Direct Support/Personal Care Professional

Responsibilities

Assists individuals in maximizing their strengths, interests, and abilities.

Supports people to meet personal goals that characterize quality of life.

Engages in respectful communications and conversations through person‑first language.

Encourages socializing and facilitates activities that provide social capital and connections to the community.

Responsible for the overall supervision, protection, and care of individuals at all times.

Ensures health, wellness and safety by providing appropriate supervision of the people we support and by managing crisis situations.

Provides support in a variety of settings and in accordance with each person’s individualized service and behavior support plans.

Maintains a clean, safe and organized therapeutic environment.

Assists with personal care and activities of daily living (ADLs).

Requirements

Must be at least 18 years of age.

Ability to meet essential physical demands of position including frequent walking, sitting, standing, bending, twisting, stooping, kneeling, crouching, pushing, pulling and reaching with hands and arms; use hands to handle, finger or feel objects, tools or controls; assisting with lifting/moving individuals of any weight with assistance of mechanical lifts or other equipment and/or pushing individuals in wheelchairs; lifting and/or moving up to 25 pounds on occasion; having the physical capacity to work with and implement emergency interventions as per the person’s Behavior Support Plan if/as needed, including lifting/moving individuals of any weight with or without assistance of equipment and/or other staff.

Effective written and oral communication skills including the ability to appropriately document services provided for billing and tracking purposes.

Enthusiasm for working with people with I/DD, willingness to take initiative and ability to demonstrate positivity, patience and empathy and compassion in all interactions.

Ability and willingness to assist with a variety of supports and ADLs as requested, including regular exposure to and handling of various bodily fluids.

Basic computer skills – including email, utilizing Workday and related systems (DA, etc.) to complete tasks.

Must hold or obtain and maintain Strategies for Crisis Intervention and Prevention – Revised (SCIP‑R) within one (1) year of appointment.

Must hold or obtain and maintain additional certifications as required by program assignment and persons supported (for example: Choking – Return Demonstration, Approved Medication Administration Personnel (AMAP), Diabetes Care, CPR, Tube Feeding, etc.) within one (1) year of appointment.

Ability to develop and maintain professional relationships in alignment with YAI’s mission and vision.

Ability to remain calm in stressful situations and work in a high energy, fast‑paced environment.

Ability to work beyond regularly scheduled hours/shift and/or to report to work as scheduled on holidays, in inclement weather or during other emergencies to maintain minimum coverage requirements of program, unless otherwise authorized.

For assignments that require transporting persons supported by vehicle, must hold or obtain and maintain valid Driver’s License and Van certification (based on position/location/program).

Core Competencies

Demonstrates the ability to provide compassionate support and supervision to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), ensuring their health, safety, and well‑being while facilitating personal care and activities of daily living (ADLs). Proficient in crisis intervention strategies and maintaining a therapeutic environment that promotes social connections and personal growth.

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