Direct Support Professional - DSP

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary
The Direct Support Professional, or DSP, provides person-centered assistance to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in their homes and communities.
The DSP supports each participant in achieving the goals identified in the Individualized Service Plan, or ISP. Responsibilities may include assisting with daily living skills, community participation, personal development, health and safety, transportation, communication, and social engagement.
The DSP must promote dignity, independence, informed choice, inclusion, and self-determination while providing services that are safe, respectful, reliable, and consistent with Familyway Homecare Inc. policies and applicable New Jersey requirements.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Person-Centered Support
•Deliver services according to the participant’s ISP, service authorization, goals, preferences, routines, and support needs.
•Treat every participant with dignity, respect, patience, and compassion.
•Encourage participants to make choices and exercise control over their daily lives.
•Promote independence by teaching, coaching, prompting, and supporting rather than completing tasks unnecessarily for the participant.
•Respect the participant’s cultural background, communication style, beliefs, privacy, and personal preferences.
•Maintain professional boundaries with participants, families, guardians, and other members of the support team.
Individual Supports
•Assist participants in developing and maintaining independent living skills.
•Support activities such as meal planning, cooking, grocery shopping, housekeeping, laundry, personal organization, and budgeting.
•Assist with personal care activities when authorized and appropriately trained.
•Support participants with scheduling and attending appointments.
•Provide reminders and assistance with daily routines consistent with the participant’s ISP.
•Teach skills using repetition, modeling, verbal prompts, visual supports, and other approved methods.
•Document participant progress toward identified goals and outcomes.
Community-Based Supports
•Assist participants with safely accessing and participating in their communities.
•Support recreational, social, educational, cultural, volunteer, and wellness activities.
•Help participants develop relationships, social skills, communication skills, and community awareness.
•Teach participants how to use community resources and public transportation when appropriate.
•Encourage meaningful community participation based on the participant’s interests and goals.
•Avoid activities that are merely custodial, repetitive, or unrelated to the participant’s ISP goals.

Health and Safety

• Maintain awareness of the participant’s health, behavioral, mobility, dietary, communication, and safety needs.
• Follow all approved health and safety plans, behavioral support plans, emergency procedures, and risk-management instructions.
• Observe and report changes in a participant’s physical condition, emotional state, behavior, environment, or support needs.
• Respond appropriately to emergencies and immediately contact the designated supervisor when required.
• Protect participants from abuse, neglect, exploitation, mistreatment, and unsafe conditions.
• Report suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, rights violations, unusual incidents, injuries, medication concerns, or safety risks immediately.
• Maintain current CPR, first aid, and other required certifications.
• Follow universal precautions and infection-prevention procedures.

• Provide medication reminders or assistance only when authorized, trained, and permitted by applicable requirements.
• Follow the participant’s medication-related instructions and Familyway policies.
• Never independently change, administer, withhold, or recommend medication unless specifically authorized and legally permitted.
• Immediately report medication errors, missed doses, refusals, adverse reactions, or discrepancies.