Job Information
St. Catherine's Center for Children Direct Support Professional in Albany, New York
Position Title: Direct Support Professional
DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL
Position : Direct Support Professional
Type: Full-time; Non-Exempt
Pay Range: $ 20 – $ 23.46 (per hour)
Location: Albany, New York
Shifts (all include at least 1-2 weekend days):
5 Days - 3:00pm - 11:00pm
4 Days - 1:00pm - 11:00pm, Overnights - 11:00pm - 9 :00am
2 Days - (Saturday + Sunday) - 7:00am - 3:00pm
About Us:
St. Catherine’s Center for Children is a non-profit organization located in the Greater Capital Region of New York. We offer a wide array of human services designed to meet the needs of vulnerable children, families and adults, including residential and therapeutic foster care programs for children and youth, Kinship support, homeless and community-based services for adults and families, a special education elementary school for ages 5-13, and so much more. St. Catherine’s is committed to cultivating a culture where all employees feel safe to bring their authentic and best selves to the workplace. Our DEIB initiatives are designed to foster an equitable, inclusive and diversified workplace; collaboratively embracing mindfulness, relevance, respect and solidarity.
Our Mission:
St. Catherine's Center for Children provides a comprehensive range of human services designed to offer hope, foster growth, and improve the lives of the children, families and adults we serve.
Position Overview:
The Direct Support Professional (DSP) is responsible for the children in the Residential Program, helping to manage their physical, emotional, and treatment needs. Candidates with relatable life experience are encouraged to apply!
Duties & Responsibilities include:
Under the oversight of the Program Manager, implement the standards developed to maintain a therapeutic, child centered treatment environment.
Remain in sight and sound of the clients of the residential program.
Implement children’s treatment plans as directed by the Treatment Team.
Attend, successfully complete, and maintain Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Training Certification.
Properly exercise TCI techniques, which may include physical restraints, when necessary.
Complete all forms required to document treatment services on a timely basis, according to departmental or agency requirements.
Participate in the daily routines and activities of the children in accordance with current standards of therapeutic treatment of children and the philosophy and mission of St. Catherine’s Center for Children.
Responsible for reviewing all pertinent documentation and emails at the start of each shift.
Attend, as an active participant, all treatment meetings, staff meetings and mandated trainings.
Participate in the general upkeep of the physical environment. Everyone is responsible for housekeeping tasks.
Receive and maintain van certification; complete required van inspections and check the log and report the vehicle maintenance needs to the Transportation Supervisor, and the Program Manager, including the monitoring of fuel for assigned Agency vehicles.
Attend and successfully complete the Medication Administration Certification Course, and maintain medication certification. When assigned, administer medication as assigned, according to agency protocols.
Maintain a good attendance record, in keeping with Agency and departmental policies and procedures.
Lead daily group and individual activities with clients that are actively engaging and therapeutic.
Carry out other directives as requested by the Program Manager, Treatment Team and the Director, Residential Services.
Attend all required Agency trainings, (e.g., New Employee Orientation, TCI, First Aid/CPR, etc.)
Additional position-related duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Program Manager, or the Director, Residential Services.
Organizational Relationships:
The Direct Support Professional (DSP) reports to the Program Manager. The position serves as a member of the Residential Treatment Team.
Essential Functions:
Ability to understand, communicate, represent, and carry out the mission, values, philosophy and policies of St. Catherine’s Center for Children.
Must have the ability to provide therapeutic intervention for children as appropriate. Ability to understand and use all techniques involved in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention.
Must be comfortable with the possibility of performing physical interventions as needed.
Ability to complete written documentation as required by the position.
Ability to communicate effectively in oral and written form with members of an interdisciplinary team.
Demonstrated ability to meet the therapeutic needs of children who exhibit significant emotional, behavioral & interpersonal challenges as well as mental health diagnoses and trauma history.
Ability to work effectively as a team member in a shared decision-making model.
Ability to perform well under crisis conditions.
