DS Professional presso Pueblo Diversified Industries (PDI)

Description

Job Title: Direct Support Professional (DS Professional)

Employee Category: Non-Exempt, Full-time

Reports To: Assistant Director of Programs /Enrollments

SERVICE PHILOSOPHY

Pueblo Diversified Industries (“PDI”) is a Colorado Nonprofit Corporation with a mission to create pathways of opportunity where people with diverse abilities thrive through informed choices, meaningful education and employment, premier residential services, and dynamic social experiences.

Pueblo Diversified Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

SUMMARY

The DS Professional performs varied and diverse work and is responsible for person-centered service delivery to PDI individuals served. The DS Professional supervises and supports people served and documents and implements individual service and support plans/Provider Care Plans. The DS Professional works to ensure a safe and healthy environment for each assigned individual served and is held to quality standards of care. Per Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) regulations, DS Professionals must participate in onboarding and ongoing annual electronic and practical DS Professional and program specific training, including but not limited to, medical, behavioral and other protocols and Human Rights Committee (HRC) approved processes for people served. DS Professionals ensure continued compliance with all Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL) standards. DS Professionals ensure a safe and healthy environment for everyone served and always presents self in a professional manner.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Program Assignment
• The DS Professional is assigned to one or more specific programs as explained on the attached “Program Assignment Fact Sheet”, which is part of this Summary Job Description
• The DS Professional ensures he/she adheres to programmatic goals and works in concert with the Assistant Director of Programs/Enrollments to ensure compliance with best practices
• Ensures his/her completion of required electronic and practical DS Professional and program-specific training
• Completes his/her employee evaluation documentation in a timely manner
• Time and Attendance
• The DS Professional monitors his/her time and attendance in the payroll processing system daily
• Clocks in and out in real-time for hours worked and 30-minute lunch break, daily
• Accurately enters Paid-Time-Off requests
• Accurately enters Unpaid-Time-Off
• Approves changes to and entries within his/her electronic timesheet
• Individual Care and Support
• Ensure people served receive appropriate and skillful support with activities of daily living (“ADLs”) as required, including:
• Basic ADLs
• Functional mobility or transferring (moving from one place to another while performing activities)
• Bathing/Showering (Washing the body), if needed
• Dressing, if needed
• Self-feeding (not including cooking or chewing and swallowing)
• Personal hygiene and grooming (including brushing/combing/styling hair), if needed
• Toileting (getting to the toilet, cleaning oneself and getting back up)
• Instrumental ADLs
• Taking medications as prescribed
• Provide one-to-one assistance to people served with lavatory functions and will promptly change and clean people being served with soiling occurs
• Ensure safe transfer, lift usage, and proper position and belt people served in wheelchairs
• Observe closely that people served, and their clothing, are clean and dry
• Individual Management
• Facilitate daily enriching services and activities
• Maintain group supervision and provide person-centered support
• Assist people served with the use of adaptive equipment
• Be flexible and able to rotate schedules according to individual daily needs
• Group Management
• Manage, facilitate and document daily services for an assigned group of people served addressing capabilities such as attention span, social skills, physical recreation and educational abilities
• Monitor and assist people served with their specific needs and goals
• Service Billing and Tracking
• Conduct daily time and attendance tracking and service note entries for person served in database
• Community Liaison
• Network with the community for the best interests of PDI and its individuals served and stakeholders
• Ensure that people served gain awareness of the community and its benefits to them
• Represent PDI professionally in the community

