Direct Support Professional - Greater Portland Area

Company Overview

Waypoint is a nonprofit organization with a mission to support and empower children and adults with intellectual and other disabilities to reach their fullest potential.

Position Overview

The role of the Direct Support Professional (DSP) is to support members within Waypoint to be connected to others by modeling healthy relationships, engaging in effective communication and supporting independence. This will be achieved through improving skills, promoting self-determination, encouraging personally satisfying lifestyles and fostering growth to the greatest extent possible.

The DSP will be responsible for maintaining a safe and supportive environment for members while ensuring that members are treated with dignity and respect. The DSP will support the interests, culture, and needs of the people we serve, and promote respectful interaction with all individuals.

The DSP will work successfully within a team as well as professionally represent Waypoint, in the community supporting individuals, with parents and guardians and within each member’s residence or program. The DSP will exemplify professional values, ethics, responsibility, and confidentiality.

The DSP will provide individually tailored support with activities of daily living; including medication management, money management, transportation and meal preparation.   Support with accessing and participating in social and community opportunities, personal interests, physical fitness and medical and therapeutic appointments.

Responsibilities

           Essential Duties

• Develop a rapport with residents and cultivate a safe and supportive relationship
• Provide support and guidance for members during skills building activities
• Implement individual treatment plans and positive support plans for members
• Encourage self-help skill building by supporting members with daily living activities including preparing meals, maintaining a clean and healthy environment and assisting with personal hygiene
• Mentor healthy eating choices, activities that enhances or physical fitness, and overall health and wellness choices
• Transport residents in approved vehicles as activities and/or medical appointments require
• Exercise sound judgment to ensure the safety and welfare of members. Notify Manager of any situation developing or occurring in the home which could have a negative impact on the member’s welfare and safety
• Respect each member’s right to privacy and confidentiality
• Ensure that all medications are passed in a safe manner
• Manage member funds by accurately recording expenditures
• Understand and comply with licensing requirements, MaineCare requirements, Person-Centered Planning requirements and all of Waypoint’s policies and procedures.
• Collect accurate and timely data including updates to member ISP progress notes, treatment plans, and positive support plans daily, or more often, as outlined in the plan and as required to track progress towards established goals, objectives, and outcomes.
• Follow work schedule, demonstrate consistent attendance, and accurately record hours worked.
• Follow mandated reporter guidelines regarding reportable events.
• Manage agency funds by accurately recording program expenditures as required.
• Develop and maintain cooperative and professional relationships with all staff while demonstrating a willingness to resolve conflicts quickly and completely.
• Operate as part of a team, maintaining a willingness to accept direction, constructive feedback and information from the Manager and team.
• Maintain all required certifications for the Direct Support Professional position.
• Attend and participate in all required staff meetings and trainings.
• Demonstrate flexibility and willingness to assist in all residential settings as needed.
• Follow all agency safety standards and procedures.
• Follow all transportation policies.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Competencies / Skills / Abilities

·        Position experience not required, but must have the desire to work with, learn about, and support individuals with intellectual and other complex disabilities.

·        A willingness to implement positive behavior support and structured activities.

·        Excellent communication with members, families, coworkers and other professionals.

Education/Experience

·        Hight School Diploma or GED

·        Must become DSP, CRMA and Safety Care certified as a primary responsibility of the DSP position

·        Must have a valid driver’s license from state of residence and clean driving record.

·        Must be proficient in speaking, reading and writing English.

·        The ability to learn beginner level Information Technology skills.

Physical

·        Normal degree of flexibility, and ability to raise hands above head.

·        Ability to stand, walk, run, shuffle, and stoop for several minutes.

·        Ability to kneel on one and two knees, and then stand up.

·        Ability to bend 45 degrees at the trunk, and twist to either side.

·        Ability to grasp firmly.

·        Ability to push and pull personal care equipment, and lift up to 50 pounds independently, using safe body mechanics.

·        Ability to implement Safety Care techniques to escort and/or establish member safety in an emergency and/or per the support plan.

Working Environment

Residential or community-based setting, providing individualized support to members, with oversight from a Manager.

Benefits

Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Paid Holidays

Employer Paid Short Term Disability

Employer Paid Life Insurance and AD&D

Critical Illness and Accident Insurance

Flexible Spending Accounts