Direct Support Professional

Job Summary

As a Direct Support Professional (DSP) the primary job responsibility is, “helping persons with disabilities to find happiness in their own homes, in their personal relationships and as contributing members of their community.” Work includes assisting each person to live in a home of his or her own, developing and supporting meaningful relationships and becoming a part of and contributing to their community. This position helps achieve CSI’s mission by providing day to day support, teaching, coaching, and supervision. The Direct Support Professional is expected to think independently; to ensure people are supported in a manner that conforms to all applicable policies, procedures, laws, regulations and standards.

Essential Functions, Duties, and Responsibilities

1. Support and implement the CSI mission while empowering each person supported to direct his or her own life.


2. Develop and maintain a positive and effective relationship with persons supported. Interacting positively, actively and respectfully with persons supported.


3. Provide opportunities for learning new skills and having new life experiences.


4. Teach and role-model appropriate social behavior.


5. Provide supports to people by assisting in the development and implementation of their vision statement and in turn all support plans, including personal spiritual growth, assisting people in achieving their personal goals and desires, providing interaction and choices for activities that support a meaningful day, and supporting people to be independent in activities of daily living.


6. Support each person’s optimal health, which includes, but is not limited to administering medications, assisting people to medical appointments, and communicating with physicians and other healthcare professionals.


7. Ensure that people are supported to exercise their rights.


8. Respectfully assists each person with maintaining a clean and safe home that reflects his or her preferences.


9. Obtain and maintains, at least, all required certifications and trainings.


10. Maintain optimal communication and cooperative working relationships with the team, family, guardians and other stakeholders.


11. Assists each person with money management while safeguarding his or her funds.


12. Completes required documentation in a timely manner


13. Adheres to CSI policies and procedures to ensure the safety of persons supported.


14. Perform other duties as assigned.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The DSP’s environment may vary widely each day. He/she may function within a person’s home, including the kitchen and specially equipped bath. He/she may drive a vehicle to support the community activities of a person supported; the vehicle may be that of the CSI or the employee’s personal vehicle. Such activities may include, but not be limited to, shopping, dining out, athletic activities, concerts, movies or religious services. Every effort is made to assign the Direct Care Professional to persons supported with whom they share a personal interest. He/she may be asked to travel with a person supported both in and out of state.

Hazardous material exposure is generally limited to household items such as cleaning items. The duties may present an exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

Required Trainings

Employees are required to be certified in CPR, First Aid, Physical Management techniques (or the equivalent), Medication Administration, Universal Precautions and other OSHA regulations. They must complete and maintain renewals in all trainings listed in the CSI Policy Manual as mandatory trainings.  In addition, there are several county or state-specific training requirements state to state. Such training certificates shall be obtained within the timeframes mandated by CSI policy and the counties and states on whose behalf CSI manages programs. Staff must also be trained in each person’s individualized support plans. Training may require formalized testing.

Job Qualifications

The minimum requirements are a high school diploma or GED, minimum age requirement 20 years functional literacy in math and reading and a valid driver’s license. Candidates must also have a satisfactory criminal, driving and employment history per the CSI Personnel Policy.  An Associate’s degree in a related field of study is preferred.  

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. The ability to physically assist people out of a structure in the event of an emergency.


2. Communicate effectively using English both verbally and in writing


3. Sufficient strength to lift up to 50 pounds for intermittent/ occasional periods and as necessary.


4. Sufficient dexterity to operate standard business equipment and other specialized equipment


5. Vision for everyday reading and the ability to drive.


6. Ability to walk, sit, stand, and climb stairs


7. The ability as necessary to physically restrain individuals who could be a risk of danger to themselves or others


8. Reach and bend at the waist, kneel on the floor and twist without restrictions


9. Reach above waist level, for example, to put groceries away on a shelf


10. Twist at the pelvis


11. Climb stairs


12. Walk ½ mile


13. Kneel so as to perform CPR


14. Move without restriction so as to perform essential job functions