Yai

Special education school with integrated therapies

Community Habilitation Direct Support Professional 2

Residential & Direct SupportConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Part-timeBrooklyn, NY, USA$19.55 /hrIn-person

About the Job

Requirements

Two years of experience as a DSP 1 in a YAI program, or an equivalent combination of education, experience, and training; newly hired employees must be at least 18 years old and have at least three years of direct support professional experience with the intellectual and developmental disabilities population.
Must hold foundational certifications for the current service setting: Strategies for Crisis Intervention and Prevention–Revised, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation issued by the American Red Cross or American Heart Association, and YAI-issued Approved Medication Administration Personnel certification for residential assignments or Day Services Model Mentorship Training. Employees changing settings must obtain the applicable certification within three months of appointment; newly hired employees must obtain and maintain required YAI certifications within six months of appointment.
Must maintain foundational certifications and any additional certifications required by the program assignment and people supported, such as Choking–Return Demonstration, Diabetes Care, or Tube Feeding. Employees changing programs or settings must obtain and maintain applicable certifications within three months of appointment.
Ability to meet the physical demands of the position, including frequent walking, sitting, standing, bending, twisting, stooping, kneeling, crouching, pushing, pulling, reaching, handling objects or controls, assisting with moving individuals using equipment or other staff, and lifting or moving up to 25 pounds on occasion. Must be able to implement emergency interventions in accordance with an individual's Behavior Support Plan, including moving individuals of any weight with or without assistance.
Strong written and oral communication skills, including documenting services for billing and tracking and communicating information about supported individuals with staff at various levels and with external providers or circles of support.
Knowledge of the specific needs of individuals supported in the program, including understanding clinical rationales.
Ability and willingness to assist with and teach others a variety of supports and activities of daily living, including exposure to and handling of bodily fluids, following documented plans and with limited direction.
Proficiency with computers and electronic systems, including email and Workday or related systems such as Digital Agency.
Ability to remain calm, act assertively, and exercise professional judgment in stressful situations involving challenging individuals or behaviors and in a high-energy, fast-paced environment.
Ability to work beyond scheduled hours or shifts and report to work as scheduled on holidays, during inclement weather, or during emergencies to maintain program coverage, unless otherwise authorized.
For assignments requiring transportation of supported individuals, must hold or obtain and maintain a valid driver's license and Van certification, as applicable to the position, location, and program.
A high school diploma or educational equivalent is preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide the overall supervision, protection, and care of supported individuals; assist them in maximizing their strengths, interests, and abilities; uphold their personal rights; and facilitate activities that build social connections and community participation.
Promote health, wellness, and safety by supervising people supported in varied settings and following individualized service and behavior support plans and OPWDD Core Competencies.
Lead during crisis situations by de-escalating issues involving individuals, facilities, or environmental conditions and directing DSP 1 staff in accordance with policies, procedures, and regulations.
Implement person-centered plans, safeguards, Behavior Support Plans, Staff Action Plans, and Life Plans; understand and model the plans' interventions and goals and train DSP 1 staff on them.
Maintain professional conduct, prioritize and complete duties with limited direction, adapt to assignment changes, and interact positively and courteously with others.
Maintain a clean, safe, and organized therapeutic environment; use safe handling procedures and infection-control protocols.
