Direct Support Professional

Job Title: Direct Support Professional

Job Category: Aide

Location: In-home services

Travel Required: Yes (local)

Job Description

Summary:

Under the direction of a Supervisor, will provide assistance with personal hygiene and activities of daily living, while ensuring a safe and nurturing environment for children with ASD and other developmental disabilities.

Roles & Responsibilities:

• Provides assistance with activities for daily living for participants, such as bathing, grooming, clothing and other activities as needed.
• Accompanying clients on outing, medical appointments and other recreational activities.
• Providing assistance and free up some much-needed time for participants’ family.
• Providing social companionship and support and similar activities as deemed necessary.
• Ensuring clients are safe, healthy and living in a clean environment.
• Assisting, supporting and instructing individuals in self-help skills designed to encourage independence
• Establishing and maintain a therapeutic rapport with individuals.
• Reports, seizures, accidents, illness or signs of participant’s discomfort to charge nurse.
• Follow proper behavior protocols for each individual participant and document as per procedures. Actively engage with the participant to prevent behaviors form occurring.
• Implementing programs designed to meet the social, emotional, physical and personal needs of clients
• Assisting the child to learn new and effective behaviors so that aggression is no longer needed to communicate wants and needs
• Preventing and diffusing crises
• Promoting developmental and social skills growth,
• Providing the child with behavior management skills,
• Giving the child a sense of security and safety,
• Assisting the child with maintaining self-sufficiency and impulse control,
• Assisting with activities of daily living
• Improving the child's positive self-expression and interpersonal communication,
• Improving the child's ability to function and cooperate in the home and community,
• Reversing negative behaviors and attitudes, and
• Fostering stabilization and structure.
• Provide an evidence of documentation of care provided, activities performed for each service date and other reportable event.

Requirements:

• Experience supporting individuals with developmental disabilities or autism
• Ability to manage challenging behaviors calmly and professionally
• CPR/First Aid certification
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation
• Ability to complete required Virginia DSP training and background checks
• Dependable, patient, attentive, and committed to client safety
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent customer service skills are necessary, including the ability to work with families, as they are very involved with their children.

Skills:

Must be organized, creative and efficient in overseeing, delegating and managing multiple activities.

Ability to work under deadline pressure, both independently and as part of a team. Attention to detail a must. Must be computer literate and able to document daily activities of clients, and quality improvement coordination skills. Excellent customer service skills are necessary, including the ability to work with families, as they are very involved with their children.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: $18.00 - $20.00 per hour

Education:

• High school or equivalent (Required)

Experience:

• Autism: 1 year (Required)

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Required)

Shift availability:

• Day Shift (Preferred)

Work Location: In person