The Direct Support Professional is responsible for the overall supervision, care, and safety of individuals, including implementing behavior support plans and assisting with daily living activities. They must maintain accurate documentation, facilitate community engagement, and provide emotional support while adhering to regulatory standards.
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Key/Essential Functions & Responsibilities
Responsible for the overall supervision, protection, and care of the individual at all times including maintenance of house rules for the protection of individuals, facilitating learning and training in fire safety and identifying and appropriately escalating signs of an individual’s potential harm to self or others.
Provides support in a variety of settings and in accordance with each person’s individualized service and behavior support plans, utilizing support skills for people with moderate to complex levels of need.
Ensures health, wellness and safety by providing appropriate supervision of the people we support and by managing crisis situations while adhering to policies, procedures and regulations.
Ensures implementation of plans of protective oversight, as well Individual Behavior Support Plans (IBSPs)/ Individualized Program Plans (IPPs) for all people we support.
Maintains a clean, safe, and organized work and therapy environment. Ensures maintenance upkeep and safety based on facility/program structure. Utilizes safe & appropriate handing procedures when working with individuals and implements COVID mitigation and infection control protocols.
Assists individuals in maximizing their strengths, interests, and abilities, upholding their personal rights, providing emotional support and building positive relationships.
Supports people to meet personal goals that characterize quality of life, engages in respectful communications/conversations through person-first language, encourages socializing and facilitates activities that provide social capital and connections to the community.
Ensures person-centered plans are implemented and assists with a variety of tasks for people we support, as appropriate/authorized, including:
Providing personal care
Assisting with activities of daily living (ADLs)
Ensuring that medication is administered as prescribed, according to guidelines
Teaching/developing skills
Supporting person-centered advocacy with the individual
Assisting in communication, self-expression and resolving disputes amongst individuals
Facilitating ethical decision making
Providing supervision for and/or planning and preparing balanced meals and snacks for people we support in accordance with dietary restrictions and guidelines of specific individuals.
Transporting and escorting individuals on recreational activities, medical appointments, home visits etc.
Assisting people with making purchases, as well as safeguarding personal allowance funds and any additional funds provided
Completes and maintains all necessary trainings based on program and position to ensure compliance with YAI policies and licensing regulations and applies skills.
Reviews communication logs daily and makes entries of events, progress notes, services and/or information; collects and enters data as part of daily operations using an electronic health record.
Reviews and completes all other required paperwork and documentation to ensure compliance and/or billing, as applicable, completely and accurately and within appropriate timeframes (e.g., notifications, logging, incident reports, update files, maintenance requests, phone calls, tracking of incidents and evening and weekend reports).
Maintains a therapeutic environment through a variety of methods: Personal Outcome Measures, Person Centered Thinking, Informed Decision Making and Trauma-Informed Approaches.
Serves as a member of a highly effective team (teamwork w/in the circle of support), providing feedback and communicating programmatic needs to members of team and maintaining a solution-oriented approach during conflicts.
Consults with program leadership, clinical and other direct support staff to ensure streamlined and top-quality care for individuals and attends and actively participates in team meetings.
Using foundational teaching skills (EMOE, task analysis, essential skills, supports and modifications, etc.) and progressive teaching.
Complies with all Federal, State, Local and other relevant regulatory agency requirements, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Completes and maintains Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) requirements for certification/license (RBT or LPT) and for all other required recertifications and trainings, as needed.
Demonstrates and models all skills of DSP/RBT with a person centered and trauma informed approach
Under appropriate supervision:
Participates in the development of treatment plans
Develops and maintains understanding of specialized clinical knowledge for person specific needs (supporting adults, challenging behaviors, autism spectrum disorders, complex medical needs)
Implements Behavior Support Plans (BSPs).
Collects, records, and summarizes data on observable individual’s behavior.
Observes and reports any change in behavior, or other signs and symptoms, to a supervisor
Effectively communicates with authorized representative regarding individual progress as instructed by the Board-Certified Behavior Analyst.
Performs all other duties, as assigned
Minimum Qualification Requirements including education, experience, licensure/certification, etc. and essential physical capabilities (e.g. lifting, assisting lifting, standing, etc.)
Minimum requirements may vary by state of employment and/or contract. Please refer to applicable regulations for all DSP/RBT requirements for state of employment.
$20.00
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or status as a Vietnam or disabled veteran. YAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
To ensure fairness, safeguard transparency, and promote an equitable workforce environment, YAI Network prohibits the practice of nepotism in the workforce and hiring process.
Market context
Behavioral health positions in New Jersey often draw steady demand from providers serving children, families, and community-based programs. These roles can be competitive because employers commonly look for a master’s degree, a valid clinical license, bilingual communication skills, and child welfare experience. Review the AI-summarized requirements and benefits here to save time, and tailor your application to highlight licensure, language ability, and direct child welfare exposure.