COMPETENCIES

To perform the job successfully, a person should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Adaptability
• Adapt to changes in the work environment
• Able to deal with frequent change, delays or unexpected events
• Analytical
• Synthesize complex or diverse information
• Attendance/Punctuality
• Consistently at work and on time
• Ensure work responsibilities are covered when absent
• Arrive at meetings and appointments on time
• Oral communication
• Speak clearly and persuasively in positive and negative situations
• Listen and get clarification
• Respond well to questions
• Participate in meetings
• Written communication
• Write clearly and informatively
• Edit work for spelling and grammar
• Able to read and interpret written communication
• Customer service (internal and external, including co-workers and individuals served)
• Manage difficult or emotional customer situations
• Respond promptly to customer needs
• Respond to requests for service and assistance
• Meet commitments
• Dependability
• Follow instructions and respond to management direction
• Take responsibility for own actions
• Complete tasks on time or notify appropriate person with an alternate plan
• Design
• Generate creative solutions
• Diversity
• Demonstrate knowledge of EEO policy
• Show respect and sensitivity for cultural differences
• Ethics
• Treat people with respect
• Keep commitments
• Inspire the trust of others
• Work ethically and with integrity
• Uphold organizational values
• Initiative
• Undertake self-development activities
• Take independent actions and calculated risks
• Innovation
• Display original thinking and creativity
• Meet challenges with resourcefulness
• Generate suggestions for improving work
• Develop innovative approaches and ideas
• Present ideas and information in a manner that gets others’ attention
• Interpersonal
• Focus on solving conflict, not blaming
• Maintain confidentiality
• Listen to others without interrupting
• Keep emotions under control
• Remain open to ideas others and try new things
• Judgment
• Be willing to make decisions
• Exhibit accurate and sound judgment
• Support and explain reasoning for decisions
• Motivation
• Demonstrate persistence in overcoming obstacles
• Measure yourself against a standard of excellence
• Organizational support
• Follow policies and procedures
• Complete administrative tasks correctly and on time
• Support organization’s goals and values
• Support affirmative action and respect diversity
• Prioritize and plan work activities
• Planning / organization
• Use time efficiently
• Set goals and objectives
• Problem solving
• Identify and resolve problems in a timely manner
• Gather and analyze information skillfully
• Work well in group problem-solving situations
• Use reason when dealing with emotional topics
• Professionalism
• Approach others in a tactful manner
• React well under pressure
• Treat others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position
• Accept responsibility for own actions
• Follow through on commitments
• Quality
• Demonstrate accuracy and thoroughness
• Apply feedback to improve performance
• Monitor own work to ensure quality
• Quantity
• Meet productivity standards
• Complete work in a timely manner
• Strive to increase productivity
• Safety and security
• Observe safety and security procedures
• Report potentially unsafe conditions
• Use equipment and materials properly
• Teamwork
• Balance team and personal work-related responsibilities
• Exhibit objectivity and openness to others’ views
• Give and welcome feedback
• Contribute to building a positive team spirit
• Put success of team above own interests
• Technical skills
• Assess own strengths and weaknesses
• Strive continuously to build knowledge and skills
• Share expertise with others

Requirements

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

 The DS Professional has no supervisory responsibilities.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL PDI POSITIONS

You must be age 18 or over to work at PDI. You must also pass a pre-hire drug and background screen as well as random drug screens that may occur at any time and without notice while employed by PDI. You must be computer-literate, comfortable with technology with well-developed oral and written communication skills. You must be able to complete and pass First Aid, CPR and other required training.

If the position requires you to drive a PDI vehicle on company business, you must be at least 21 years old and possess a valid driver’s license and agree to a review of your motor vehicle record for addition to PDI’s authorized drivers list. In addition, if the position authorizes you to drive your personal vehicle on PDI business, you must provide proof of automobile insurance and proof of required automobile insurance limits.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

High school diploma or general education degree (“GED”) required; experience working with individuals with disability preferred.

LANGUAGE ABILITY

Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions and procedure manuals. Ability to clearly and legibly write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively with individuals served and their support networks and co-workers.

MATHEMATICS ABILITY

Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals.

COMPUTER SKILLS

To perform this job successfully, the DS Professional must have moderate knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite of products, Internet software, communications systems and specialized software specific to his or her area(s) of responsibility. Knowledge of assistive technology is desirable.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several variables.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The DS Professional works in a variety of environments which, according to Program Assignment, may include the main PDI facility, community business, and the residences of people served. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable persons with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the DS Professional is often exposed to harsh outdoor weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate but can often be elevated and hectic.

