Direct Support Professional

SUMMARY:
Cares for group of adults housed in a group home, under supervision of the Group Home Manager or his/her relief, by performing the following duties.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. (Other duties may be assigned.)

• Develops, implements and records participant progress toward outcomes identified in Individual Program Plans.
• Assesses residential participants annually through formal and informal methods and provides assessment summaries to the Group Home Manager.
• Attends Support Plan Meetings and Individual Program Plan Meetings as requested.
• Attends Residential and Group Home meetings monthly or as specified by management.
• Assist residential participants with making purchases and maintaining the receipts.
• Plans individual and group activities to stimulate growth in language, social, motor and community living skills such as; following instructions, accessing resources and services, and personal and home care management.
• Gives instructions to residents regarding desirable health and personal habits.
• Plans and leads recreational activities and participates or instructs residents in games.
• Provides Behavior Management Support and recommends or initiates other measures to control behavior
• Provides medication administration and ensures that dosages are given/administered as prescribed by physician.
• Assist in residents' acquisition of daily living and self-care skills.
• Escorts/transports residents to designated activities and appointments.
• Performs housekeeping duties in the group home.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Directly supervises residents in a group home setting. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include training residents; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with differences to perform the essential functions. Employees are required to maintain Certification in Medication Administration and other required certifications to continue employment.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

High school diploma or general education degree (GED); and one year experience working with persons with developmental disabilities; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
An Associate Degree may substitute for the required experience.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to families, clients, and other employees of the organization.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

REASONING ABILITY:

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

Valid Florida Driver's License in good standing is required, and must be maintained for continued employment.

Certification in First Aid and CPR, HIV/Aids, HIPAA, Direct Core Competencies, Zero Tolerance and Infection Control should be attained within 90 days of employment and must not expire for continued employment.

Medication Certification and Validation should be attained within 90 days of employment and maintained for continued employment.

Completion of required background screening as required by Florida Statutes (see HB531 | Florida Agency for Health Care Administration for more information).

OTHER SKILLS and ABILITIES:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the needs of persons with Developmental Differences.
• Ability to maintain a safe and healthy environment that resembles normalized living.
• Ability to support each client in developing attitudes and behaviors appropriate to community living.
• Ability to respond appropriately to emergency situations.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.

The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell. Physical demands are not limited to bathing, feeding, and transferring residents.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move more than 50 pounds.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee occasionally works near moving mechanical parts and is frequently in outside weather conditions and exposed to wet and/or humid conditions and fumes or airborne particles. The employee occasionally works in high, precarious places and is occasionally exposed to caustic chemicals and extreme cold.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Pay Range: $16.23 per hour