Enhanced Services DSP

Position Summary:  Enhanced Services Direct Support Professionals (ESDSP), are responsible for the daily supervision and support in all daily living activities of complex care consumers as identified in the consumer’s Person Centered Plan.  These activities regularly include preparing meals, assisting with eating meals, personal care, bathing, dressing, restroom assistance, administering medications, transferring, and transporting to daily activities and medical appointments. In addition, complex care consumers require additional support, including but not limited to, managing enteral feeding tubes, behavioral management, seizure support, seizure management, tracheotomy care. Candidates accepted into this role will require additional training beyond the standard DSP training. Hiring preference will be given to candidates with CNA certification or other relevant health care certifications or experience. All functions are performed with strict adherence to the applicable Michigan Health Code, MDHHS regulations, and contractual obligations between Listening Ear and community agencies or the State of Michigan.

Reporting and Supervision

ESDSPs report to the Assistant Home Manager or Home Manager of their assigned location.

Essential Job Functions

• Engage with consumers and the Home Manager or other designated staff to identify and implement activities required under the consumer’s Person Centered Plan.
• Perform all Person Centered Plan prescribed activities including, but not limited to, meal preparation, clean-up, consumer hygiene, passing medications, managing enteral feeding tubes, consumer behavioral management, tracheotomy management, and transporting consumers to and from appointments in compliance with relevant laws, regulations, agreements, and Listening Ear standards.
• Accurate and timely completion and delivery of all necessary or required documentation relating to consumer services or home operations.
• Attend and successfully complete all mandatory training and skill development programs, including annual refresher trainings as required.
• Report punctually to work and remain with consumer until relieved from duty by another DSP or supervisor.

This is not an exhaustive list of all assigned duties, responsibilities, or aspects of the job described. Other relevant duties, tasks, or requirements may be assigned to this job any time at the sole discretion of the employer.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Highly desired: CNA certification or related health care certification and experience. May consider significant prior work experience as a Direct Support Professional as equivalent to certification.
• Must possess or acquire a working knowledge of laws, regulations, and methodologies relevant to working with varying degrees of mentally disabled adults including, but not limited to:

• Recipient Rights
• Agency Ethics and the Consumer Bill of Rights
• Person Centered Plans
• CPR
• First Aid
• Safety and fire prevention
• Nutrition
• Prevention of communicable diseases
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously
• Ability to respond to emergency situations in a controlled manner
• Work with professionalism, including empathy, patience, and cultural sensitivity
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license and good driving record

Education and Experience

• Required:  High School Diploma, GED, or be functionally equivalent in reading and writing in English, and basic math.  Must be at least 18 years of age at the time employment begins.
• Preferred: Significant prior experience in a caregiving capacity, particularly for complex care consumers, with a licensed care facility. Post-secondary certification from an accredited Community College or other relevant training program.

Physical and Other Requirements

• Over an 8-hour period: Prolonged standing, regular or intermittent lifting and reaching above shoulders, pulling and pushing, bending at waist, twisting torso, kneeling, walking.
• Ability to lift, carry, and place up to 50#.

All conditional job offers for DSP candidates will require a physical examination by an occupational health clinic, which includes a lifting component and TB test, as well as required criminal background checks.

Schedule, Travel Expectations, Working Conditions

• Full-time ESDSPs can generally expect 40-hour work schedules, with additional hours when necessary to meet the needs of consumers. Additional hours may be planned or unplanned depending upon circumstances.
• Part-time ESDSPs can expect a more disparate work schedule, though only slightly less structured, generally between 20 and 29 hours per week.  Additional hours or shifts may be planned or unplanned depending upon circumstances.
• Schedules generally will remain consistent as to days of the week and/or shifts worked to the extent possible.
• ESDSP jobs are not eligible for a remote work option.
• ESDSPs may be expected to travel to attend required training programs, either at agency facilities or conducted at venues apart from Listening Ear facilities. No overnight travel is expected.
• ESDSPs may be expected to provide services in additional homes within their cohort.