You are looking for a job and you are interested in working with people who have mental and physical disabilities. But what does that that require? What kind of challenges and rewards go along with a job in direct support work? We would like to inform you realistically about direct support employment. If after reading about direct support professional employment you feel this is the job for you, an application can be downloaded from our web site.
Have you every spent time with a person with a disability? If so, you may have some idea what you could expect to experience. If you have not, you may feel uncomfortable and unsure about how to respond. People with disabilities have the same needs as you and I: to be treated with warmth, kindness and respect. After you have been around these individuals for a while, you will discover that they are not so different after all. Many people find that the rewards of working with people with disabilities far out weigh the challenges involved.
As a Direct Support Person you will work very closely with specific individuals. These people become attached to their Direct Support Worker, just as you and I do to those we spend significant time with daily. With this in mind, we at Millcreek Community Services would like for you to take a close look at what is involved in being a Direct Support person and consider it carefully before applying for a position at Millcreek Community Services.
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What is Direct Support?
Different types of support are provided for individuals based on their needs and abilities. Most of the assistance provided involves routine tasks such as basic personal hygiene, household duties, preparation for work, outings with family and friends, doctor visits, social skills, interaction with new people and situations, buying groceries, and performing tasks at their job.
Working as a Direct Support Professional, you will spend the majority of your work day working with the individuals with disabilities. The degree of disabilities may vary from minor to severe. Some individuals may only need help in tasks like buying groceries while others will need help with feeding, personal hygiene and getting dressed for the day. Each individual is unique and their needs will vary from person to person. Your job will be defined based on the needs of the individuals that you will be supporting.
One of the objectives of the Direct Support Professional is to help the people that you support become part of their community. In the past society has isolated these people, but now our job is to integrate them back into society so that they can enjoy a meaningful and productive life. This begins with the assistance of the Direct Support Professional helping one individual at a time, one day at a time. You can expect to spend time on the go with your people doing things such as going to a ballgame, attending church, or simply visiting friends.
 
Requirements for Direct Support
To qualify to become a Millcreek Community Services employee, you must meet these minimum standards:
1. At least 18 years of age
2. A high school diploma or GED
3. A valid drivers license
4. An acceptable driving record if driving is part of your job
5. No felony convictions in any state
6. Pass a drug screening test
7. Clear background check
 Flexibility in your availability to work is necessary due to the fact that we provide 24 hour support for some of the people that we serve. You may be needed to work on weekends and/or holidays as well.
If you are hired, we provide training for the skills that you will need to perform your job duties. Mastering these skills is vital to being a successful Direct Support Professional as well as being dependable. The individuals that you serve are counting on you daily for your support! You can make a difference in the lives of the people that you serve by your attendance and your undivided attention!
What will you do once you begin work?
Working as a Direct Support Professional will vary based on the individuals that you directly support. You will be assisting these people in their homes, their community and their jobs. You could be doing a variety of duties such as making meals, cleaning house, exercising, helping them dress, assist them with eating, going to work with them, helping at their job and many other things. Basically, you will be assisting them in completing the tasks that they need to do in order to have a meaningful and productive day.
 
You will be responsible for the care and safety of the individuals that you serve. You will also experience pride in the accomplishments that you make together. There can be many rewards to being a Direct Support Professional such as creating a relationship with unique people, participating in new ventures and simply having fun with the people you support.
The successful Direct Support Professionals find that this is not just a job but that it is a career and a way of life that is both rewarding and enjoyable.
Additional Duties and Requirements
Along with the direct support that you will provide to the individuals that you serve, you will do the following:
Be familiar and understand the county, state and federal regulations related to this type of
service
Attend staff meetings and required training
Complete and read daily logs
Communicate with others such as nurses, doctors, managers and family members about the
care of the individuals that you serve
If necessary, use alternative means of communication such as electronic talkers, communication
booklets or basic sign language
Transporting the people you support to places they want to go
 
Scheduling, Pay and Benefits
Millcreek Community Services values the employee and the individual that they serve. It is VITAL that you be on time for your shift no matter what day or time that it begins. Many of the people that we serve cannot be left alone and they and their families are depending on you to be punctual.
 
