Direct Support Professional - Youth Care - Residential Treatment Center

Direct Support Professionals (DSP) in our Residential program assist youth in identifying, and acquiring skills and self-esteem need to establish and achieve personal goals. Direct Support Professionals assist individuals in identifying and/ acquiring skills and self-esteem needed to establish and achieve personal goals.  Full-time or Part-time Evening and Weekend positions available.

DSPs are responsible for the direct care of individuals served including transportation, instruction on life skills, implementing daily routine, provide recreational opportunities, dispensing medication, and assuring that the environment is safely managed. Direct Support Professional also assume responsibility for documenting individual behaviors, participating in treatment teams and service plan reviews, and preforming physical interventions in regards to an individual’s Treatment Plan and Behavioral Support Plan (BSP), and completes other responsibilities as properly assigned.

Primary Duties & Essential Functions:

Maintains and utilizes sound working knowledge of all standards (OCFS, CSE, HIPPA), as measured by:  Attends orientation, residential divisional day, therapeutic crisis intervention, CPR/First Aid and Med training, Monthly house audit, monthly fire drills, and OCFS annual fire safety audit.

• Employs procedure, which maintain an environment of care that is safe.


• Awake position.


• Provides direct care to individuals.


• Implements daily schedules, including all routines recreational opportunities and life skills activities.


• Able to be med certified to dispense medication.


• Transports individuals as assigned.


• Assists assigned individuals with specified tasks as designated by individual service plan.


• Participates in the treatment team or recommendation process.


• Fundamental knowledge of individuals developmental stages.


• Learns and practices agency policies and procedures.


• Learns and implements each individual’s treatment plan and Behavioral Support Plan (BSP).


• Provides coverage as assigned. Remains on duty until properly relieved.


• Will work in conjunctions with assigned supervisor to ensure full compliance with all mandatory trainings.


• Maintains the residence in full compliance with agency state regulatory standards.


• Proactively and effectively liaisons with the maintenance department.


• Ensures the residence is secure at all times (windows/doors/offices locked).


• Leans and implements daily routine and program expectations.


• Liaison with inter disciplinary team (clinical, health services, education).


• Facilitates and participates in all recreational opportunities on and off grounds.


• Upon arrival reviews all logs and completes briefing.


• Completes all necessary communications, documentation's, and loggings.


• Properly notifies and/or consults with the shift AOD.


• Proactively and effectively liaisons with other disciplines.


• Completes notifications to families, external agencies (county, policy) as prescribed by policy and procedure.


• Daily review of messaging systems (email, voice mail, inter office mail).


• Adheres to timelines and deadlines.


• Attends scheduled meetings (house issue group, treatment teams, supervision, and committees).


• Adheres to HIPPA standards.

Required Education, Knowledge and Skills:

• High School Diploma or General Educational Development.


• Associates Degree preferred.


• Able to write legibly.


• Basic computer literacy.

Abilities and Working Conditions:

• Physical and TB annually


• Must be able to lift 25 pounds


• Must be able to stand and run for moderate periods of time


• Must have a valid NYS driver's license


• Must be able to perform restraints and maintains TCI certification


• Willingness to respond to the needs of a culturally diverse population


• Ability to be mobile in a two-story living unit

Compensation: $18+ an hour depending on experience and education.

Vanderheyden is committed to the National Sanctuary Model - a blueprint for clinical and organizational change which, at its core, promotes safety and recovery from adversity through the active creation of a trauma-informed community.  The Sanctuary Model's focus is not only on the people who seek services, but equally on the people and systems that provide those services.

Vanderheyden Hall Inc., as an Equal Opportunity Employer, does not discriminate in its hiring or employment practices on the basis of gender, race or ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, military or marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, prior arrest or conviction record or any other category protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.