Provide personal care and assistance with activities of daily living, including bathing, dressing, toileting, personal hygiene, laundry, and housekeeping.
Administer medication as prescribed and in accordance with applicable guidelines.
Teach and develop skills, support person-centered advocacy, assist communication and self-expression, help resolve disputes, and facilitate ethical decision-making.
Supervise or plan and prepare balanced meals and snacks in accordance with individual dietary restrictions and guidelines, including modified diets and liquid consistencies.
Transport or escort individuals to recreational activities, medical appointments, home visits, volunteer opportunities, and employment sites; as needed, help establish or create schedules for program activities.
Assist supported individuals with purchases and safeguard personal allowance and other funds provided to them.
Apply specialized clinical knowledge of individuals' needs to provide effective support and inform activities and training, serving as a role model to other staff.
Implement Behavior Support Plans written by a Behavior Intervention Specialist, recognize behavior as communication, and use person-centered approaches to support positive interactions and prevent escalation.
Collect, record, and summarize data on observable behavior; observe and report behavioral changes, symptoms, or concerns to clinical or leadership staff.
Report maintenance, upkeep, and safety concerns at YAI facilities to the Program Supervisor or designee.
Contribute to the support team by providing feedback, communicating program needs, and taking a solution-oriented approach to conflicts; report team-dynamic or individual-support concerns to supervisors, clinical staff, or leadership.
Communicate by phone, email, or in person with families and external providers to share updates or obtain information as directed; as assigned, lead or handle program communications during a shift or regularly.
Complete and maintain required training and certifications and apply the skills to comply with YAI policies and applicable rules and regulations.
Review communication logs and enter events, progress notes, services, and other information; collect and enter operational data in electronic health records such as Digital Agency and electronic Medication Administration Records.
Complete required paperwork and documentation accurately and on time for compliance and billing, including notifications, logs, incident reports, file updates, maintenance requests, phone calls, and incident tracking.
Use foundational and progressive teaching methods, including Explain, Model, Observe and Evaluate, task analysis, essential skills, supports, and modifications.
Attend and participate in interdisciplinary team meetings, consult with the team to support high-quality care, and provide ideas to improve support or operations; as needed, run shift meetings, assign duties, and complete shift sheets.
Use approved YAI and OPWDD training techniques, including verbal, environmental, and physical interventions, to respond to challenging or self-injurious behavior and protect the safety of supported individuals, staff, and others; as needed, train less-experienced staff, redirect staff, or escalate concerns.
Provide coverage for other direct support staff, including at other YAI or off-site locations such as hospitals, and remain on shift as needed to maintain minimum program coverage.
Comply with applicable federal, state, local, and other regulatory requirements, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
As requested, perform, assist with, or guide less-experienced staff in administrative tasks related to financial, clinical, or medical functions, including documentation and entries, in coordination with relevant staff and program leadership.
As needed, participate in implementing new processes, procedures, or systems and provide feedback, training, or instruction to others.
As needed, prepare monthly summaries for supported individuals by reviewing and accurately summarizing progress data from daily notes.
As needed, participate in life-plan meetings and the development of treatment plans.
As needed, guide less-experienced staff in writing services and safeguards, establishing goals, and updating life plans, staff action plans, responses to service, and other documentation or plans.
For certain assignments, operate a YAI motor vehicle to transport individuals to or from programs, residences, community settings, or other locations on a regular basis, with appropriate credentials.
Perform other duties as assigned.