Pay varies on the specific Direct Support Position that you do. A specific rate is agreed upon at initial hire with evaluations and possible pay raise annually. Our employees are offered a comprehensive benefits package. Contact Human Resources for more information on specific benefits information.
Millcreek Community Services has an extensive new hire orientation and training program. Training is also provided through out the year as well. Millcreek Community Services training goal is to equip its employees with the skills needed to be competent and successful. Some of the training provided is in a group setting while other training is one-on-one. If you are not sure about something, ask questions. There is a lot to learn. Dont let yourself feel overwhelmed. The staff at Millcreek Community Services work together. Talk to your co-workers and supervisors about any concerns that your may have. They will be glad to assist you in learning and understanding your job.
You will be trained in areas such as:
First Aid and Safety
Proper Lifting
Crisis Intervention
Rights of Individuals
CPS
Confidentiality
Records Management
Family Issues
Cultural Diversity
Any many more
Behaviors & Support Plans
Millcreek Community Services provides services to individuals that have behavior issues. They may scream at you, hit you and call you names or other challenging behaviors. You will receive training and support from your supervisor in dealing with these types of behavior. Although these people exhibit challenging behavior, they still need our support.
The training that you are provided at Millcreek Community Services equips you with the necessary understanding and skills needed to support people with challenging behaviors. You will learn how to prevent these situations from occurring and how to deal with them when they do arise. Knowledge is the key to being in control of a situation involving a person who has challenging behaviors.  Millcreek Community Services prides itself on the quality training that you will receive to empower you to do your job successfully.
With the help of their Direct Support Professional, many of these people have changed from challenging behaviors to more appropriate behaviors. The time and consistent support of a knowledgeable professional is the key to success. You may find that you are good at this type of counseling and support.
Psychologists and Behavior Specialists are sometimes needed to help individuals overcome their challenging behaviors. If so, you will work directly with them to implement the behavior plan that they develop for the individual. The team of the specialist and the support worker is an effective way to help individuals learn a new way of expressing themselves.
Training will be provided to help you implement the specifics of an individuals behavior plan. It will be very important that you keep accurate and concise records in order to share the information with others. You are essential in helping the individual change their behavior challenges since you will be working closely with them.
If you dont think that you could be successful working with individuals who have challenging behaviors, there are other opportunities available to support individuals with different needs.
Health and Personal Hygiene
People with physical disabilities are also supported at Millcreek Community Services. You could possible support a person who needs assistance transferring from a bed to a wheelchair, from a wheelchair to a toilet or from a wheelchair to a car.
You will need to be able to lift 50 pounds or more. In many situations there will be equipment to aid you in completing these tasks. Many of these individuals need assistance with personal hygiene as well as their mobility.
While providing assistance with personal hygiene may be awkward for you at first, with the proper training and extending courtesy to the individual you both will soon be at ease. Remember to pay attention to privacy, be respectful, be calm and be gentle. Treat the individual as you would want to be treated in these delicate procedures.
Part of your training will include first aid and safety as well as CPR. These skills will be invaluable to you on a daily basis. You will feel confident knowing that you have the skills and knowledge to handle the situations that could arise.
What Makes A Successful Direct Support Professional?
Will you be successful at being a Direct Support Professional?
Will you enjoy this type of work?
Here are some characteristics of a good, quality Direct Support Professional:
 Dependable
Caring
Honest
Flexible
Compassionate
Loyal
Tolerant of others
Hard worker
Respectful of others
A good communicator
Creative
Innovative
A people person
A team player
Now you know a little about the types of tasks and environment that are involved in being a Direct Support Professional. Is this the job for you? If so, Millcreek Community Services is always looking for quality people to join our team. Millcreek Community Services provides excellent training and benefits. Ask anyone who works at Millcreek Community Services, the best part of a job here is the people: the co-workers and the people we support.
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Thank You!
After reading the job preview, we hope you are ready to join the Millcreek Community Services Team! It is a rewarding place to be a part of! If you are interested in applying, you may pick up an application at the location nearest you or you may download an application from our site. If you have specific questions you would like answered, you can e-mail your questions to us or call the nearest location. You can learn more about Millcreek Community Services by visiting other parts of our web site such as Vision & Values, Services and Our Newsletter.
Thank you for your time and we hope that this has been beneficial in learning about people with disabilities and the jobs needed to support them.
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