Direct Support Professional

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary 

Under direction from the House Lead, the Direct Support Professional (DSP) will provide direct care and support to individuals with mental illness. DSP’s provide hands-on training, assistance, and support services to individuals with mental illness in a manner that ensures their health, safety, and successful achievement of service objectives outlined in their Individual Service Plan (ISP).

This role requires a high level of cleanliness and strong domestic skills (such as being able to cook healthy meals and help purchase healthy food). Other key responsibilities include all the following: help with medical appointments, help implementing an exercise program, hygiene assistance, recreation, and medication monitoring. 

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide direct care and supervision to clients during daily activities. Examples of activities include shopping, budgeting, safety awareness, community access, positive relationship building, physical fitness, positive recreation, conflict resolution, anger management, coping skills, resisting peer pressure and maintaining a clean and healthy home environment. 
• Address basic care needs of clients including but not limited to the following: medical, nutritional, hygienic, activities of daily living (ADL’s), social, recreational, personal management, transportation, meal preparations, etc. personal hygiene needs may require exposure to bodily fluids (feces, urine, blood etc.).
• Basic household needs including but not limited to the following: custodial, maintenance, schedules and routines, record keeping, documentation, etc.
• Perform adaptive skills training with clients which include but are not limited to the following: cooking, laundry, telephone, community awareness and access, relationships, budgeting, etc.
• Complete documentation pertaining to services correctly and in a timely manner.
• Provide supervision and redirection to prevent the manifestation of maladaptive behaviors that may lead to recidivism. 
• Responsible for the health and safety of assigned clients.
• Follow reporting procedures regarding denial of rights and special incident reports.
• Communicate with other staff regarding any changes in regulations, policies and procedures and general information pertaining to the program.
• Promote community engagement and client rights.
• Recognize unusual or threatening conditions related to persons with mental illness and resolve issues if necessary.
• Attend required company training and staff meetings. 
• Adhere to all Unlimited Abilities company policies, procedures and program rules.
• Other duties as assigned.