The DSP will have access to highly sensitive records, with access to client Protected Health Information (PHI), in order to carry out the duties and responsibilities of this position. This includes Treatment Plans, Intake information and Assessments, Psychological and Psychiatric reports. The individual in this role comprehends and actively institutes safeguards to protect client and family confidentiality in all aspects of residential work. Therefore, the ability to meet all HIPAA requirements and maintain strict client confidentiality is expected and required.
Ability to conduct themselves in a manner that is becoming of an employee of St. Catherine’s Center for Children.
Ability to carry out written documentation as required by St. Catherine’s policies and procedures and as required by regulating agencies.
Ability to organize and effectively manage (in a timely manner) the varied tasks of the position.
Ability to work collaboratively with other personnel, service providers or professionals.
The skills to develop healthy relationships with the clients of the Residential program.
The capacity to maintain a helping role and to intervene appropriately to meet service goals.
Position Requirements:
A High School diploma or equivalency is required;
Associate’s degree or higher in Human Services or related field is preferred.
In lieu of a college degree; a combination of relevant professional experience and relatable life experience will be considered.
Formal crisis intervention training is preferred (TCI, SCIP, etc.).
A current Clean and Valid New York State Driver’s License (actively licensed at least one year) is required.
Staff in driving positions must be able to meet agency’s minimum requirements of our insurance policy for authorized drivers; including, but not limited to the minimum age of 21 at time of hire.
Completion of Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) training (must be completed within 90 days from date of hire).
Certification to administer medication is required (must complete St. Catherine Center for Children’s Med Certification course within 90 days from date of hire).
Van certification through Agency training (must complete St. Catherine’s Center for Children’s Van Certification within 90 days from date hire).
Professional experience working with Children who exhibit significant emotional, behavioral & interpersonal challenges as well as mental health diagnoses and trauma history.
Previous experience working in a human services agency is a plus!
Proficiency in computer applications: Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel), Google Business Workspace Suite (Gmail, Google Docs, Meet, Sheets, etc.), and secure Internet practices.
Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills; Capable of building strong working relationships with regulatory bodies.
Self-motivated and engaged, with a strong attention to detail; Excellent writing aptitude.
A compassionate, warm and caring mindset; Capable of exhibiting empathy for those in crisis.
Capacity and openness to work with populations from culturally diverse and economically disadvantaged backgrounds, including but not limited to a broad range of people with various developmental and functional levels.
Qualities of positivity, flexibility and adaptability; A professional record of integrity, proven reliability and dependability.
Capable of exercising ethical, independent judgment and discretion, handle sensitive data with strict confidentiality.
Ability to pass extensive pre-employment background check requirements, including fingerprinting.
What We Offer*:
Competitive Pay with an Excellent Benefits Package
Health Insurance options*: Medical, Dental and Vision
$600 Well-being Reimbursement Benefit*
Generous Combined Leave Time (CLT) and Paid Holidays*!
$500 Employee Referral Bonus*
We are a 501(c) (3) agency, which is a qualifying employer for eligible staff under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program*
Pension Plan with Aggressive Agency contribution*
Life Insurance* – Automatic Benefit at no cost to employee
Paid Training, including TCI and CPR/AED/First Aid Certification & Update courses, if role appropriate
Tuition Reimbursement* and Travel & Mileage Reimbursement*
Professional Development and Career & Growth Opportunities
The Comfort of a Business Casual Environment
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging.
*To qualify, certain conditions may apply; Ask a Human Resources Generalist for more information.
EEO Statement: St. Catherine’s Center for Children is committed to creating a diverse environment and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, reproductive health and pregnancy, family history and genetics, disability, age, military status, veteran status, politics, or other beliefs, and any other characteristics protected by law.
Background Checks: We run a thorough and complete pre-employment background check on all candidates being considered for a position, this includes fingerprinting. All candidates must successfully clear the pre-employment background check process, which follows NYS/DOJ requirements. We pay for all pre-employment background checks!
