Direct Support Professional (New Gateways)

Competency-based
ONET: 21-1093.00

4

Years

79

Skills

317h

Related instructions
Classroom instruction topics
  • 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)
  • Leading in a Culture of Gentleness (Instructor Led)
  • Culture of Gentleness Practicum (Instructor Led)
  • Recipient Rights
On-the-job training
  • Introduction to the Direct Support Role and Orientation to the Work Environment
    • Orientation to the role of the Direct Support Professional - Job description and requirements
    • Orientation to the role of the Direct Support Professional - Expectations and needs of individual(s) receiving support
    • Orientation to the role of the Direct Support Professional - Overview & fulfillment of employer’s philosophy of support service
    • Orientation to the role of the Direct Support Professional - Employer history
    • Orientation to the role of the Direct Support Professional - Employer Policy and Procedures
    • Orientation to the role of the Direct Support Professional - Co-worker, mentor and supervisory relationships / working with employer’s networks (for DSPs directly employed by service participant)
    • Orientation to the role of the Direct Support Professional - Access to mentors, supervisors, employee assistance programs and other support structure
    • Orientation to the role of the Direct Support Professional - Overview of upcoming regular and specialized social and other employer events.
    • Overview of specialized and technical knowledge unique to the work environment - Characteristics of the individual(s) served consideration of diagnostic issues, .e.g., overview of developmental disabilities, behavioral health, child development /welfare,
    • Overview of specialized and technical knowledge unique to the work environment - Terminology necessary for the work environment
    • Overview of specialized and technical knowledge unique to the work environment - Operation and maintenance of any specialized equipment (adaptive technology, communication devices, breathing or nutritional support equipment, etc,)
    • Overview of specialized and technical knowledge unique to the work environment - Health and medical concerns unique to the work environment including the support of medication administration, awareness and management of health concerns of people receiving
    • Overview of specialized and technical knowledge unique to the work environment - Introduction to roles of specialists/ consultants supporting service participant(s) in the work environment.
    • Employee and service participant safety in the support environment - Blood borne pathogens/ universal precautions/ infection control
    • Employee and service participant safety in the support environment - Safety in lifting, transferring and positioning customized to service participant(s)
    • Employee and service participant safety in the support environment - Crisis prevention and intervention customized to service participant(s)
    • Employee and service participant safety in the support environment - Recognizing and correcting hazards in the workplace
    • Employee and service participant safety in the support environment - Individualized risk assessment of service participant(s);
    • Employee and service participant safety in the support environment - Responding to emergencies
    • Employee and service participant safety in the support environment - Reasonable risk and common sense.
    • Ethical and professional practice - Putting DSP ethics into practice
    • Ethical and professional practice - Career and educational paths associated with the work environment
    • Ethical and professional practice - Becoming a culturally competent practitioner
    • Ethical and professional practice - Identifying and mastering team work and collaboration skills
    • Ethical and professional practice - Self assessment, performance appraisal and use of supervision
    • Ethical and professional practice - Communicating effectively with others
    • Ethical and professional practice - Confidentiality
    • Ethical and professional practice - Creative problem solving
    • Ethical and professional practice - Understanding and fulfilling the employer’s mission
  • Contemporary Best Practices in Community Support (customized for unique support environment/special population)
    • Individualized planning strategies
    • Community centered supports
    • Focus on participant-defined life outcomes
    • Integrating formal and informal supports
    • Eliciting, respecting and actively supporting participant choices and preferences
    • Welcoming individuals chosen by the participant into the circle of support
    • Facilitating inclusion and engagement in community and neighborhood life
    • 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.
    • 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 app
  • Advocacy, Supporting Empowerment and Recognition, Prevention and Reporting of Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation
    • Promotion of empowerment and self-confidence of service participants to speak out for themselves and others
    • Defining common forms of abuse, neglect and exploitation
    • Mastery of abuse prevention strategies
    • Review of state and employer requirements and protocols regarding mandated or other reporting of abuse, neglect and exploitation
    • Recognizing signs of abuse, neglect and exploitation
    • Common challenges facing victims of abuse, neglect or exploitation
    • Common challenges to human, civil and legal rights for this (special population)
    • Education of service participants regarding abuse, neglect and exploitation and strategies for prevention
    • Theory and application of direct support ethical code to every day experience
  • Wellness Issues (Customized to Work Setting or Special Population)
    • CPR
    • First Aid
    • Medication Administration and supporting self-administration where appropriate
    • Nutrition, food handling and meal preparation;
    • Preventive health and dentistry
    • Characteristics of a healthy lifestyle
    • Responding to common health concerns
    • Responding to individual health needs (issues pertinent to special population, people receiving support etc.)
    • Lifting, transferring, and body positioning (or other specialized support based on workplace or special population)
    • Use of adaptive equipment
    • Safety (environmental, personal, and driving)
    • Identifying health resources, judging quality and coordinating/communicating with health care practitioners
    • Supporting service participants in understanding and participating in routine and special health care screening and treatment.
    • Monitoring for medication side-effects specific to medications people in the support environment are using
  • Communication
    • Basic team communication skills and facilitation structures
    • Effective and appropriate communication skills
    • Basic counseling skills
    • Effective, efficient and timely documentation
    • Using alternative communication devices;
    • Obtaining interpreters when needed
  • Teaching and Supporting Others
    • Methods of learning preferences, choices, and goals of people receiving support
    • Teaching strategies, principles of reinforcement, relationships, task analysis and prompting, positive feedback and natural times to teach
    • 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.)
    • Recognition of the unacceptability of the use of punishment procedures in teaching
  • Crisis Management
    • Awareness of the individual needs of service participants
    • Familiarity with crises typical or common to the support environment and the service participants and prevention and intervention strategies specific to individuals and circumstances
    • Familiarity with procedures for prevention and intervention in atypical crises including securing the safety of all involved, and the means of obtaining emergency assistance
    • 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 nece
    • Familiarity with statutes and regulations regarding the use of potentially aversive management practices including physical restraints and time out;
  • Crisis Management (cont)
    • 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
    • Familiarity with principles of positive behavior support
    • Conflict Resolution
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Headquarters location
Taylor, MI (48180)
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