Developmental Specialist

THE BFAIR WAY – Inspiring Abilities, Creating Limitless Possibilities:

We area national and state accredited human service agency responsive to the unique needs of people with disabilities and their families through a dedication to excellence; diverse options; safe and healthy environments; fiscal responsibility; community partnerships; career opportunities and advancement.

POSITION

DESCRIPTION:

The Developmental Specialist is responsible for working with 1 – 7 individuals in a site-based day program. This position is a direct service role in which the developmental specialist assists individuals with developmental disabilities with skills training including independent living skills, communication, behavior, and affective development; sensory motor, social development and self-help as prescribed in each member’s Day Habilitation Service Plan.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Treat each individual, co-worker, supervisor and others with respect and dignity due every human being. Adhere to the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) Human Rights Standards and the Disabled Persons Protection Commission’s (DPPC) mandated reporter guidelines around physical and emotional abuse, including the timely reporting of violations.
2. Ensure each individual may achieve optimal quality of life (QOL) outcomes for people we support through a person-centered approach utilizing universal strategies, which is the foundation of the quality care and service provided.
3. Work with any of the individuals served, including providing physical assistance and/or assistance with mobility (light/heavy lifting and transfers), bathing, dressing and other personal care tasks as well as medical treatments, laundry, recreational activities, etc.
4. Develop a positive rapport/relationship with the individuals supported to encourage and foster their own personal growth, individual control, and emotional strength.
5. Act as an appropriate role model through dress, speech, and actions while in the program and in the community to foster positive social/relationships and skill development.
6. Provide Independent living skills training to individuals including but not limited to meal preparation, budgeting, personal finance, survival skills, mobility skills (orientation to neighborhood, town/city), laundry, housekeeping, shopping, bed making, care of clothing and orientation skills for those with vision impairments.
7. Provide communication development training to members by implementing goals as developed in the Speech and Language Evaluation conducted by the SLP and ensure accurate and timely data collection of those goals.
8. Affective development by assisting people to develop interests and skills involved with expressing emotions, making judgements, and making independent decisions.
9. Provide supports in the areas of sensory motor development to include ambulation, positioning, transfer skills, gross motor dexterity, fine motor dexterity, visual motor perception and eye hand coordination.
10. Provide each member with the development of self-help skills including but not limited to medical, nutritional, toileting, dressing/grooming, eating and hygiene.
11. Provide individuals with situations to develop social skills such as interpersonal skills, recreation and leisure skills and interests as well as foster relationships with others.
12. Identify emerging crisis situations and provide assistance as needed with other staff and/or management team members. Effectively perform crisis intervention which may include providing emergency first aid/CPR; performing fire evacuation, disaster relocation or emergency search; utilizing physical restraint and/or other less restrictive interventions.
13. Help maintain an adequate supply of necessary items in…