If you are a current YAI employee, please click this link to apply through your Workday account.

About the Position

YAI is seeking a creative, passionate, and highly motivated Direct Support Professional - DSP 2 for our Community Habilitation services in Brooklyn.

As a Community Habilitation staff member, you will be providing one-on-one supports to people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD). You will play an integral role in teaching various life skills while providing recreational opportunities to promote community integration. The goal of this program is to empower the people we support to maximize independence and live fulfilling lives.

YAI's Mission

Ready to join our 4,000+ employees in a career at YAI?

Working at YAI means effecting real change in people's lives. It means going home at the end of the day knowing you have helped someone accomplish a goal. If you want a career supporting others, creatively finding solutions to life's challenges, and building a more inclusive community, YAI is the place for you!

Join us in our mission to create opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live, love, work, and learn in their communities. Learn more at yai.org/careers.

Location

Brooklyn

Schedule

Part time 16-20 hours/week
Schedules generally fall between 3pm-8:30pm

Key/Essential Functions & Responsibilities

Performs all duties of DSP 1, as indicated in job description, ensuring the overall supervision, protection and care of individuals, assisting individuals in maximizing their strengths, interests, and abilities, while upholding their personal rights and facilitating activities that provide social capital and connections to the community.
Ensures health, wellness and safety by providing appropriate supervision of the people we support in a variety of settings, providing support for people with varying levels of need, in accordance with each person’s individualized service and behavior support plans, demonstrating the OPWDD Core Competencies.
Takes the lead during crisis situations, effectively deescalating situations relating to individuals, facility or other environmental issues and directing DSP 1s while adhering to applicable policies, procedures and regulations.
Ensures implementation of person-centered, individualized plans following levels of supervision and safeguards including protective oversight (IPOPs), as well as Behavior Support Plans (BSPs), Staff Action and/or Life Plans for all people we support, demonstrating understanding of and effectively modeling and training DSP 1s on the intentions, related interventions and goals of the plans.
Models professionalism at all times by maintaining a strong allegiance to the persons supported, proactively prioritizing and completing regular duties with limited direction while willingly accepting changes to assignments and approaching others in a positive, supportive and courteous manner.
Maintains a clean, safe and organized therapeutic environment.
Utilizes safe & appropriate handling procedures when working with individuals and implements infection control protocols.
Assists with a variety of tasks for people we support, as appropriate/authorized, including:
- Providing personal care and assisting with activities of daily living (ADLs) including intimate care and personal hygiene (e.g. bathing, dressing, and toileting), laundry and housekeeping.
- Ensuring that medication is administered as prescribed, in accordance with applicable guidelines.
- Teaching/developing skills.
- Supporting person-centered advocacy with the individuals and for individuals with I/DD as a group through participation in formal advocacy efforts and/or groups.
- 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 including for modified diets or liquid consistencies.
- Transporting and escorting individuals on recreational activities, medical appointments, home visits, volunteer and/or employment sites, etc.; may lead establishment and/or creation of schedules for volunteer opportunities, community and/or therapeutic activities for program.
- Assisting people supported with making purchases, as well as safeguarding personal allowance funds and any additional funds provided.
Understands and uses specialized clinical knowledge of person specific needs in program to provide effective supports to individuals and to inform activities and training, serving as a role model for other staff.
Implements Behavior Support Plan as written by Behavior Intervention Specialist (BIS) demonstrating understanding of behavior as communication and employing person-centered thinking to support positive interactions and prevent further escalation.
Collects, records, and summarizes data on individuals’ observable behavior.
Observes and reports any changes in behavior, or other signs and symptoms and/or potential concerns, to clinical and/or leadership team.
Reports maintenance, upkeep and safety concerns observed at YAI facilities to Program Supervisor or appropriate designee.
Serves as a member of a highly effective team (teamwork within the circle of support), providing feedback and communicating programmatic needs to members of team and maintaining a solution-oriented approach during conflicts.
Appropriately communicates concerns and/or issues relating to team dynamics and situations with persons supported to supervisor, clinical staff and/or other leadership for handling.
Communicates by phone, email and/or in person with circles of support, including families and external providers, to provide updates and/or obtain information, as directed by clinical or program leadership; may take the lead or be assigned to handle related communications for program on shift or on a regular basis.
Completes and maintains all necessary trainings and certifications, including specialized trainings based on program and position to ensure compliance with YAI policies and all applicable rules or 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 (e.g. Digital Agency [DA], Electronic Medication Administration Records [eMAR]).
Reviews and completes all other required paperwork and documentation to ensure compliance and/or billing completely, accurately and within appropriate timeframes (e.g., notifications, logging, incident reports, update files, maintenance requests, phone calls, and tracking of incidents).
Uses foundational teaching skills (Explain, Model, Observe and Evaluate [EMOE], task analysis, essential skills, supports and modifications, etc.) and progressive teaching.
Attends and actively participates in team meetings as a member of the interdisciplinary team (IDT), consulting with IDT to ensure streamlined and top-quality care and providing feedback or ideas to improve supports and/or program operations; may run shift meetings, assigning duties, completing shift sheet, etc. as needed.
Utilizes/demonstrates approved YAI and OPWDD training techniques (i.e. verbal, environmental, and physical interventions, including take downs) to respond timely and appropriately to challenging and/or self-injurious behavior, ensuring the health and safety of the people we support, self and others; may provide training to less-experienced staff and redirect staff or escalate concerns to supervisor, accordingly.
Provides coverage for other direct support staff as requested, which may include assisting at another YAI or off-site location (e.g. hospital) based on needs of program and/or individuals supported, including remaining on shift to ensure maintenance of minimum coverage levels for program.
Complies with all Federal, State, Local and other relevant regulatory agency requirements, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
May perform, assist with and/or guide less experienced staff with a variety of administrative tasks relating to financial, clinical and/or medical functions including documentation or entries to ensure quality of notes on a regular or as needed basis working closely with HCS, ABIS, Assistant Supervisor, clinical staff and/or program leadership as requested.
May participate in the implementation of changes, including new processes, procedures or systems, providing feedback, training and/or instructing others.
May assist with or prepare monthlies for persons supported by reviewing and accurately summarizing progress data from applicable daily notes.
May participate in life plan meetings for persons supported and development of treatment plans.
May participate in and/or guide less experienced staff with writing services and safeguards, establishing goals and informing updates to life and/or staff action plans, responses to service (RTS) and other documentation or plans.
For certain assignments, may be required to operate YAI motor vehicle to transport individuals to and/or from programs, residences, community or other locations on a daily (or other regular) basis with appropriate credentials.
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.)

