Direct Support Professional (DSP)

Department: Residential Services

Reports To: Residential Coordinator/Director

Schedule: Primarily 3:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m., expected to fill in and work holidays

Status: Full-Time, 40 hours

Position Summary:

The Residential Specialist is a senior direct-support position responsible for helping oversee the daily operation of assigned residential homes during the 3:00–11:00 p.m. shift. This position provides hands-on support to individuals while offering leadership, direction, and accountability to residential staff.

The Residential Specialist ensures individuals receive safe, respectful, person-centered services and that each home operates according to Journeys' policies, individual support plans, medication requirements, HCBS settings expectations, and applicable state regulations.

This employee serves as a primary point of contact during evening hours and is expected to identify concerns, make sound decisions, support staff, and promptly communicate significant issues to residential leadership.

Essential Responsibilities

Individual Support and Quality of Life

• Provide respectful, person-centered assistance based on each individual’s preferences, abilities, goals, and support plan.

• Promote independence, informed choice, privacy, dignity, community participation, and meaningful relationships.

• Ensure individuals are actively involved in planning their evenings, meals, activities, personal routines, and community outings.

• Assist with personal care, hygiene, meals, mobility, household responsibilities, transportation, and other daily living needs.

• Encourage individuals to develop skills rather than completing tasks for them when they can participate safely.

• Ensure individuals have access to their personal belongings, food, visitors, communication, and community activities consistent with HCBS requirements.

• Recognize and immediately report suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, mistreatment, or rights violations.

Evening Home Operations

• Help oversee the operation of assigned residential homes during the 3:00–11:00 p.m. shift.

• Visit and monitor assigned homes as directed by residential leadership.

• Confirm that staffing coverage is adequate and notify leadership immediately of call-ins, late arrivals, no shows, or unsafe staffing situations.

• Help arrange approved coverage and provide direct support when necessary.

• Ensure evening routines, meals, medications, activities, appointments, and household responsibilities are completed.

• Verify that homes remain clean, organized, safe, and welcoming.

• Check food supplies, household necessities, medication supplies, and other essential items.

• Report maintenance, vehicle, safety, staffing, or supply concerns promptly.

• Ensure doors, medications, confidential information, and agency property are properly secured at the end of the shift.

• Provide an accurate handoff to overnight staff and residential leadership.

Staff Leadership and Accountability

• Serve as a dependable shift leader and positive example for Direct Support Professionals.

• Assign and coordinate evening responsibilities when needed.

• Provide staff with clear direction regarding individual needs, schedules, support plans, household routines, and documentation requirements.

• Monitor staff performance and address immediate concerns respectfully and professionally.

• Coach staff on person-centered supports, professional boundaries, communication, documentation, and household expectations.

• Ensure staff remains awake, attentive, engaged, and available to individuals throughout the shift.

• Monitor compliance with agency expectations, including appropriate phone use, transportation safety, medication procedures, attendance, dress, confidentiality, and respectful conduct.

• Document and report performance concerns, policy violations, conflicts, or repeated failure to complete assigned duties.

• Assist with training and mentoring new residential employees.

• Promote teamwork and help resolve routine concerns before they disrupt services.

• Contact residential leadership when a situation exceeds the Residential Specialist’s authority or presents a significant risk.

Medication and Health Responsibilities

• Administer or supervise medications only when properly trained, delegated, and authorized.

• Follow medication administration records and agency medication procedures.

• Ensure medications are administered and documented accurately and on time.

• Review medication records for missing signatures, refusals, errors, or other concerns.

• Immediately report medication errors, adverse reactions, injuries, seizures, illness, or significant changes in condition.

• Follow medical protocols, physician orders, emergency procedures, and nursing instructions.

• Assist individuals with scheduled medical appointments or healthcare needs when assigned.

• Maintain accurate communication with nursing and residential leadership regarding health concerns.

• Call 911 when an individual’s condition presents an immediate medical or safety emergency.

Behavior and Crisis Support

• Understand and follow each individual’s behavior support plan, risk-management plan, safety plan, and crisis procedures.

• Use approved positive supports, redirection, de-escalation, and trauma-informed practices.

• Assist staff during behavioral or emotional crises while protecting the individual’s dignity and safety.

• Ensure prohibited practices, punishment, intimidation, unnecessary restrictions, or unauthorized interventions are never used.

• Complete and submit required behavior tracking and incident documentation.

