Assistant Behavior Intervention Specialist (ABIS)

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Key/Essential Functions & Responsibilities

All Assistant Behavior Intervention Specialists (ABIS) perform the following tasks:

• Performs all duties of a Direct Support Professional (DSP 1 – 3) as indicated in job descriptions, in addition to ABIS duties on a regular basis and/or as requested to ensure the overall supervision, protection and care of individuals in program, assisting in maximizing their strengths, interests and abilities while upholding their personal rights and facilitating activities that provide social capital and connections to the community.

• Leads the identification, facilitation and scheduling of community inclusion activities for assigned program based on feedback from and needs of persons supported, coordinating resources, securing necessary funds and ensuring that activities are completed and appropriately documented.

• Supports provision of appropriate, therapeutically documented levels of supervision to ensure and protect the health, safety and well-being of individuals at all times by ensuring updates and changes to levels of supervision for persons we support are regularly communicated to all staff and appropriately documented; may run shift meetings, assigning duties, completing shift sheet and making recommendations to ensure staff are qualified and able to maintain current prescribed levels of supervision.

• Understands and uses specialized clinical knowledge of person-specific needs and signs or symptoms of ailments/syndromes including mental health/medical conditions to provide effective supports to individuals, identify and escalate concerns to leadership and inform activities, training or specialized education or augmented trainings for staff.

• Stays up to date with current issues, diagnoses, needs and levels of supervision for the persons supported in assigned program under the supervision of BIS.

• Works with BIS to identify habilitative, behavioral and psychiatric needs of the persons supported and to ensure all programming and activities relating to clinical interventions are implemented consistently, in accordance with individualized plans.

• Provides guidance to program staff, setting the appropriate tone and ensuring that the standards of care are followed by modeling excellent counseling skills and interactions with persons supported and through use of person-centered philosophy and tools.

• Implements Behavior Support Plans, demonstrating understanding of behavior as communication and employing person-centered thinking to support positive interactions and prevent further escalation.

• Trains direct care staff individually, on the floor and/or in groups using the EMOE training system to support effective implementation of habilitative and behavioral programming by program staff through regular observations, direct feedback, communicating clinical rationales and ensuring appropriate data collection techniques.

• Serves as lead trainer for weekend staff and supports new staff in developing and demonstrating the OPWDD Core Competencies.

• Participates in the development of treatment plans including individualized habilitative plans, collaborating with BIS to write services, goals, outcomes and/or supports in accordance with the agency philosophy, as determined by assessments of individual needs and learning capabilities.

• Assists BIS with gathering and collecting data required to conduct formal and informal behavioral and habilitative assessments (written questionnaires, standardized tests, rating scales, baseline data, etc.) by conducting observations and/or soliciting information from other direct support staff, circles of support or other sources, as applicable.

• Monitors collection of data used to assess progress toward habilitative and behavioral goals, ensuring that new data sheets are accessible to staff at the beginning of each month and that staff are consistently and accurately collecting and documenting data in accordance with established systems by reviewing documentation, retraining staff and following up as needed; may assist with design of data collection systems for habilitative goals.

• Completes and maintains all required paperwork and documentation for persons supported in appropriate format(s) and file(s) in accordance with applicable requirements including compiling, totaling and summarizing data, writing monthlies describing overall progress and completing person centered materials; reviews and ensures all psychiatric/therapy anecdotals are complete and appropriate and assists other program staff with documentation or compiling information or data, as needed or directed.

• Attends and actively participates in team meetings as a member of the interdisciplinary team (IDT), consulting with IDT to ensure streamlined and top-quality care and providing feedback or ideas to improve supports and/or program operations and updates or changes relating to data management, assessments or programming requirements.

• Regularly participates in life plan and other meetings for persons supported and in regional assistant or other clinical team meetings providing information, contributing to agendas and completing tasks or activities resulting from meetings as directed by leadership team (training, assessments, reviews, etc.).

• Serves as lead on weekend and evening shifts or when otherwise requested, monitoring day-to-day program operations and providing support to staff in the absence of Program Supervisor, Assistant Supervisor and/or BIS. 

• Maintains an awareness of program operations, staff performance and overall condition/wellness of persons supported through regular interactions and observations and by working together with the leadership team to identify and directly address, resolve, recommend actions or solutions and/or appropriately escalating concerns, signs and symptoms, problems or other occurrences.

• Completes and maintains all necessary trainings and certifications, including specialized trainings based on program and to ensure compliance with YAI policies or other applicable rules or regulations and clinical trainings as recommended by BIS, effectively applying skills or teaching others.

