Direct Support Professional

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary

The Direct Support Professional provides day-to-day direct care and specialized behavioral support to individuals with intellectual disabilities, autism, and complex behavioral needs. This position is intended for an experienced professional who has demonstrated the ability to support individuals who may experience significant behavioral challenges, mental health concerns, aggression, self-injurious behavior, or other behaviors that could present a risk to themselves or others.

The Direct Support Professional must have extensive knowledge behavioral support practices, crisis prevention, de-escalation, and approved physical intervention techniques. The employee is responsible for implementing each individual’s Behavioral Support Plan, Individual Support Plan, crisis plan, and other clinical recommendations exactly as written. BrightPath provides crisis and de-escalation training. 

This position works collaboratively with residential leadership, the clinical department, medical personnel, and other interdisciplinary team members to identify and address clinical or behavioral concerns. The Advanced Direct Support Professional also assists individuals in safely accessing and participating in their communities while protecting the health and safety of the individual, staff members, and members of the community.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Direct Care and Person-Centered Support

• Provide day-to-day direct care and supervision based on each individual’s assessed needs.
• Assist individuals with personal hygiene, bathing, dressing, toileting, meal preparation, housekeeping, medication administration, transportation, and other activities of daily living.
• Promote dignity, respect, choice, independence, privacy, and meaningful community inclusion.
• Provide the level of supervision required by the individual’s plans, assessments, and identified risks.
• Maintain professional boundaries while developing supportive and therapeutic relationships.
• Recognize and respond appropriately to changes in an individual’s mood, behavior, physical health, mental health, or functioning.
• Accurate Medication Administration as taught through the PA DHS Medication Administration course.

Behavioral Support Plan Implementation

• Review, understand, and implement each individual’s Behavioral Support Plan exactly as written.
• Follow all proactive strategies, reinforcement procedures, coping strategies, replacement-skill programs, crisis procedures, and safety protocols identified in the plan.
• Maintain consistency when implementing behavioral interventions across shifts, environments, and community settings.
• Do not use unauthorized, unapproved, or inconsistent behavioral interventions.
• Collect accurate behavioral data and complete all required documentation within established timeframes.
• Identify potential patterns, triggers, environmental concerns, or changes in presentation and communicate observations to the appropriate clinical and operational team members.
• Support individuals in practicing coping skills, emotional regulation techniques, communication strategies, and replacement behaviors.
• Immediately report concerns about the effectiveness, safety, or implementation of a Behavioral Support Plan.

• Required Qualifications
  • High school diploma or equivalent required.
    
  • At least one year of direct support experience working with individuals who have intellectual disabilities, autism, complex behavioral needs, aggression, self-injurious behavior, or significant mental health needs.
  • Demonstrated experience implementing Behavioral Support Plans and collecting behavioral data.
    
  • Demonstrated competency in crisis prevention, verbal de-escalation, and approved physical restraint or physical intervention techniques.
  • Ability to maintain composure and make appropriate decisions during behavioral emergencies.

BrightPath Human Services is an EEOC.