Community Support Specialist

Behavioral Health Network - Holyoke, MA

Full-time

Holyoke, MA

Nursing and Residential Care Facilities

About the position

As a Direct Care - Community-based Worker in the Developmental Services program at Behavioral Health Network, you will play a crucial role in empowering individuals with developmental disabilities. Your primary responsibility will be to assist and monitor the activities of daily living for the individuals you serve, ensuring they have the support they need to live fulfilling lives. You will encourage independence, competency, and decision-making, fostering an environment where individuals can thrive. Your work will involve initiating, supporting, and ensuring quality of life through empowerment, safety awareness, and respect for dignity. In this role, you will monitor the overall health and well-being of the individuals, assisting with medication treatment and administration as necessary. You will also provide crisis intervention and emergency services when required, ensuring that individuals feel safe and supported at all times. A key aspect of your job will be to help individuals maintain and enhance their social support networks. This includes facilitating opportunities for them to meet new friends, strengthen relationships with family members and guardians, and engage in community activities, including religious services and groups. You will be responsible for planning and providing opportunities for community activities, acting as the primary implementer of strategies to meet Individual Support Plan (ISP) and Personal Support Team Plan (PSTP) goals. Your commitment to individual empowerment, growth, human rights, and community integration will be essential in this role, as you work to create a positive impact in the lives of those you serve.

Responsibilities

• Assists and monitors activities of daily living.
• Encourages independence, competency, and decision-making.
• Initiates, supports, and ensures quality of life through empowerment, safety awareness, and respect and dignity.
• Monitors overall health and well-being and assists with all aspects of medication treatment and administration as needed.
• Provides crisis intervention and emergency services as needed.
• Assists individuals served in maintaining and enhancing their social support network through opportunities to meet new friends, build stronger relationships with family members and guardians, attend religious services and join religious groups, and foster engagement in other community groups and organizations.
• Plans and provides opportunities for community activities.
• Acts as primary implementer of strategies to meet ISP/PSTP goals.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Minimum of six months experience in human services preferred.
• Must have valid driver's license and a reliable car available for all working hours that is able to be used to safely transport individuals in the community.
• Must be committed to individual empowerment, growth, human rights, and community integration.
• Must have familiarity with the internet, word processing, and email systems.