POSITION TYPE AND EXPECTED HOURS OF WORK

This is a non-exempt full-time position for a 40-hour work week. An unpaid 30-minute meal period is required for each day worked. Expected hours of work for Day Program and Vocational services are 7:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and may vary based on schedule requirements and may include evening, weekend and holiday hours. Expected hours of work for Supported Community Connections and Living services are contingent upon Individual’s served request for service hours and are typically Monday through Friday and may include evening, weekend and holiday hours.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

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

The DS Professional must often lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, rarely lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and very rarely lift and/or move up to 100 pounds with the aid of an assistive device. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this Job, the Direct Support Professional is regularly required to reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The DS Professional is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The Direct Support Professional is occasionally required to react to and deal with unpredictable behavior by people served.TRAVEL

The DS Professional has no out-of-town travel-related responsibilities. The DS Professional may have certain local travel responsibilities based on his or her program assignment.

OTHER DUTIES

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

PROGRAM ASSIGNMENT FACT SHEET

Individual Entry

Traffic Control and Individual Assistance

• Direct and closely observe vehicles in parking lot and pick-up and drop-off areas
• Assist individuals served as needed in and out of vehicles and while moving in designated pedestrian areas
• Summon and assist individuals served in the afternoon as their rides arrive
• Communicate departure times to sign-out staff as needed

Restroom Assistance

• Assist individuals served with personal needs in restroom
• Launder clothes that are soiled during the day
• Launder bibs and rags used during day program

Lunchroom Management

• Support and supervise individuals served in the lunchroom at breaks and lunch
• Provide personal assistance as needed, including preparation and set-up of food, beverages, utensils and bibs
• Microwave and carry hot items to individuals served and closely observe lunchroom with regard to safety, health and behaviors

Day Habilitation 

• Facilitate planned activities to help individuals served maintain and improve their skills
• Keep individuals served engaged in activities during the day
• Keep accurate notes on individuals served and their progress on specialized goals
• Ensure the safety and wellbeing of each individual being served
• Assist with lunchroom management once each week as assigned (see above)

Supported Living and Community Connections

• Transport individuals served in company vehicles to off-site community resources as directed by supervisor
• Accompany and supervise individuals served at all times
• Activities may include but are not limited to recreation, socialization, communication, skill-building, physical fitness and money management
• Days of week and hours of workday vary based on individual served and overall program requirements
• Follow PDI policies and procedures to be added to its authorized driver list prior to any activities related to the Supported Community Connections program

 Vocational: Prevocational, Supported Employment, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

• Teach job skills to prepare individuals served for community employment
• Pay close attention to detail and work with high accuracy
• Explore individuals served interests and abilities with regard to employment
• Assist individuals served with product and tools to perform their duties
• Coordinate curricula and scheduling of prevocational training classes
• Monitor and interact with individuals served while they are working
• Assist individuals served with personal needs
• Assist with lunchroom management once each week as assigned (see above)
• Accurately clock individuals served in and out of the work environment
• Use accurate job codes for the work of each individual being served
• Assist people served with personal needs including but not limited to lavatory assistance as needed
• Solicit approved local businesses for community-based situation assessment locations
• Schedule PDI and Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (“DVR”) encounters at approved locations appropriate for desired employment outcomes. 
• Conduct CBSAs, transport individuals to and from CBSA locations, supervise and provide instruction specific to the employment opportunity
• Complete job exploration opportunities for individuals receiving prevocational services and assist in the completion of referrals to DVR
• Provide accurate and timely documentation for each individual’s CBSA participation, progress and outcome for DVR and individual plan development
• Conduct employment searches and help complete applications for employment (paper-based and online) with and for individuals
• Accompany individuals to employment interviews, provide coaching and support for employment interviews, complete timely and accurate documentation of participation, progress and outcome
• Provide employment coaching during each assigned individual’s hours of employment and complete timely, and accurate documentation of participation progress and outcome
• Solicit volunteer opportunities in the community for individuals in services
• Provide transport and support for job exploration and volunteer opportunities for assigned individuals in services
• Follow PDI policies and procedures to be added to its authorized driver list prior to any activities related to the Vocational Program