Residential Program Supervisor / Program Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

JOB TITLE: RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM SUPERVISOR / PROGRAM SPECIALIST

 

Reading Home & Community Supportive Services (RHCSS)

 

Location: Reading, Pennsylvania
Employment Type: Full-time
Salary: $75,000–$78,000 per year, based on qualifications and experience
Schedule: Primarily Monday through Friday, with flexibility and participation in an on-call rotation as needed

 

POSITION SUMMARY

 

Reading Home & Community Supportive Services is seeking an experienced, dependable, and compassionate Residential Program Supervisor / Program Specialist to oversee the operation of community homes serving adults with intellectual disabilities and autism.

The successful candidate will provide administrative and program oversight, supervise residential staff, coordinate individual services, maintain compliance with Pennsylvania Chapter 6400 and Office of Developmental Programs requirements, and ensure that every individual receives safe, respectful, person-centered support.

This is a leadership position requiring strong organizational, supervisory, documentation, communication, and problem-solving skills.

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

 

Program and Individual Support

• Coordinate the completion and annual review of individual assessments.
• Participate in the development, review, implementation, and monitoring of each individual’s Individual Support Plan.
• Ensure that services, outcomes, activities, health needs, behavioral supports, and supervision requirements are implemented according to the ISP.
• Review progress notes, goal data, monthly summaries, medical documentation, behavioral data, incident reports, and other required records.
• Ensure individuals receive meaningful choices and opportunities for community participation, relationship development, employment, recreation, and personal growth.
• Support individuals in maintaining communication and relationships with families, friends, advocates, and members of their support teams.
• Monitor individual rights, privacy, dignity, health, safety, and freedom from abuse, neglect, exploitation, and improper restrictions.
• Attend ISP meetings, team meetings, medical appointments, behavioral-support meetings, and other meetings when required.
• Communicate significant changes in an individual’s health, behavior, needs, or services to the appropriate team members.

 

Staff Supervision and Training

• Supervise Direct Support Professionals, Lead DSPs, House Managers, and other assigned residential employees.
• Participate in interviewing, hiring, orientation, coaching, evaluation, corrective action, and ongoing development of staff.
• Ensure employees complete required orientation and annual training within established timeframes.
• Train and monitor employees on ISPs, individual protocols, behavior-support plans, health and safety plans, restrictive procedures, emergency procedures, medication-related responsibilities, and documentation requirements.
• Conduct regular observations to verify that staff are providing services safely and according to each individual’s plan.
• Review staff performance and address attendance, professionalism, documentation, medication, supervision, and policy-compliance concerns.
• Promote respectful communication, professional boundaries, teamwork, accountability, and person-centered practices.

 

Home and Staffing Operations

• Monitor assigned homes to ensure required staffing ratios and supervision levels are maintained.
• Review staff schedules, call-outs, vacancies, overtime, and shift coverage.
• Assist with emergency staffing coverage and participate in the management on-call rotation.
• Respond promptly to emergencies, staffing shortages, behavioral escalations, medical concerns, and reportable incidents.
• Conduct routine and unannounced home visits, including occasional evening and weekend visits.
• Ensure homes are clean, safe, properly maintained, adequately supplied, and operated according to licensing requirements.
• Monitor vehicle safety, transportation arrangements, household funds, individual funds, petty cash, food supplies, medication records, and required safety inspections.
• Coordinate maintenance and immediately report health or safety hazards.

 

Compliance and Quality Assurance

• Maintain compliance with Pennsylvania Chapter 6400, Chapter 6100, ODP requirements, applicable waiver standards, company policies, and individual service plans.
• Prepare assigned homes and records for licensing inspections, QA&I reviews, Administrative Entity monitoring, investigations, and internal audits.
• Complete routine compliance reviews of individual records, employee files, medication records, home records, financial documentation, and training records.
• Ensure required documentation is complete, accurate, legible, timely, and consistent with services delivered.
• Participate in incident management, fact-finding, corrective-action planning, and follow-up activities.
• Ensure suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, rights violations, medication errors, injuries, and other reportable events are immediately protected and reported.
• Develop and monitor corrective-action plans resulting from inspections, incidents, complaints, or internal reviews.
• Maintain confidentiality and comply with HIPAA and all applicable privacy requirements.
• Provide management with regular reports regarding staffing, incidents, compliance, individual progress, and operational concerns.

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

 

Applicants must meet at least one of the following Pennsylvania Chapter 6400 Program Specialist qualification combinations:

• Master’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university and at least one year of experience working directly with individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism;
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and at least two years of experience working directly with individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism; or
• Associate degree or at least 60 college credit hours from an accredited college or university and at least four years of experience working directly with individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism.

 

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Previous supervisory or residential-program leadership experience strongly preferred.
• Working knowledge of Pennsylvania Chapters 6100 and 6400 and ODP requirements.
• Experience with ISPs, individual assessments, incident management, medication administration, licensing inspections, QA&I reviews, and staff training.
• Strong written, verbal, organizational, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and respond calmly and professionally during emergencies.
• Proficiency with computers, email, electronic records, Microsoft Office, and documentation systems.
• Valid driver’s license, acceptable driving record, reliable transportation, and willingness to travel between program locations.
• Ability to successfully complete all required background checks, physical examination, tuberculosis screening, and employment clearances.
• Ability to obtain and maintain required certifications, including CPR, First Aid, medication administration, incident management, and other ODP-required training.
• Ability to work flexible hours and participate in an on-call rotation.
• Ability to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.

 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work, psychology, human services, special education, nursing, healthcare administration, or a related discipline.
• Three or more years of supervisory experience in a Pennsylvania Chapter 6400 residential program.
• Experience supporting individuals with complex medical needs, autism, challenging behaviors, or enhanced staffing ratios.
• Experience using Therap or another electronic health and service-documentation system.
• Certified Investigator qualification or experience supporting certified investigations.
• Familiarity with ODP incident management, Enterprise Incident Management, Health Risk Screening Tool requirements, restrictive-procedure requirements, and licensing corrective-action plans.

 

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• Annual salary of $75,000–$78,000, based on experience and qualifications.
• Paid time off and paid holidays.
• Health insurance benefits.
• 401-K Retirement-plan participation.
• Employer-paid training and professional development.
• NASDP Certification
• Opportunities for advancement within the organization.

 

SCHEDULE

 

Primarily Monday through Friday, with flexibility and participation in an on-call rotation as needed.

 

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

 

Reading Home & Community Supportive Services is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.

 

Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities.