Position Summary
The Direct Support Assistant provides hands-on personal care, supervision, and daily support to individuals receiving services at The Bridge Center. This position assists participants with toileting, changing, hygiene, meals, mobility, safety, and participation in daily activities.
The Direct Support Assistant helps ensure that each participant is treated with dignity, respect, compassion, and patience. This position is essential to maintaining a clean, safe, person-centered, and supportive environment.
The Direct Support Assistant is not a licensed nursing position. However, a CNA license is preferred.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The Direct Support Assistant will:
- Assist participants with toileting and bathroom routines.
- Change briefs, pull-ups, or soiled clothing as needed.
- Assist with handwashing, grooming, hygiene, and personal cleanliness.
- Help participants maintain dignity, privacy, and comfort during personal care.
- Follow infection control procedures, including proper glove use, handwashing, and disposal of soiled items.
- Assist participants during meals and snacks as assigned.
- Follow each participant’s diet plan, allergy alerts, food restrictions, and special eating instructions.
- Support safe eating by encouraging small bites, slow pacing, proper positioning, and appropriate supervision.
- Provide active supervision throughout the program day.
- Maintain awareness of each participant’s location, mood, needs, and safety.
- Assist participants during transitions, bathroom breaks, meals, activities, and community outings.
- Follow each participant’s Activity Support Plan, behavior support strategies, safety plan, and individualized instructions.
- Report incidents, injuries, accidents, or safety concerns immediately.
- Support participants with daily routines and activities.
- Encourage independence while providing appropriate assistance.
- Support participant engagement in lessons, recreation, community integration, and skill-building activities.
- Document personal care support, toileting assistance, meal concerns, incidents, and other assigned information accurately.
- Maintain confidentiality at all times.
- Follow all agency reporting procedures.
Required Qualifications
- High school diploma required.
- Experience working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities preferred.
- Experience in caregiving, personal care, childcare, home care, or direct support preferred.
- Ability to follow written and verbal instructions.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality.
- Ability to provide hands-on personal care respectfully and professionally.
- Must pass all required background checks and meet agency employment requirements.
- CPR and First Aid certification required or must be obtained according to agency policy.
Pay: From $14.00 per hour
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
