Direct Support Staff

Direct Support Staff

Job Summary:

Under the direction of the ADS Program Manager and individual support plans, the Direct Support Staff position is responsible for self-help skills, social skills, employment skills training, and behavior modification. This is a direct service position, which requires hands-on work with individuals with severe disabilities, including developmental and behavioral issues. All activities performed within the ADS program are rehabilitative.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Provides direct supervision, vocational, prevocational, and employment training of trainees at the ADS site including production skills, work ethic skills, social skills, life skills, and personal grooming skills for the workplace and the community.
• Provides training and reinforcement for specific tasks which could include production work in the form of contract work, life skills, and the client-trainee & individual program goals.
• Responsible for accurately recording incident reports and case notes as necessary and submitting client-trainee incident reports per established procedures to the ADS Director (or Director’s designee) in a timely manner.
• Maintains age-appropriate and active treatment for assigned group of client-trainees.
• Demonstrates respect for client-trainee’s dignity and human rights through appropriate voice tone, mannerisms, and interactions and physical management; includes awareness and practice of confidentiality policies and procedures.
• Responsible for observation, accurate recording, data collection, contract work counts and progress data on assigned client-trainees. Submits data to ADS Program Manager in a timely manner.
• Responsible for maintaining the daily cleanliness, orderliness, and maintenance of work area and training materials.
• Responsible for reporting immediately if witness to any inappropriateness of staff towards or with client-trainees.
• Demonstrates alertness to client-trainee’s appropriate and inappropriate behavior and demonstrates ability to assist client-trainee with improving or eliminating the inappropriate behavior.
• Accurately completes tracking sheets on assigned client-trainees daily, including code, unit, rate, productivity, wages, and hours.
• Participates in job-related training offered at CHHS and other local training sites in an effort to increase skills and improve current skills.
• Presents self in a professional and appropriate manner toward client-trainees, co-workers, parents, and others in the industry; promotes a positive, professional image.
• Shows initiative and asks for direction and/or clarification when needed.
• Any other program-related duties assigned by the ADS Program Manager (or Assistant Program Manager), or President/CEO.

Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to work on a daily basis with people that may have severe, profound, and/or multiple disabilities.
• Willingness to participate in and actively increase knowledge in progressive services to people with disabilities.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills. Ability to write and provide (including, but not limited to): accurate client-trainee information; incident reports, case notes and documentation, production information, etc.
• Demonstrates initiative and creativity in working with clients.
• Ability to read and understand client information, instructions, case notes, incident reports, manuals, etc.
• Ability to perform physical and verbal intervention of client-trainees, including, but not limited to: blocking or moving away from physical behaviors by client-trainees; directing or redirecting client-trainees when behaviors warrant physical and/or verbal intervention, etc.
• Ability to physically assist client-trainees in the restroom (toileting activities), including the ability to physically assist client-trainees on/off toilet.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a CPR and First Aid Certification (must obtain within 30 days of employment).
• Ability to perform CPR and First Aid.
• Ability to visually observe and hear client-trainees.
• Ability to physically assist client-trainees in/out of vehicles; ability to physically assist client-trainees in getting in/out of chairs, wheelchairs or other assistive devices, etc.

For staff who are or become drivers of ESN vehicles:

• Ability to drive passenger vans, including 15-passenger and handicap-accessible vans.
• Must have and maintain current Nevada driver's license.
• Must have and maintain a good driving record.

Work Environment:

Ability to be out in Las Vegas area outdoor weather conditions, including extreme heat, extreme cold, wind, poor air quality and wet or humid conditions, etc.

Minimum Required Education and Experience:

• Minimum of six months experience in related field or related life experience
• Minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent
• Must possess effective verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, use hands to handle or feel objects, tools or controls, frequently talk or hear, reach with hands, lift arms above and below shoulder level, occasionally required to sit, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must be able to lift and/or move up to 5 pounds. Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25lbs. On regular occasions lift and/or move up to 50lbs and can request assistance if needed. Specific vision abilities required by this job include: close vision.

Disclaimer:

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. Capability Health and Human Services reserves the right to add or change the duties of this position at any time.