Direct Support Professional - Full Time/Part Time (various locations and shifts)

General Responsibilities: The mission of the Babcock Center is to empower people with lifelong disabilities to enjoy life by promoting abilities and respecting choice. The Direct Support Professional (DSP) is expected to provide training and support to the people who live in a residential home by performing supported routines and repetitive duties that are outlined in the Babcock Centers policies and procedures.

1. Assists people who live in the house to complete supported routines in personal hygiene, menu planning, grocery shopping, food preparation, family style dining, grooming, dressing, safety, cleaning, bathing, shaving, dental and oral hygiene, deodorant use, financial management, bed making, dining, laundry, household chores and any other needs identified by the Interdisciplinary Team. The DSP will assist individuals only to the extent that assistance is needed to promote greater independence. The DSP will focus on supporting and training each person to become more independent or to slow down the rate of regression.
2. Performs the above duties with or for the supported person when they are unable to perform the task independently or if the person refuses to do so, causing a living situation that threatens the health and safety of the person.
3. Encourages supported persons to manage their own lives by offering choices and respecting the individuals personal preferences and goals.
4. Demonstrates Babcock Centers motto, which is Promoting abilities and respecting choice.
5. Becomes knowledgeable of and adheres to Babcock Centers policies and procedures.
6. Attends scheduled staff meetings and other meetings as appropriate.
7. Attends and participates in in-service trainings as scheduled.
8. Reports any problems with safety, security, health issues or behavior issues to supervisor. For health issues that need immediate attention, the DSP calls 911 and notifies the nurse.
9. Maintains and documents accountability on all supported persons inside and outside of the home.
10. Maintains overnight accountability at out of town conferences and trips if supported people choose to attend such events, at the same level as set by the Interdisciplinary Team.
11. Works in other houses or locations if needed, as assigned by supervisor, within a reasonable distance from the primary duty site. This may include sitting with a supported person in the hospital or taking persons to doctors appointments.
12. Continues at work until relieved, including during inclement weather and emergency situations.
13. Safeguards the confidentiality of all people receiving supports.
14. Carries out instructions issued by supervisory staff concerning medically-prescribed diets, grocery shopping to adhere to medically-necessary diets, supply needs, special medical problems, special monitoring and other similar duties as assigned.
15. Completes both electronic and paper documentation on each shift to include: T-Logs, S-Comms, GERs (General Event Reports), training data, DARs, activity rosters, vehicle mileage logs, vehicle cell phone logs and others as directed.
16. Ensures that people are supported to dress appropriately for the weather.
17. Sits at the dining table with supported persons during meals to assist with the meal and to model proper table manners, not including SLP I and SLP II locations.
18. Becomes knowledgeable of the dietary needs of persons supported so as to guide each person to be aware of and abide by dietary restrictions if any, prepare food with proper textures and to consume nutritional supplements if needed.
19. Ensures overall cleanliness of the home by supporting the occupants of the house to perform household chores.
20. Encourages community involvement by assisting people to find interesting, meaningful activities and by transporting individuals to and from work and recreational leisure activities outside of the home.
21. Participates and assists in recreation/leisure activities in the home with those receiving supports.
22. Implements the Plan of Supports for each person supported to include: objective training, medication self-administration, behavioral supports and other needs as planned by the Interdisciplinary Team.
23. Maintains a valid SC Drivers License with a good driving record in order to drive company vehicles. Reports any moving vehicle citations to the supervisor, whether incurred on or off duty.
24. Completes the Babcock Centers orientation and maintains certification in the identified areas.
25. Departs work at the end of the shift only when he/she has been properly relieved of duty.
26. Complies with random drug testing and SLED checks as directed by supervisory personnel.
27. Performs other duties as assigned.

A high school diploma or a GED is required for the position of Direct Support Professional. The DSP must be at least eighteen (18) years of age with three (3) years driving experience and a good driving record. The DSP must maintain approved driving status with the Babcock Center and must have and maintain a clean law enforcement record.

Working Conditions:

The DSPs schedule is subject to change as dictated by the needs of those who live in the home. This position is eligible for overtime after working 40 hours in a week. The DSP may be subject to falls, infectious diseases, odors, noises and physical injuries due to behavior interventions. In the event of a natural or man-made disaster, the DSP may be required to work in extreme circumstances to assure the safety and well being of those receiving supports.

Supervision:

The Direct Support Professionals immediate supervisor is the House Manager.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

The DSP is required to supervise and support each person who resides in the home, whether they are in or out of the home on an activity. The DSP is expected to conduct him or herself in such a manner as to be a good role model for the people receiving supports.

Relationships and Contacts with Others:

The DSP is expected to treat the people who are receiving supports with dignity and respect. The DSP is expected to develop and maintain cooperative working relationships with all staff from all departments. When dealing with parents, family members, friends, other agencies and the public, the DSP is expected to represent the agency appropriately and conduct him or herself in a professional manner. The DSP is to demonstrate the professional characteristics of integrity, compassion, accountability, respect and excellence.

Typical Physical Demands:

Sitting, standing, bending, stooping, reaching, frequent lifting and manual dexterity sufficient to perform CPR from the floor position. This position requires constant movement to attend to the required needs of those supported. Must have normal range of hearing and vision in order to drive passengers. The DSP will be expected to safely lift 50 lbs. or ¼ of their body weight, whatever is less. The DSP will be expected to use, with proficiency, adaptive devices for people supported including lifting and transferring equipment, communication devices, adaptive dining equipment, gait belts, walkers, braces, wheelchairs and accessories as deemed appropriate by a persons Interdisciplinary Team.

Typical Mental Demands:

Must be able to deal with stress associated with fast-paced work environments and multitasking, formulate decisions and act upon them, adapt to changing work situations, grasp and apply new ideas, communicate with various personalities at all levels and maintain confidentiality of all sensitive information. Must be able to learn and use electronic technology.

Hazards/Potential Hazards:

Climbing, biological/infectious wastes, cleaners/solvents, disinfectants, electrical and ergonomic hazards including lifting, pushing, pulling, twisting, hazardous waste, latex allergy, sharps (needles, broken glass and similar objects), soaps/detergents and wet surfaces.