AST Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

AST Specialist

About Morgan Autism Center

Morgan Autism Center provides a safe, nurturing, and joyful environment where individuals impacted by autism or other developmental disabilities are accepted and celebrated for who they are. Founded in 1969, the focus is on creating respectful and positive interactions to maximize the potential of each student and client. Morgan Autism Center offers school and adult day programs and is an important resource for families and professional service providers throughout the Bay Area. Our flexible, comprehensive, and highly individualized approach has evolved into a model successfully adopted and implemented in located school districts. The updated Morgan Autism Center Adaptive Skills Trainer Program will serve adults ages 22 – 60 years old with autism and other developmental disabilities in a 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 ratio.

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Position Overview

The Adaptive Skills Trainer Specialist implements instructional and environmental modifications to produce socially significant improvements in the individual’s outcomes through skill acquisition. They should have experience in the area for which adaptive skills training is to be provided.

Reporting Relationships

This position reports directly to an Adaptive Skills Trainer Program Director

Key Responsibilities

• Establishes and maintains a supportive relationship with participants 
• Provides continuous supervision for participants to ensure safety and wellbeing
• Implements a continuum of positive programming activities that are culturally relevant and designed to support participants in maximizing their independence 
• Implements agreed upon strategies to minimize the risk factors related to behavioral or sensory challenges 
• Assists participants in developing a schedule which includes preferred activities and is in cooperation with the participant’s Individual Program Plan (IPP) 
• Assists participants in accessing generic community-based services to enhance their ability to participate in independent living skills, leisure, vocational, pre vocational , social & recreational activities in natural environments as prescribed by the participant’s Individual Program Plans (IPP) and Individual Service Plan (ISP) 
• Uses alternative communication strategies including picture icons, computer programs and other functional and adaptive approaches 
• Responds effectively to crisis situations in the community 
• Communicates effectively and proactively with the Program Director with regard to all participant issues including situations when a participant becomes a danger to self or others, there is a sudden illness or their behavioral plan cannot be implemented as agreed upon 
• Responds to questions and issues raised by Regional Center in a professional manner and updates residential staff, parents and others as needed and within program confidentiality guidelines 
• Respects the privacy of participants and maintains confidentiality of information obtained in the course of professional services as per HIPAA guidelines 
• Documents participant instructional and support services using data collection and participant forms, prepares daily/monthly reports documenting participants’ progress toward ISP goals and objectives. 
• Attends meetings as assigned by the Program Director or their designee, including participant related meetings, monthly meetings and continuing education opportunities 
• Prepares special incident and adult dependent abuse reports as necessary and required by Title 17 regulations 
• Performs first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and other emergency services (e.g. evacuation during a fire) as appropriate to the needs of participants 
• Lifts and transfers participants as necessary; assists participants with transfers in and out of wheelchairs and safely transfers participants in case of an emergency 
• Provide individualized self-care support for all clients, including bathrooming needs, eating, dressing, etc., including use of visual schedules and task analyses
• Performs other duties as assigned 

Qualifications and Employment Requirements:

• A bachelor’s degree in one of the following areas: education, psychology, counseling, nursing, social work, applied behavior analysis, behavioral medicine, speech and language, rehabilitation, marriage and family therapy, or a comparable degree in a human services field.
• At least one of the following:
  • 3 years of experience working with participants with an intellectual or developmental disability or a similar population or
  • Within first 9 months of employment, 40 hours of designed training 

• Excellent written and oral communication skills that are effective with diverse stakeholders 
• Proven track record in implementing a positive behavior support plan that can serve a participant who has severe behaviors, a mental health and or substance abuse diagnosis and or judicial involvement 
• Ability to represent the program in a professional manner at all times 
• Must be able to drive 
• Has current TB clearance; certifications in CPR and first aid & " completion of crisis intervention training program (i.e. Handle with Care, Safety Care, etc.) within 60 days of hire, valid California driver's license, clean DMV printout and current automobile insurance 
• Is able to pass a criminal background check and fingerprint clearance 
• Respects the cultural and linguistic values of stakeholders including participants, their parents, staff and community collaborators 

Physical Demands

While performing the essential functions and responsibilities of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, and reach with hands and arms and speak and hear effectively. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 40 pounds, lift materials, physically support clients as needed, occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds, and may need to run. 

Salary and Position Classification

• $31.25 an hour
• Non-Exempt Position
• Full-Time

Benefits

• Paid Vacation and Sick Leave
• Medical, Dental, Vision (Employee portion paid 100% by Morgan Autism Center)
• Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability.
• Retirement 403a & 403b
• Holiday Bonus

Schedule

• 237 Working days 
• Monday thru Friday (8:15 AM - 3:00 PM)
• View Work Calendar HERE

Location

In-person