• Notify appropriate leadership of significant behavioral changes, threats, aggression, elopement, law enforcement contact, or other serious concerns.

Documentation and Communication

• Review shift documentation for completeness, accuracy, and professionalism.

• Ensure progress notes describe services provided, individual participation, progress toward goals, choices offered, and significant events.

• Complete medication records, behavior tracking, financial documentation, vehicle logs, appointment records, household checklists, and incident reports as required.

• Ensure documentation is completed before staff leaves the shift.

• Protect confidential information and follow HIPAA requirements.

• Communicate important information to incoming staff without discussing confidential information in inappropriate locations or with unauthorized individuals.

• Provide timely updates to residential leadership, nursing, case management, guardians, or other authorized parties as directed.

• Never alter, falsify, backdate, or direct another employee to falsify documentation.

Safety and Emergency Response

• Conduct routine safety checks of assigned homes and vehicles.

• Identify and report hazards, damaged equipment, missing medications, unsecured items, or unsafe conditions.

• Ensure emergency exits and pathways remain clear.

• Follow fire, severe-weather, missing-person, medical-emergency, and evacuation procedures.

• Assist with emergency drills and verify that required safety checks are completed.

• Remain at the assigned location until properly relieved. Employees may not leave individuals unattended or abandon the shift.

• Cooperate with investigations, corrective actions, and quality-assurance reviews.

Transportation and Community Activities

• Transport individuals in agency or approved vehicles when authorized.

• Maintain a valid driver’s license and an acceptable driving record.

• Follow all traffic laws and agency transportation policies.

• Ensure seat belts and required safety equipment are used.

• Never text, use a handheld phone, speed, drive recklessly, or transport unauthorized passengers.

• Support individuals in participating in safe, meaningful community activities based on their interests and choices.

• Maintain appropriate staffing ratios and supervision while in the community.

Financial and Property Responsibilities

• Follow agency procedures when assisting individuals with personal funds.

• Maintain receipts, transaction records, cash counts, and required signatures.

• Protect individuals from financial exploitation or unauthorized purchases.

• Never borrow, accept, exchange, or use an individual’s money or property for personal purposes.

• Safeguard agency keys, vehicles, credit cards, purchasing cards, equipment, and other property.

• Report missing funds, receipts, keys, medications, or property immediately.

Decision-Making Authority

The Residential Specialist may provide shift direction, reassign routine duties, address immediate performance or safety concerns, and contact available staff regarding approved coverage procedures.

The Residential Specialist must contact residential leadership regarding:

• Serious injuries or medical concerns

• Suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or rights violations

• Medication errors

• Missing individuals or elopement

• Law-enforcement involvement

• Significant behavioral incidents

• Unsafe staffing levels

• Staff abandonment or refusal to perform essential duties

• Major property damage or vehicle accidents

• Any situation involving substantial risk or requiring administrative approval

This position does not independently hire, terminate, suspend, change employee pay, approve overtime, modify support plans, authorize restrictive interventions, or make medical decisions unless specifically authorized.

Professional Expectations

The Residential Specialist must:

• Treat every individual, coworker, family member, and community partner respectfully.

• Maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality.

• Remain calm and solution-focused during stressful situations.

• Report concerns honestly and promptly.

• Follow the chain of command while acting immediately when health or safety is at risk.

• Avoid retaliation against anyone who reports a concern.

• Model Journeys’ commitment to focusing on abilities, supporting individual choice, and providing dependable, high-quality services.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.

• At least one year of experience supporting individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities preferred.

• Previous residential, DSP, team-lead, healthcare, or supervisory experience strongly preferred.

• Must meet all Kansas HCBS provider and agency employment requirements.

• Must complete required background checks and registry screenings.

• Must possess a valid driver’s license, acceptable driving record, and required vehicle insurance when applicable.

• Must complete medication administration, CPR/First Aid, crisis intervention, rights, abuse and neglect, HIPAA, emergency preparedness, and other required training.

• Must demonstrate dependable attendance, professional judgment, effective communication, and the ability to lead others.

• Must be able to use electronic documentation and communication systems.

Physical and Scheduling Requirements

• Ability to stand, walk, bend, reach, assist with transfers, and perform household duties.

• Ability to safely provide the level of physical assistance required by assigned individuals.

• Ability to respond quickly during medical, behavioral, or environmental emergencies.

• Ability to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and additional hours when scheduled or approved.

• Regular and reliable attendance is an essential function of this position.