Assistant BIS - Suffolk County

About the Position

We are hiring an Assistant Behavior Intervention Specialist (ABIS) in Suffolk County.

In addition to carrying out all direct care functions of a Direct Support Professional (DSP), the ABIS provides clinical support relating to habilitative, behavioral and psychiatric needs of persons supported by the team under the direction and supervision of the Behavior Intervention Specialist (BIS). The role includes educating other direct care staff and program leadership on habilitative and Behavior Support Plans, supporting clinical assessments and interventions, ensuring consistent and effective data collection and providing direct feedback.

Provides leadership to the team on shift, directing and assisting direct care staff in the absence of a Program Supervisor and/or Assistant Supervisor.

• Performs all duties of a Direct Support Professional (DSP 1 –
  3) and ABIS duties on a regular basis to ensure supervision, protection, and care of individuals in program, maximizing strengths, interests, and abilities while upholding personal rights and facilitating activities that provide social capital and connections to the community.
• Leads identification, facilitation, and scheduling of community inclusion activities for assigned program based on feedback from and needs of persons supported.
• Supports provision of appropriate, therapeutically documented levels of supervision and may run shift meetings, assign duties, complete shift sheets and make recommendations to maintain prescribed levels of supervision.
• Uses specialized clinical knowledge of person‑specific needs and signs or symptoms of ailments/syndromes, including mental health/medical conditions, to provide effective supports, identify and escalate concerns to leadership, and inform activities, training or specialized education for staff.
• Stays up to date with current issues, diagnoses, needs, and levels of supervision for the persons supported under BIS supervision.
• Works with BIS to identify habilitative, behavioral and psychiatric needs and to ensure consistent implementation of programming and activities relating to clinical interventions.
• Provides guidance to program staff, modeling excellent counseling skills and interactions with persons supported and ensuring that standards of care are followed.
• Implements Behavior Support Plans, using person‑centered thinking to support positive interactions and prevent escalation.
• Trains direct care staff individually, on the floor and/or in groups using the EMOE training system to support effective implementation of habilitative and behavioral programming.
• Serves as lead trainer for weekend staff and supports new staff in demonstrating the OPWDD Core Competencies.
• Participates in development of treatment plans, collaborating with BIS to write services, goals, outcomes and/or supports in accordance with agency philosophy.
• Assists BIS with gathering and collecting data for behavioral and habilitative assessments by conducting observations and soliciting information from staff, circles of support or other sources.
• Monitors collection of data, ensures new data sheets are accessible, and staff consistently and accurately collect and document data.
• Completes and maintains required paperwork and documentation, compiles, totals, and summarizes data, writes monthly progress reports, and ensures psychiatric/therapy anecdotals are complete and appropriate.
• Attends and participates in team meetings as a member of the interdisciplinary team (IDT), providing feedback or ideas to improve supports and program operations.
• Regularly participates in life plan meetings and regional clinical team meetings, contributing to agendas and completing tasks or activities as directed.
• Serves as lead on weekend and evening shifts or when otherwise requested, monitoring day‑to‑day program operations and supporting staff absent Program Supervisor, Assistant Supervisor or BIS.
• Maintains awareness of program operations, staff performance and overall condition/wellness of persons supported through regular interactions and observations.
• Completes and maintains all necessary trainings and…