Location: Medford (with periodic travel to outlying offices)
Type of Position: Hourly, Non-Exempt
Starting Salary: $20/hr paid every other Friday
Benefits: Retirement, PTO, Medical, Dental, Vision and Life for Full Time employees

As a Direct Support Professional on the DSP II team, one of the most important aspects of this position is to provide mentoring, build positive relationships, model and engage in appropriate play, make life fun, help a person feel safe and continue to learn life skills, how to make friends, how to be a friend, and to be the best human possible.

They are deeply knowledgeable of Trauma Informed Care practices, disability-specific support needs, alternative communication methods (electronic, body language, physical, emotional, cues, etc.), and are able to strictly follow all components of a person’s support plans. They have experience working with people experiencing I/DD, mental health disorders, autism, etc. They are committed to building strong partnerships with families and recognize the “team” is all of those who love and support the person, not just those inside PCL. They are committed to helping the person(s) they support to live their best life by providing stable, reliable supports through participating in an on-call system. It is pivotal that people in this position are able to see the bigger picture, this is a path to help someone learn through life’s great, fun, and challenging experiences and experience life to the fullest.

Open DSP II Shifts:

• Full-Time (35 hours a week) Mon - Fri 7am - 2pm

Duties, Responsibilities, And Expectations:
Professional Demeanor:

• Responsible for being aware of your manner, emotional undertones, non-verbal gestures, and tone of voice for positive and respectful communication.
• Maintain professionalism with a demeanor that has a gentle approach, friendly greeting/conversation, a pleasant smile, etc.
• Using Work Appropriate Language.

Interactions:

• Every person who provides care for someone has a responsibility to guide, correct, and help with socialization. Positive guidance is crucial because it promotes a person’s self-control, teaches responsibility, and helps someone learn to make thoughtful choices.
• Show interest and participate in the person’s hobbies, choices, activities, etc.
• Err on the side of least restricted choice whenever possible.
• Parent/Family/Guardian Interactions: Many of our team members will become well acquainted with the parents, family members, and significant others of people we support. This is an important part of providing quality care.

Person-Centered Supports Including, but not limited to:

• Actively look for and provide opportunities to expand the horizons and enhance the quality of life.
• Assist in maintaining and building relationships with people who are not paid to support them.
• Facilitate positive problem-solving, educate, champion, and advocate with the people you support.
• It is essential to provide support in a manner that is doing with, not doing for, as appropriate. This role is not to do things or make decisions for someone without considering their perspective. Partner with them as they build the life they desire.
• Personal Care when Needed.

Mental Health Support Including, but not limited to:

• Knowing the mental health diagnosis(es) and understanding how it affects the person and interfaces with their life experience.
• Attend counseling and psychiatry appointments, providing oral and written follow up.
• Implementing recommendations from mental health professionals including skills training.

On Call Duties:

• On a regular rotation, this position is on-call for for 7 consecutive days in each rotation. The on-call schedule is generally posted 8 or more weeks in advance. 
• While on-call this person is expected to answer all calls coming in on the on-call phone or related to on-call, including; responding to questions, and physically reporting to the home or wherever they are located to provide assistance, support, and/or direct care duties as needed.

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Able to work unsupervised and support people without other team members present
• Ability to learn, understand, and use alternative communication methods (electronic, body language, physical, emotional, cues, etc.) and be able to adjust accordingly.
• Knowledgeable of and regular implementation/use of person-centered tools.
• Ability to emotionally regulate for calm and consistent responses.
• Ability to set healthy boundaries.
• Ability to understand, give regular input, update, and be regularly engaged in contributing and following all components of complex support plans (PBSP, protocols, “My Life, My Way,” etc.).
• Ability to positively review incidents and debrief with the team in order to make adjustments to supports and provide consistency across team members.
• Ability to work with others (team members, family, case manager, school, etc.) to swiftly respond to fluctuating needs.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Must be at least 18 years of age when employment begins.
• Must pass a State/Federal Criminal History Check.
• Ongoing ability to pass a reasonable suspicion and/or random drug screening for all substances.
• Background screening including employment and education history.
• Pre-employment drug screening for the use of illegal substances in Oregon.
• Valid Driver's License with an insurable driving record by PCL’s insurance carrier to drive agency vehicles.
• Be able to be certified and maintain certification with First Aid/CPR.
• Be able to be certified and maintain certification in OIS.
• Pass a second interview to ensure applicants can fulfill the specific job duties of this position.