Direct Support Professional (New Gateways)
Competency-based
ONET: 21-1093.00
4
Years
11
Skills
285h
Related instructions
Curriculum
- College Success Skills
- Personal Computer Productivity Tools
- Academic Literacy I
- Academic Literacy II
- Bloodborne Pathogens (on-line)
- Cultural Competency (on-line)
- Limited English Proficiency/Due Process (on-line)
- CPR (Instructor Led)
- First Aid (Instructor Led)
- Recipient Rights
On-the-job training
- Introduction to the Direct Support Role and Orientation to the Work Environment
- a) Orientation to the role of the Direct Support Professional 1.) Job description and requirements; 2.) Expectations and needs of individual(s) receiving support; 3.) Overview & fulfillment of employer’s philosophy of support service; 4.) Employer history; 5.) Employer Policy and Procedures; 6.) Co-worker, mentor and supervisory relationships / working with employer’s networks (for DSPs directly employed by service participant); 7.) Access to mentors, supervisors, employee assistance programs and other support structures; and 8.) Overview of upcoming regular and specialized social and other employer events.
- b) Overview of specialized and technical knowledge unique to the work environment 1.) Characteristics of the individual(s) served consideration of diagnostic issues, .e.g., overview of developmental disabilities, behavioral health, child development /welfare, fragile elders, substance abuse, traumatic brain injury, at-risk youth, rehabilitative health); 2.) Terminology necessary for the work environment; 3.) Operation and maintenance of any specialized equipment (adaptive 4.) technology, communication devices, breathing or nutritional support equipment, etc,); 5.) Health and medical concerns unique to the work environment including the 6.) support of medication administration, awareness and management of health 7.) concerns of people receiving support; and 8.) Introduction to roles of specialists/ consultants supporting service participant(s) in the work environment.
- c) Employee and service participant safety in the support environment 1.) Blood borne pathogens/ universal precautions/ infection control; 2.) Safety in lifting, transferring and positioning customized to service participant(s); 3.) Crisis prevention and intervention customized to service participant(s); 4.) Recognizing and correcting hazards in the workplace; 5.) Individualized risk assessment of service participant(s); 6.) Responding to emergencies; and 7.) Reasonable risk and common sense.
- d) Ethical and professional practice 1.) Putting DSP ethics into practice; 2.) Career and educational paths associated with the work environment; 3.) Becoming a culturally competent practitioner; 4.) Identifying and mastering team work and collaboration skills; 5.) Self assessment, performance appraisal and use of supervision; 6.) Communicating effectively with others; 7.) Confidentiality; 8.) Creative problem solving; and 9.) Understanding and fulfilling the employer’s mission.
- Contemporary Best Practices in Community Support (customized for unique support environment/special population)
- (a) Individualized planning strategies; (b) Community centered supports; (c) Focus on participant-defined life outcomes; (d) Integrating formal and informal supports; (e) Eliciting, respecting and actively supporting participant choices and preferences; (f) Welcoming individuals chosen by the participant into the circle of support; (g) Facilitating inclusion and engagement in community and neighborhood life; (h) Promoting appropriate social roles sought by the service participant such as student, church member, friend, home owner, career professional, income enhancement, quality health care, etc.; and (i) Promoting typical life patterns and conditions that enhance quality of life including income enhancement, a comfortable home, quality health care, relaxation and recreation, career and educational \advancement and connection to social and family (where appropriate) networks.
- Advocacy, Supporting Empowerment and Recognition, Prevention and Reporting of Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation
- a. Promotion of empowerment and self-confidence of service participants to speak out for themselves and others; b. Defining common forms of abuse, neglect and exploitation; c. Mastery of abuse prevention strategies; and d. Review of state and employer requirements and protocols regarding mandated or other reporting of abuse, neglect and exploitation; e. Recognizing signs of abuse, neglect and exploitation; f. Common challenges facing victims of abuse, neglect or exploitation; g. Common challenges to human, civil and legal rights for this (special population); h. Education of service participants regarding abuse, neglect and exploitation and strategies for prevention; and i. Theory and application of direct support ethical code to every day experience.
- Wellness Issues (Customized to Work Setting or Special Population)
- a. CPR; b. First Aid; c. Medication Administration and supporting self-administration where appropriate; d. Nutrition, food handling and meal preparation; e. Preventive health and dentistry; f. Characteristics of a healthy lifestyle; g. Responding to common health concerns; h. Responding to individual health needs (issues pertinent to special population, people receiving support etc.); i. Childhood disease, etc); j. Monitoring for medication side-effects specific to medications people in the support environment are using ; k. Lifting, transferring, and body positioning (or other specialized support based on workplace or special population); l. Use of adaptive equipment; m. Safety (environmental, personal, and driving); n. Identifying health resources, judging quality and coordinating/communicating with health care practitioners; and o. Supporting service participants in understanding and participating in routine and special health care screening and treatment.
- Communication
- a. Effective and appropriate communication skills; b. Basic counseling skills; c. Basic team communication skills and facilitation structures; d. Effective, efficient and timely documentation; e. Using alternative communication devices; and f. Obtaining interpreters when needed.
- Teaching and Supporting Others
- a. Methods of learning preferences, choices, and goals of people receiving support; b. Teaching strategies, principles of reinforcement, relationships, task analysis and prompting, positive feedback and natural times to teach; c. Teaching skills customized to the individuals in the support environment (e.g., teaching daily living skills, self care, teaching work skills, working with children and youth, leisure and recreation skills, etc.); and d. Recognition of the unacceptability of the use of punishment procedures in teaching.
- Crisis Management
- a. Awareness of the individual needs of service participants; b. Familiarity with crises typical or common to the support environment and the service participants and prevention and intervention strategies specific to individuals and circumstances; c. Familiarity with procedures for prevention and intervention in atypical crises including securing the safety of all involved, and the means of obtaining emergency assistance; d. Standard operating procedures following a crisis including communication with parties involved to better understand the situation; documentation in accordance with standard operating procedures and review and refinement of prevention procedures where necessary; and e. Familiarity with statutes and regulations regarding the use of potentially aversive management practices including physical restraints and time out;
- Crisis Management (cont)
- a. Fulfillment of all statutory or regulatory skill certifications in crisis prevention and management. (e.g., Mandt, CPI or other program that may be agency or state specific; b. Familiarity with principles of positive behavior support; and c. Conflict Resolution.
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