Two (2) years of experience as a DSP 1 in a YAI program; and
Must hold foundational certifications for current service setting: Strategies for Crisis Intervention and Prevention – Revised (SCIP-R), CPR (issued by American Red Cross or American Heart Association) and YAI-issued Approved Medication Administration Personnel (AMAP) certification for residential assignments or Day Services Model Mentorship Training; and
Must maintain foundational certifications (as described above) for applicable service setting; DSPs changing settings must obtain AMAP (for new residential assignment) or Day Services Model Mentorship Training (for new day assignment) within three (3) months of appointment; or
Satisfactory equivalent combination of education, experience and/or training; however, all newly hired employees must be at least 18 years old, have at least three (3) years of direct support professional experience with the I/DD population and must obtain (and maintain) required YAI certifications based on setting within six (6) months of appointment.
Ability to meet essential physical demands of position including frequent walking, sitting, standing, bending, twisting, stooping, kneeling, crouching, pushing, pulling and reaching with hands and arms; use hands to handle, finger or feel objects, tools or controls; assisting with lifting/moving individuals of any weight with assistance of mechanical lifts or other equipment and/or pushing individuals in wheelchairs; lifting and/or moving up to 25 pounds on occasion; having the physical capacity to work with and implement emergency interventions as per the person’s Behavior Support Plan if/as needed, including lifting/moving individuals of any weight with or without assistance of equipment and/or other staff.
Strong written and oral communication skills including the ability to appropriately document services provided for billing and tracking purposes and to effectively communicate information regarding individuals supported across various levels and with external providers or circles of support.
Enthusiasm for working with people with I/DD, willingness to take initiative and ability to demonstrate positivity, patience and empathy and compassion in all interactions.
Knowledge of the specific needs of individuals supported in the program, including a solid understanding of clinical rationales.
Ability and willingness to assist with and teach others a variety of supports and ADLs, including regular exposure to and handling of various bodily fluids with limited direction and in accordance with documented plans.
Proficiency with computers and electronic systems including email, utilizing Workday and/or related systems (DA, etc.) to complete tasks.
Must hold and maintain additional certifications as required by program assignment and persons supported (for example: Choking – Return Demonstration, Diabetes Care, Tube Feeding, etc.); for DSPs changing programs/settings, must obtain and maintain any applicable certifications within three (3) months of appointment.
Ability to develop and maintain professional relationships in alignment with YAI’s mission and vision.
Ability to remain calm, act assertively and display professional competence and good judgment in stressful situations, including with challenging individuals or behaviors and work in a high energy, fast-paced environment.
Ability to work beyond regularly scheduled hours/shift and/or to report to work as scheduled on holidays, in inclement weather or during other emergencies to maintain minimum coverage requirements of program, unless otherwise authorized.
For assignments that require transporting persons supported by vehicle, must hold or obtain and maintain valid Driver’s License and Van certification (based on position/location/program).

Preferred Qualification Requirements (desired requirements beyond MQRs above)

HS diploma or its educational equivalent

Compensation

$19.55 hourly

Benefits

DailyPay available - Work today, get paid today!
Tuition reimbursement
Medical and dental insurance - with options for family and more extensive medical plans, as well as vision (for Full time positions)
Paid vacation, holiday, and sick time (depending on time type)
Retirement Plan with employer matching contributions
Life insurance and long-term disability
Discounts on travel, entertainment, wireless services, shopping, and more. Check out our benefits page to learn more!

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.

About the Company

Yai

Special education school with integrated therapies

Manhattan Star Academy is a private, non-profit day school serving ages 3–21 with developmental needs, offering preschool through upper school under the YAI Network. It combines academics with comprehensive therapies (occupational, physical, speech-language, counseling) delivered during the school day, using a developmentally based, Montessori-inspired approach in small classes. The campus uses sensory-friendly facilities and technology such as smart boards and iPads to support learning and track progress, and it runs a transition program with vocational training and internships. Its differentiators are the integrated therapy model, a specialized environment for neuro-developmental disabilities, and a clear path from early education to post-secondary readiness with individualized support.

Company size: 51-200
Company stage: Seed
Total funding: $330K
Headquarters: New York City, New York
Founded: 2023

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