DC Waiver Verbena - Direct Support Professional
VOA Chesapeake

Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) are responsible for supporting activities of people enrolled in programs and living in homes operated by Volunteers of America Chesapeake (VOAC). DSPs will teach independent living skills to the people and provide support with all activities of daily living. Additionally, the DSP will facilitate community integration, maintain the person's safety and well-being in accordance with the Scope of Work and VOAC policies and procedures while contributing to the upkeep of the program environments.

(Note: In the programs, it is critical for assigned DSPs to understand that all people enrolled are considered "medically fragile and clinically involved." For example, peoples enrolled in these programs, in addition to having developmental and/or intellectual disabilities, may also have complex medical issues, use wheelchairs, oxygen tanks, feeding tubes, or various other adaptive equipment in their everyday lives.)

Qualifications

• Be at least twenty-one (21) years of age
• Earned a high school diploma or GED from an accredited educational institution
• Be able to read, write, and speak the English language and have the ability to communicate with the people to whom services are provided
• Perform basic computer skills

Preferred selection may be given to persons who have:

• Experience in a residential setting serving people with intellectual/developmental disabilities or with other types of special needs populations (rehabilitation settings, nursing homes, psychiatric hospitals, other behavioral health settings, etc.);
• Experience in working with people who are medically fragile and/or have physical limitations;
• Experience in working with Evans Class Monitors, Quality Trust, HRLA, PCR, DDS, DDA in the District of Columbia; and/or
• A current Trained Medication Employee (TME) license for positions in Waiver and Residential Habilitation environments.

Note: A bona fide occupation exception may be established for this position based upon sex/gender when it is necessary to ensure that the needs of the people supported are adequately met.

New Employees must successfully complete:

• All Volunteers of America Chesapeake orientation components
• All New Employee orientation examinations as required by the District of Columbia Department of Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA)
• The Food Handler Certification to operate in DC (Must be obtained within the first 3 months of employment).

*Note: All employees must maintain all on-going training, certifications, and be otherwise compliant and in good standing with all program requirements as a condition of continued employment.

**Note: DSPs working in ICF environments may not administer medications under any circumstances, as this is the responsibility of licensed nursing staff. However, DSPs in Waiver environments, who are currently TME licensed, are required to facilitate medication administration.

OTHER:

• Acceptable background checks in the following:
  • District of Columbia Department of Health Criminal Background Check (DCDOHCBC)
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Fingerprint
  • Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Exclusion Checks
• Negative Drug Screening
• Annual Negative TB Screening and Health Certificate clearance
• CPR/First Aid Certification must be acquired and maintained in good standing once employed
• Driving: Employees must be privileged to drive according to the criteria set forth by VOAC MVR guidelines. Employees must be approved to drive by the VOACC Baseline Criteria and Driver designation review criteria listed below.
  • Possess a valid driver's license in jurisdiction of residence and have been licensed for at least 3 years
  • The Recommended Driver age is between the ages of 25 and 70 to transport people receiving services in company vehicles. (Drivers between the ages of 21 and 25, in order to drive a company vehicle, must have a clean MVR. These staff members are NOT permitted to drive 15 passenger vans.)
  • Company vehicles may include cars, mini-vans, trucks, wheelchair accessible vans and 12 & 15-passenger vans.
  • DSPs are not permitted to drive their own car to transport people receiving services.

PRINCIPLE ACTIVITIES:

• Provides support for people as necessary to ensure needs as identified by the Inter-Disciplinary Team (IDT) are met.
• Communicates with families, members of the IDT, the person's day program and other providers of services and supports as necessary and appropriate.
• Instructs, supports and participates in performing household tasks with people such as cleaning, preparing meals, food shopping, etc. as identified in the ISP.
• Assists people in developing daily living skills by identifying and meeting social, environmental and health care needs.
• Assists people in their daily grooming and personal care routines.
• Implements Non-Violent Crisis Prevention Intervention responses as trained and specified in the person's Behavior Support Plan and ISP.
• Responds, as trained and instructed in emergency medical situations.
• Performs crisis intervention as trained and provides assistance as needed.
• Actively plans, coordinates and participates with people in social activities including frequent community outings.
• Participates in assessment processes and serves on the IDT as appropriate.
• Transports people and/or provides mobility training to assist people to go on appointments, community rehabilitation programs, grocery shopping, etc.
• Documents activities and behaviors of people in files as designated, on data sheets, in log books, and various other forms as required. (This may also include the use of electronic records.)
• Prepares food according to developed menus, menu protocols, peoples' likes and dislikes and prescribed diet.
• Attends staff meetings, training in-services, house and program meetings as directed.
• Ensures compliance with VOAC program requirements, environment-specific rules as well as those regulations from all monitoring entities.
• Inspects the home/program environments and reports repairs and maintenance as needed.
• Ensures fire and other safety procedures are carried out as directed -- including participation in routine fire drills and emergency drills.
• Checks for proper sanitation and security conditions within the home/program environment.
• Notifies supervisor and monitors activities of visitors to the home/program environment.
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of VOAC policies and procedures.
• Understands role as a mandated reporter of suspected abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The physical requirements described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the essential duties.

• The ability to safely operate a motor vehicle to transport oneself, people and program supplies as necessary.
• The ability to operate office equipment requiring continuous or repetitive hand/arm movement.
• The ability to remain in a sitting position for extended periods of time.
• The physical ability to travel to assigned locations, stand, stoop, bend, reach, pull, push, lift, grasp, climb, talk, see, hear and perform basic and light home maintenance activities, and operate office equipment.
• The physical ability to move and lift light objects up to 30 pounds such as mail, supplies, files, and equipment.
• The physical ability to lift, transfer, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.
• The physical ability to lift, transfer, carry, push, pull a person served when required through routine assistance or during an emergency.

EFFECT ON END RESULT:

• To ensure needs of persons served as identified by the IDT are met and satisfaction of the person is achieved.
• To ensure that the program is operated in compliance with the Scope of Work, VOAC policies and procedures and licensing and all Medicaid (ICF, Waiver, and other) regulations.

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.

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