• THIS APPLICATION COULD TAKE 30 MINUTES TO COMPLETE * STARTING PAY: $13.00 PER HOUR / FULL TIME POSITION - Must be available to work flexible schedules 24hrs/ day 7 days / week
• This employee must be comfortable working with persons having a variety of disabilities and many levels of competency and dependency. This employee must be able to support the age-appropriate interest and needs of participants.

GENERAL FUNCTION:

The Direct Support Worker - Field ASSISTANT (DSW-FA) works across all teams and in any and all participant homes. The DSW-FA is responsible for assisting the professional service teams in the execution of habilitation and rehabilitation plans for those with intellectual and other developmental disabilities, including behavioral or mental health needs. The DSW-FA’s role is to recognize that men and women with intellectual disabilities can learn and enjoy growing in skill and knowledge and that they can live their lives as full community citizens and with fully vested rights if they are provided the correct supports. The DSW-FA supports participants’ abilities to learn by showing them how to do things, engaging them in doing things for themselves to the best of their abilities, completing activities for them when needed, and providing repetition of these learning opportunities, even when the progress is slow. The DSW-FA knows that he or she is there to teach and support the everyday things and activities of a normalized life and the abilities and activities that lead to as much independence of the supported persons as possible for fully satisfying community lives.

This DSW-FA addresses needs with strategies described in the Individual Service Plan of a supported person with very complex physical, medical, mental health, or behavioral needs. While the listed functions are very similar to DSW-FA, the DSW-FA position differs in that it requires a higher level of specific skill to address the most complex physical or behavioral needs. The DSW-FA assists the individual or individuals with whom he or she works in obtaining benefits such as housing, food stamps, or other life sustaining governmental services that have been identified as needed. He or she provides modeling and instruction for developing and maintaining community relationships that are compatible with the individual’s needs and interests. He or she assists the individual in developing socially appropriate behaviors or in accessing therapeutic services to do so. He or she communicates regularly with the manager regarding the effectiveness of the individualized plans and any needed changes in those, reports changes observed in the needs of the supported individuals, and does so immediately if those changes affect health or safety, are medical emergencies, are related to issues of suspected abuse or neglect, or are a request for changes in services. He or she works closely with management and staff development to provide mentoring to incoming staff.

QUALIFICATIONS:

· Must be at least 21 years of age;

· Must have a current and valid driver’s license (no suspensions or blocks);

· Must have dependable vehicle including current inspection sticker, license plate and insurance;

· Ability to follow (operationalize and document) multiple participant’ plans of care

· Ability to assess, instruct, and support social needs of those served

· Ability to teach basic concepts of daily living

· Ability to assess and provide for personal care needs

· General knowledge of community resources

· General knowledge of personal health and personal/home safety

· Knowledge of basic nutrition and the ability to cook

· Ability to organize, clean and maintain a household

· Ability to handle and use adaptive equipment including wheelchairs, walkers, lifts, etc.

· General knowledge of financial matters (general banking/budgeting skills)

· Must be available to work flexible shifts which include days, evenings, overnight, weekdays and weekends;

· Must be available to work 35-40 hours each week.

Demonstrated ability to:

• Read, comprehend and implement program guidelines and standards as required by Medicaid and by ARCO;
• Articulate and follow ARCO’s philosophy
• Model behavior that represents the values of ARCO;
• Function according to the policies of ARCO;
• Model behavior and interactions appropriate to community standards

• Meet Core Standards
• Facilitate community connection;
• Write with clarity;
• Communicate in a way which promotes positive and personal growth of the individual

• Assure individualized programs are carried out accordingly;
• Safely transport passengers when needed.

• Is preferred but not required.