Job description:

Supported Living Services (SLS) provides support to adults with developmental disabilities who wish to receive support to live successfully in our community. 

In this role, you will be supporting an 18-year-old woman living in her very first apartment, taking her first major steps toward independent adult living. Transitioning into her own home gives her the opportunity to build self-reliance, establish her own routines, and set her own rules free from past conflict. 

This young woman is empathetic and caring, goal-oriented and determined, culturally proud, expressive and stylish. She wants to be treated fairly, respected, and seen as capable, independent, and strong. It’s important that she is able to do things for herself around her new home, including: laundry, cooking and baking, and cleaning. She enjoys listening to music, dressing up and looking her best, and staying active and healthy. 

How best to support her:

• Stay calm and respectful
• Listen first
• Ask permission
• Set clear expectations
• Offer breaks
• Recognize effort
• Validate feelings 

A successful lead staff will have strong boundaries, experience with mental health and conflict resolution, the ability to not take things personally, and can make her feel like you are not above her but side-by-side. She is looking for someone who is willing to get to know her before instructing her.  

Purpose:

The primary focus of the Lead Staff Home Support Specialist is:

1. Supporting individuals in their homes and community by providing supervision, training, companionship, behavioral support, and other duties as deemed necessary by the person receiving support and that person’s circle of support. 
2. Providing crisis support.
3. Ensuring the safety of persons receiving support, and other people, involved with Harbor SLS.
4. Providing customer service. 

Qualifications / Education:

A successful lead staff is reliable, energetic, flexible, capable of working both independently and as part of a team, and is a positive role model for Harbor SLS’s clientele. Qualifications include:

1. Satisfactory oral and written communication, math, and computer skills. 
2. A high school diploma or its equivalent. 
3. A minimum of one year of experience with adults who have developmental disabilities (or similar experience) is strongly preferred. 
4. The ability to maintain CPR/First Aid certification. 
5. Position may require a California driver’s license, a good driving record, and a registered and insured vehicle. 
6. Department of Justice, or criminal background check. 
7. Familiarity with SLS programs and persons receiving support is also beneficial. 

Requirements:

1. Personal Assistance: Ability to assist the individual with activities of daily living including bathing, toileting, and other self-help skills. 
2. Lifting/Physical Demands: Ability to lift 50 or more pounds frequently. 
3. Challenging Behaviors: Ability and willingness to support individuals with challenging behavior. 
4. Ability to read and interpret documents, write specific reports and correspondence, apply mathematical concepts to practical situations, solve complex problems, and interpret written and verbal instructions is required. 

Status:

Non-exempt, hourly position. If regularly scheduled for 30 or more hours each week, the employee is full time and eligible for all applicable benefits. 

Work Schedule:

Hours dependent on the person receiving support’s need.

Sample Preferred Schedule:

Monday - Friday 8am-4pm

Duties / Responsibilities:

1. Assists facilitator to create schedules and ensure shift coverage as needed. 
2. Schedules monthly house meetings, creates agenda with team support, and ensures staff attendance. 
3. Collects monthly paperwork from home and turns it into office by deadline.
4. Completes Monthly Service Reviews and Quarterly Safety Checklists.
5. Responsible for the review and upkeep of all household safety supplies. 
6. Updates house binders at least once a month, ensuring all paperwork (office forms, data collection forms, medication information, etc.) is up to date and available. 
7. Oversees and prompts completion of daily notes from direct support staff and sets an example for accurate and timely completion of notes. 
8. Picks up medication, reviews for accuracy, creates and updates medication log as needed, at least monthly. 
9. Posts monthly activity calendar, records all planned activities and meetings on house schedule, and posts any other Harbor correspondence. 
10. Ensures the person receiving support’s safety in the home and community. 
11. Assists persons receiving support in achieving personal, behavioral, educational, or vocational goals as identified in the Individual Service Plan. 
12. Assists with some light household duties such as cleaning, cooking, and household management (may include yard upkeep) to maintain the household in accordance to the guidelines determined by the person receiving support and person receiving support’s circle of support. No significant amount of time should be designated to these tasks. 
13. Provide support to individuals during hospitalizations or medical stays, including those that may occur outside of Santa Cruz County. This includes remaining with the individual as assigned to ensure continuity of care, safety, communication with medical providers, and advocacy. Assignments may include extended or overnight shifts based on individual needs and program requirements. 
14. Provides necessary support for persons receiving support to meet personal needs.
15. Provides skills training when applicable. 
16. Maintains current CPR/First Aid certification. 
17. Participates in all mandatory training. 
18. Responds to crises in accordance with Harbor’s policy and training. 
19. Assists persons receiving support with any medical needs or appointments. 
20. Provides supervision and support to persons receiving support in the home and community. 
21. Communicates and coordinates services with the facilitator and Harbor’s management team. 
22. Develops and maintains written documentation, as requested. 
23. Complies with Harbor’s goals, policies, and procedures. 
24. Makes all decisions based on agency Mission and Values Statement. 
25. Completes all other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Job Duty Allocation

1. No time in excess of 20% of any given shift shall be allocated towards completing housekeeping tasks and duties alone. 
2. Activities that pertain to training new staff on housekeeping duties or supporting persons we support to complete housekeeping duties should not be factored into the 20% of time allocated towards housekeeping tasks.
3. If you feel that you are spending more than 20% of your shifts completing housekeeping tasks please contact your direct supervisor to resolve this matter.
4. Examples of housekeeping tasks may include: washing dishes, laundry, scrubbing or sweeping floors.

Rotating On-Call Duties / Responsibilities:

1. Stay within Santa Cruz County boundaries near a vehicle and within cell phone coverage while on-call.
2. While on-call, you are considered “on duty” and our Staff Guidelines Regarding Judgment Impairing Substances Policy is in effect. You must refrain from using any judgment impairing substances.
3. Determine periods of time when on-call with your facilitator at least on a periodic basis. 
4. Respond by phone ASAP but no later than 15 minutes after receiving a message or call while on-call if the situation involves members of the community, support staff coverage emergency, the individual being supported, a Workers’ Compensation injury, the police, or a life threatening emergency. 
5. Contact and coordinate emergency substitute support as necessary. 
6. Provide direct service support in the event that it is required. 
7. Complete an incident report within 24 hours when appropriate. 
8. Contact the facilitator the next business day when an incident occurs involving the client they serve. 
9. Attend scheduled planning meetings to review the status of the people being served by Harbor. 

The foregoing statements describe the general purposes and responsibilities assigned to this position and are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills that may be required. 

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Referral program
• Retirement plan

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Scotts Valley, CA: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work 

Experience:

• Supported Living: 1 year (Preferred)
• Mental health experience: 1 year (Preferred)

We have additional opportunities available for strong candidates who may not be the right fit for the Housemate or Lead Staff role, including a Support Staff position with weekend hours. If you’re interested in being considered for the Support Staff position, you can apply here: https://recruiting.paylocity.com/Recruiting/Jobs/Details/3680884