience with providing personal care assistance (i.e. toileting, physical transfers, etc.) is strongly preferred.
• Experience with development and implementation of individualized and person-centered goals, preferred.
• Must have good communication skills, both written and oral.
• Must have good computer skills (Microsoft Office Suite: Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint); Demonstrated ability to learn new computer applications is a must.
• Must have a teamwork mentality and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to swim in both indoor and outdoor settings and participate in field trips and fitness activities as needed.
• Able to assist with the restroom needs of participants.
• Must be physically able to stand, walk, and sit for extended periods, indoors and outdoors in all weather environments. Must be physically able to lift 40 pounds, transfer participants (on occasion up to 250 pounds) and assist participants with mobility.
• Must have the visual acuity to monitor participants and focus near and far.

Per our licensure, Adult Day employees are required to become registered with the MO Family Care Safety Registry. Active registration must be maintained for continued employment at our center. American Red Cross CPR/First Aid certification, TB testing, and Hepatitis A vaccine are required in this role per licensure. The J provides training/re-certification, testing, and vaccine if employee does not already have. Position is subject to a pre-employment background check and physical.