Direct Care Counselor, CCS Counselor, Awake Overnight Counselor

Direct Care Counselor

Location: Employees work in a home or homes located throughout the Albuquerque area working shifts within a residential home that have four individuals to care for within the home/homes.

Hours: Providence Support Services, Inc. is opened and cares for adults with disabilities 24/7 365 days per year. Many of the shifts include weekends and all include holidays. Employees are not guaranteed holidays off. Schedules and locations are subject to change based on the needs to the individuals we care for. When working overnight shifts, employees are required to stay awake for the entirety of their shift.

Summary of Duties:

All shifts require cooking, cleaning, and personal care. The direct care counselor/CCS/overnight positions are safety sensitive, hourly and non-exempt. The direct care counselor is responsible for implementing the individual service plan (ISP), behavior support plan and other plans of the program participants receiving supports and services, responsible for the health and safety of each program participant, helping each program participant learn and develop new skills, providing behavioral support on a daily basis and in times of crisis, creating an environment that provides a lifestyle based on individual and community values, increasing independence and inclusion while developing valued roles in the community, and providing transportation to program participants.

Primary Responsibilities/Essential Job Functions and Duties: Agency Policies and Procedures

• Signs and abides by the employee conduct policy, code of ethics and all other company policies and procedures;
• Exemplify agency mission;
• Works schedule as assigned and maintains good attendance and punctuality;
• Attends monthly facility meetings;
• Attends DOH DDSD required trainings, therapy trainings and facility meetings as scheduled;
• Exhibits a positive, company supportive attitude and is professional in terms of speech, mannerisms and personal appearance;

Individual Support for Program Participants

• Provides direct support to program participants and works with IDT's as a participating member of the IDT;
• Assists and supports program participants with their programs, therapies and plans;
• Provides assistance, support and training on daily living skills, including but not limited to cooking, cleaning, appropriate manners and behavior, personal hygiene, etc.;
• Facilitates community activity and inclusion where program participants are line of site in the community;
• Observes and implements safety in all facilities, monitors/assures health and safety of program participants in the residence and in the community, including but not limited to safeguarding participants from falls;
• Assists with medical appointments and assures receipt of medical notes following appointments as needed;
• Follows menus and prepares meals for program participants;
• Supports program participants with behavioral challenges, including but not limited to physical restraint;
• Assists with program participants medical needs or issues that arise, personal care and all aspects of hygiene/grooming, including but not limited to bathing, toileting, feeding, shaving, lifting, transferring, tooth brushing, medication assistance, etc.;
• Lift and transfer non-ambulatory, following approved procedures;
• Provides transportation in agency vehicles to community activities, appointments, therapies, etc., abides by agency policies and procedures regarding transportation and maintenance of agency vehicles, and implementation of vehicle safety (seat belts) etc.;
• Responsible for cleaning facility, vehicle, community area, and cleaning up a program participant up after incontinence, eating, illness and behavioral incidents;
• Maintains current first aid and CPR certification;

Medication

• Completes assistance with medication delivery;
• Documents assisting with medication delivery, including assisting with PRN's and documenting their results;
• Maintains secure storage of medications;

Home Maintenance

• Assists program participants with the cleanliness, organization and maintenance of the entire residence, including bedrooms, bathrooms, yard, etc.;
• Performs daily cleaning duties in accordance with the house task list and other cleaning duties as assigned, assuring all items on the list are complete for the day before the end of the scheduled shift;
• Direct care counselor must assist programs participants with cleaning their own bedroom, keeping it organized, dust free, swept, mopped, vacuumed, clothing put away in drawers and closets, etc.;
• Responsible for overall home and yard cleanliness and maintenance; performs daily cleaning duties in accordance with the house task list and other duties as assigned. Also keeps agency vehicle clean;

Records Maintenance/Documentation

• Documents daily including but not limited to progress notes, medication assisted with, task list, support strategies, Gers, data tracking and completes other daily documentation as required by Medicaid, the NM DOH and PSSI;
• Required to document in all company assigned electronic documentation modules including but not limited to ITherapy, Therap, Quickmar, etc.
• Has access to program participant's files in the facilities and electronically, and maintains confidentiality in accordance with agency policy and state, federal and HIPAA regulations;

Miscellaneous

• Completes other specified duties as requested or assigned;

Crisis Intervention Technique

• Follows all behavior support and crisis plans for program participants;
• Utilizes the company's approved crisis intervention technique if approved in the behavior support and/or crisis plan;
• Employees must a step back when a program participant has a challenging event and/or behavior and restraint is used as a last resort. Utilize restraint only if the program participant is trying to physically hurt themselves, someone else or put themselves in immediate danger.

Safety Sensitive Position

The direct care counselor position is a safety sensitive position where the employee holding this position has the responsibility for their own health and safety, as well as, the health and safety of the program participants, their co-workers, community members, team members and stakeholders. This position has many safety sensitive duties including but not limited to working directly with program participants, assisting with medication, preparing food, and operating a motor vehicle regularly for the company.

Working Conditions/Physical Exertion/Dexterity

• Works primarily in a residential and community setting.
• May be requested to work other shifts or facilities; shift times, days, position transfers, and facility assignments may change and occur as necessary and without notice;
• Must be able to physically perform all job duties. Moderate physical exertion required, including but not limited to bending, sitting, standing, squatting, kneeling, running, walking, climbing stairs, lifting, transferring, participating in sport activities, etc. Must be able to stand and walk continuously;
• Must be able to lift 25 pounds above the shoulders, 40 lbs. or more repeatedly, and support 70 to 100 pounds;
• Must be able to safely transfer program participants from chair to car/van, assist with toileting, and other duties related to transfer/ambulation; including rising from and sitting down and laying down positions.
• Able to type, have good computer skills and able to navigate the world wide web
• Able to work directly with program participants including but not limited to challenging behaviors, physical restraint, medical care, personal care, grooming, hygiene, assisting with medication, lifting and transferring through the entirety of the shift;
• Able to move/respond quickly to many difficult situations and handle stressful situations calmly;
• Ability to work alone with program participants who are or can become verbally and/or physically aggressive on a daily basis and support them through challenging behaviors and crisis events;
• Ability to hear and withstand repetitive noises, sounds, phrases, yelling, screaming, etc.;
• Ability to relate positively to the individuals supported and their teams;
• Ability to assist, support, lift and transfer individuals who utilize walkers, wheelchairs and gait belts;
• Able to perform the essential functions of the job with reasonable accommodation;
• Able to work independently and without constant supervision;
• Mandatory influenza vaccine annually;

Requirements

Education, Training, Licensure and Other Job Requirements

• 21 years of age or older (required by company commercial insurance)
• High school diploma/GED or equivalent required

Providence Support Services, Inc.