Direct Care Counselor

Job Title: Direct Care Teacher/Counselor

Mission:

Advocacy • Empowerment • Opportunity

Summary:

Provides direct care to individuals through supervision, role modeling and teaching. Complies with all principles of Human Rights, D.P.P.C., Department of Developmental Services, the Division of Medical Assistance and all other applicable funding regulations as adhered to by Lifeworks.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: (Other duties may be assigned)

• Promotes optimal health for individuals through routine, preventive and emergency health care. Ensures that residential environments are safe, secure and where individuals are free from harm.
• Provide education training, counseling, and physical assistance when necessary to achieve ISP goals in the following areas: functional academics, domestic skills health and personal hygiene, social and leisure skills, communication skills, community mobility, self-esteem, money management.
• Develop, write and present annual ISP's and semiannual assessments in consultation with other residential staff and Director.
• Provides transportation to individuals as necessary
• Communicates with persons significant to the individual served (i.e. family, friends, guardians, funding sources, advocates, volunteers, employers) to facilitate consistency of programming and support.
• Performs case management duties including, maintenance of individual confidential files, ensuring cases are reviewed, documentation of activities and training.
• Ability to demonstrate good computer skills as well ability to learn to utilize the agency’s computer programs for documentation of necessary data.
• Attends regular meetings as necessary.
• Other duties and/or assignments to work/program locations based on the needs of the company.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience:

BA/BS in Human Services /related field or associate degree plus 3 years related experience with persons with ID/DD or Human Services or HS Diploma/GED plus 5 years of related experience with persons with ID/DD or human services.

Language Skills:

Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to residents, families, DDS and fellow employees of the organization.

Mathematical Skills:

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Reasoning Ability:

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Vehicle and Travel:

Requires a legally insured and inspected automobile for use to be presented at work and available for use during working hours. If the program has an agency vehicle, staff are expected to drive it as needed.

Certificates, Licenses and Registrations:

Valid and current driver’s license from the state of residency, Medication Administration, First Aid, CPR certifications required.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, sit, and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Work environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate and typical of a residential setting.

During the performance of the duties of this job, the employee can be expected to have meal breaks with the individuals served and to provide them with any assistance that they need during these meal breaks.

Disclaimer:

This job profile identifies the general duties and minimum level of skills required to perform this job. It is not intended to represent comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned. The employee can be responsible for all other duties as assigned by supervisor. Employment at Lifeworks is on an at-will basis. This means that the employee or employer may terminate employment at any time, for any reason or for no reason and with or without prior notice. Nothing in this job description or employee handbook creates an employment agreement, express or implied, or any other agreement between an employee and Lifeworks.