ACTIVITY AIDE / DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL (DSP)

Position Summary:

The Activity Aide / Direct Support Professional (DSP) is responsible for working with people served to help them achieve their personal goals and create and maintain a fulfilling life. While this position maintains the responsibilities and training requirements of a Direct Support Professional, its primary focus is working within the Activity Department to plan, prepare, and implement meaningful activities, community outings, and opportunities that promote participation, socialization, learning, independence, and enjoyment.

Working Conditions & Physical Demands:

The Activity Aide / Direct Support Professional (DSP) position requires the ability to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, reach, stand, walk, push, pull, lift, grasp, fine motor manipulations, talk, hear, and complete repetitive motions. The Activity Aide/ Direct Support Professional position can entail standing for significant periods of time. The Activity Aide/ Direct Support Professional requires the ability to exert up to 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects. The position involves working in indoor and outdoor environments. The position involves supporting people served in the home and in the community and involves frequent driving.

Essential Requirements:

• The Activity Aide/ Direct Support Professional must possess a high school diploma or GED.
• Must be at least 21 years old. Unless an exception has been made for an employee under 21 years old to work in the adult CILA program.
• Must take and successfully pass the TABE test.
• Demonstrate sufficient communication and writing skills to complete required documentation.
• Must be able to meet Department of Human Services Division and Developmental Disabilities and Goldie B. Floberg Center requirements to administer medications to people served.
• Must successfully pass all required background checks and not be convicted of any crime that violates DHS or DCFS requirements for employment with the Goldie B. Floberg Center.
• Must be able to complete data entry using an iPod, iPad and basic desktop computer.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Must be able to meet the physical demands described in the Working Conditions & Physical Demands section of this profile.
• Must possess a valid driver's license in good standing and meet agency requirements to transport people served.
• Must be comfortable transporting people served during daytime and evening hours, including driving on highways and in varying weather conditions.

Essential Job Functions:

• To ensure that you are supervising assigned persons served according to the Person Served Supervision Policy #300 of the Program Manual, or other applicable policy, unless specified differently in their Person Centered Plan.
• To accurately implement all written treatment plans for assigned clients and record data on the written treatment plans reliably and precisely immediately following the implementation of the program.
• Perform life skills training with clients that lead to the development of greater independence for our clientele using established behavioral principles and techniques.
• To complete all required programmatic and medical documentation within the designated time frames.

Examples include but are not limited to:

• Plan, prepare, and independently lead meaningful activities based on the interests, abilities, and needs of the people served.
• Actively engage with people served during activities and encourage participation, socialization, learning, independence, and enjoyment.
• Assist with organizing daily and weekly Activity Department programming.
• Therap T-logs for each client to be completed every shift including general and programmatic information, as well as medical information pertaining to each person served;
• Learning programming and activities of daily living charting to be completed every shift;
• Accounting and documentation of the funds of people served in accordance with Financial Management Policy #400;
• Controlled substances must be counted and documented within 30 minutes of each shift beginning, after every medication administration per Medication
• Management Policy #200.
• Completing the Medication Administration Record as medications are administered per Medication Management Policy #200.
• To remain up to date on progress of people served at assigned sites and on policies memos related to performance of DSP-CL job tasks. This involves reading and Acknowledging Therap Personal Focus Worksheets (person centered supports), learning programs, individual behavior programs, individual T-logs, shift reports, memorandum and notices delivered by Therap SComm as they are completed or issued. New entries and documents need to be read at the beginning of the shift.
• To support clients in planning and participating in community activities.
• To administer client medications correctly and maintain your medication administration certification in accordance with Center and Department of Human Services medication administration requirements
• To ensure that assigned clients at mealtimes receive proper nutrition through meal preparation based on the assigned menu (group home program), direct supervision, assistance and encouragement. DSPs are responsible for preparing meals, following the recipes and menus provided.
• To immediately report any and all actual or suspected mistreatment, neglect, exploitation or abuse to clients or violations of policy or procedures to a Center investigator, the Department of Children and Family services or Office of Inspector General (depending on the client’s age), and their Network Director.
• To implement accurately established crisis intervention techniques in response to aggressive and/or self-injurious behavior of clients. This includes documenting incidents on a Center Incident Report, conducting and documenting a visual inspection of the person, and notifying a Center Critical Incident Reviewer and Network Director.
• To ensure proper hygiene of all clients, including proper hygiene and cleaning following use of the toilet, changing of diapers and during baths.
• To drive and/or support clients on doctor appointments as needed; to advocate on the client’s behalf at doctor appointments.
• To leave your assigned group home clean and organized at the end of the shift.
• To immediately alert the Nurse on Duty and Network Director following a discovery of injury or suspected illness.
• To lead meaningful on site activities on a daily basis and to support clients in participating in these activities. (Educational and recreational games, making crafts, sports, etc.)
• To memorize and accurately implement evacuation procedures in the event of storm and fire emergencies; to ensure the safety of all assigned clients during these times through proper supervision and prompt evacuation.
• To accurately and completely report on the established written documentation systems all unusual incidents involving clients, staff, parents and/or guardians, volunteers or incidents involving community members as well as unusual incidents involving the property of the Floberg Center; this documentation is to occur as soon as practical during the same shift in which the incident occurs. Unusual incidents include but are not limited to: Client injuries, staff injuries, mistreatment or suspected mistreatment of clients, incidents related to dangerous or maladaptive behavior (elopement, physical aggression, self-injurious behavior, threat to harm self or others, verbal aggression or unusual verbal statements), illnesses, medication errors, and violations of Center policy or procedures.
• To cross train at other CILA/group home sites as needed.
• To work at other CILA/group home sites as needed.
• To find coverage for any scheduled shift that you cannot attend. This responsibility does not eliminate the requirements for calling off a shift a minimum of three hours before the shift begins for first and second shifts and seven hours for a third shift.