• Complies with all Federal, State, Local and other relevant regulatory agency requirements, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

• For certain assignments, may be required to operate YAI motor vehicle to transport individuals to and/or from programs, residences, community or other locations on a daily (or other regular) basis with appropriate credentials.

• Performs all other duties, as assigned

Experienced Assistant BIS may be selected for assignment reporting into the BIS Department, under day-to-day supervision of Program Supervisor and BIS Supervisor performing the following tasks, in addition to the above:

• Provides support and coverage by performing ABIS tasks for multiple programs across assigned region, with assignments of varying length, frequency and schedule as determined by caseload needs and as directed by BIS Coordinator/Supervisor.

• Integrates into assigned program teams, demonstrating flexibility in accommodating the needs of each specific program and provides training on behavioral/clinical system to new staff, as needed.

• Obtains and effectively communicates behavioral/clinical information to interdisciplinary teams and families as directed by the BIS and ensures tracking and completion of follow-ups needed for the people we support across multiple programs.

Schedule Tuesday - Saturday, 3pm-11pm

Minimum Qualification Requirements including education, experience, licensure/certification, etc. and essential physical capabilities (e.g. lifting, assisting lifting, standing, etc.)

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology, social work or closely related Human Services discipline and at least six (6) months of experience working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and/or supporting adults or children with complex social-emotional, mental health and/or behavior support needs in a group or individual setting (home program, day treatment center, school, ABA environment, etc.) or

• Formal training, including college coursework in psychology, sociology, human behavior, mental health, special education and/or I/DD and at least two (2) years of experience as described above; or

• At least four (4) years of experience in a direct care role (e.g. DSP) in a YAI program in good standing; and

• Working knowledge of behavioral/psychiatric conditions, including the interplay between I/DD and other conditions and ability to effectively gather, document and accurately communicate related information to staff, clinical team and/or external providers; and

• Exceptional written and oral communication skills including the ability to professionally, coherently and objectively document services provided and summarize progress for billing and tracking purposes and to effectively convey information regarding individuals supported across various levels and with external providers or circles of support; and

• Ability and willingness to lead, direct and teach others technical skills and/or knowledge, both on-the-job and through formal training in group or individual settings; and

• Must hold foundational certifications for current service setting: Strategies for Crisis Intervention and Prevention – Revised (SCIP-R), CPR (issued by American Red Cross or American Heart Association) and YAI-issued Approved Medication Administration Personnel (AMAP) certification for residential assignments or Day Services Model Mentorship Training for day assignments.

  • Current YAI employees changing settings must obtain AMAP (for new residential assignment) or Day Services Model Mentorship Training (for new day assignment) and any additional certifications as required by program assignment and persons supported within three (3) months of appointment

  • Newly hired employees must obtain (and maintain) required YAI certifications based on setting and program within six (6) months of appointment; and

• Must maintain foundational certifications (as described above) and any required program-specific certifications; or

• Satisfactory equivalent combination of education, experience and/or training; however, all newly hired employees must be at least 18 years old.

• 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.

• Ability and willingness to assist with a variety of supports and ADLs, including regular exposure to and handling of various bodily fluids with limited direction and in accordance with documented plans.

• Strong clinical skills including the ability to assess and analyze information or draw appropriate conclusions, communicate clinical rationales, effectively compile, compare and aggregate data/information; and interpret information.

• Ability to remain calm, act assertively and display professional competence and good judgment in stressful situations, including with challenging individuals or behaviors and work in a high energy, fast-paced environment.

• Proficiency with computers and electronic systems including email, utilizing Workday and/or related systems (DA, etc.) to complete tasks.

• Ability to work on a full-time basis, including at least one regularly scheduled weekend day and 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.

• Ability to travel to regional trainings or meetings at designated YAI locations within assigned region and to locations within NYC metro area on occasion.  

• 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).

ABIS assigned to BIS Department must also meet the following additional requirements:

• Three (3) years of experience working within I/DD field, including at least one (1) year as an Assistant BIS in a YAI program in good standing; and

• Ability to regularly travel to several programs within assigned region and work varying schedules/shifts, as needed; and

• Ability to quickly develop productive working relationships, address team challenges and work effectively with various teams.

Preferred Qualification Requirements (desired requirements beyond MQRs above)

• Active pursuit of a Master’s degree in clinical or treatment field of psychology, social work, school psychology or applied psychology

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology, social work or closely related Human Services discipline

• Two (2) or more years of experience working within the field of I/DD

Compensation $22.37 / hour - $22.37 / hour

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or status as a Vietnam or disabled veteran. YAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer.