Direct Support Professional

The Logan Staffing Solutions, Inc. is committed to providing staff to our partner agencies who have been trained in Person-Centered approaches to empower individuals to make meaningful and informed choices. Our staff demonstrates competencies in OPWDD, OCFS, DOHMH, and DHS core training requirements with strengths in positive behavior support, Strategies in Crisis Intervention and Prevention – Revised (SCIP-R), medical support, and effective supervision of the individuals they serve. We are committed to the continued training of our staff during the course of their professional careers with our company. We also provide supplemental training to our staff to meet the needs and requirements of our partners.

Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) work closely with individuals who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. DSPs help with these disabilities achieves them achieve the fullest lives by assisting them with overcoming challenges in certain areas and activities that would prevent them from being self-sufficient.

The main role of a DSP is to offer support and help these individuals take initiative in their activities and teach them how to complete these tasks properly daily. DSP work can include assistance with education, home care, basic health and hygiene, transportation, housing, family services, vocational training, rehabilitation, or simply helping people integrate into their local community. Depending on the support needed, DSPs may work in a person’s home, in their family’s home, in a residence, at a day habilitation center, or out in the community. These jobs provide rewarding work that benefits people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their communities.

Job Responsibilities:

• Assisting clients with daily personal tasks, including bathing and dressing.
• Completing housekeeping tasks such as vacuuming, washing dishes, and tidying.
• Helping plan client appointments and organize a schedule.
• Organizing transportation arrangements for appointments.
• Shopping for groceries and preparing meals that meet specific client dietary needs.
• Encouraging client engagement in social networks and communities.

Job Skills & Qualifications:
Since DSPs must put the wants and needs of the people they support first, they must be able to connect to and relate to people of all abilities.

• An ability to work well in a team.
• Effective communication skills.
• Accountability.
• Patience.

The most important personality trait for DSPs is patience. Individuals with IDD can have bad days when they act out, or they might refuse to cooperate with instructions. DSPs should demonstrate the following traits:

• Composure under pressure: These individuals need the help of their DSPs, and sometimes they can't always express their discontent, unhappiness, or frustration in productive ways.
• Dependability and punctuality: unexpected absences and showing up late can disturb patients who depend heavily on predictability and sameness of routine.
• Keen sense of observation: A DSP should be able to tell when something isn’t right with the individual he serves. Other DSPs, medical professionals, other individuals, and family members might be able to shed light on the situation when a DSP can't put her finger on what's wrong.
• Interpersonal skills and a strong sense of teamwork: These characteristics help DSPs deal with the challenges of the work and make them good co-workers for other DSPs.

Required:

• High school diploma or its equivalent.
• Form of Identification.

This role is suitable for:

• Applicants who do not have a high school diploma/GED.
• A “fair chance” given reviewing background checks.
• Someone who is entering the workforce after 6 or more months.
• Someone who wants to enter a different field with limited experience or education.
• A job that doesn’t require a specific age, even open for older applicants who choose to work.
• College degree not required.