Athelas Institute, Inc.·Ellicott City, Maryland
Provide direct support, guidance, and personal care to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to improve their quality of life. Responsibilities include medication administration, transportation, and maintaining a safe residential environment according to state standards.
$18.81 Position Overview: A Direct Support Professional plays an integral role in a supported person’s life. The DSP will provide assistance, guidance, mentoring, coaching, and teaching in many life areas such as activities of daily living, personal care, life skills, community integration, and transportation navigation. The DSP will assist the supported person in enjoying the life that they want to live and increasing their quality of life by providing excellent services. Essential Job Functions:
Provide direct support, interaction and supervision of the supported persons, inclusive of all daily needs (meals, personal care, transportation, leisure activities, community integration, medical needs and medication administration)
Complete all state and agency required documentation in accordance with stated guidelines and deadlines.
Maintains positive, professional working relationships
Onsite duties required may include general household tasks. Maintain living environment in accordance with COMAR and Health Dept. standards.
DSP will support person in accordance with the Person-Centered Plan, Behavior Support Plan (if applicable), and Nursing Care Plan.
Obtain and maintain Medication Administration Certification through the Maryland Board of Nursing.
Administer and document medications pursuant to State and Agency requirements. All medication is completed through an eMAR. Medication administration follows the DDA nursing delegation model.
Provide transportation via company vehicles to supported persons. DSP must have current Driver’s License and meet the agency driving requirements.
DSP must complete all required and assigned trainings. CPR / First Aid, Mandt Systems, medication technician certification must be refreshed within timelines and certification must have current status.
Attend and actively participate in all scheduled meetings.
Check, and respond to emails daily to maintain proper communication
Staff will be required to utilize agency electronic systems for communication, time and attendance, progress notes, incident report filing, etc.
Treat everyone with dignity and respect at all times, the DSP must provide opportunities for the supported person to engage in decision making, and daily planning.
All other duties that may be requested by Operations Manager and Division Direct
Health: Health, Vision, Dental, supplemental coverage through Aflac. Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Employee Incentives: Company Paid: Short / Long Term Disability Insurance, Term Life Insurance, Tuition Reimbursement Program, Flexible Spending Account, Sunny Day Fund Work-Life Balance: Vacation, Sick, Personal, Bereavement, Jury Duty Financial: 403B plan, Employee Credit Union (SECU) Training: Paid DDA and new hire training's, Paid Red Cross CPR and First Aid Certification Paid Medication Administration Training (If applicable) *Benefit eligibility is dependent on Full or Part time status Please Note: This job description is not all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties as negotiated to meet the ongoing needs of the organization. All working hours and location may be subject to change
Requires a High School Diploma or GED and a valid Driver's License. Preferred qualifications include experience with IDD/DD populations and certifications in CPR, First Aid, and Mandt Systems.
Market context
In Maryland, nursing openings that require an RN and outpatient care experience are typically competitive because employers often want candidates who can step into ambulatory workflows with limited onboarding. Strong applicants usually show familiarity with patient education, care coordination, and fast-paced clinic settings. Review the AI-summarized requirements and benefits on this page to save time, then compare your outpatient experience to the core duties before applying.
