The Supported Community Living Specialist (SCLS) is directly responsible to the Team Leader to which they are assigned and the Director of Residential Services.

This is a full-time position in Malvern, Ia.

Hours for this position are Thursday/Friday 3pm-10pm, and every other weekend 8-10 plus activities, shopping, appointments, on weekends for full time status.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

Supported Community Living Specialist (SCLS):

I. The Supported Community Living Specialist (SCLS) is directly responsible to the Team Leader to which they are assigned and the Director of Residential Services.

II. This is a part-time/full-time, Para-professional level position. Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

1. The SCLS will teach, train, and assist individuals in developing the skills necessary to be as independent as possible when performing activities of daily living. These include but are not limited to:

a. Coordinating health and medical needs.

b. Training individuals to take care of their own health and medical needs.

c. Developing or maintaining skills allowing for better participation in the community.

d. Assist individuals served in becoming independent in accessing community services.

e. Assist the individuals with participation in at least one community activity each week if shift is during day/evening/weekend hours.

f. Assisting individuals in advocacy procedures to ensure his/her rights and to meet his/her needs, interests, and choices.

g. Assisting in preparing an individualized diet plan to meet nutritional needs as needed.

h. Writing Individualized Intervention Plans for each individual served.

i. Provide emergency/safety skills training.

j. Provide training in skills necessary to manage their personal business and property.

k. Provide training in budgeting.

l. Provide transportation (doctor’s appointments, church, etc.)

m. Provide training in daily living skills.

2. Orient new individuals in their home, assessing their skills, and providing appropriate input to the individual’s subsequent progress reports and Person-Centered Plan (PCP).

3. Supervise the individual’s goals and complete data collection related to running those goals.

4. Supervise, as necessary, the individual’s finances to give guidance in budgeting for personal needs and desires.

5. Provide a supportive and therapeutic atmosphere.

6. Supervise the individual’s care and use of personal property and assist with purchases, as necessary.

7. As assigned, train new staff relative to duties, work schedules, agency policies, and state and/or federal regulatory policies and procedures in coordination with the Team Leader and Director of Residential Services.

8. Follow the assigned work schedule.

9. Never leave individuals receiving twenty-four-hour care unsupervised.

10. Complete all records and documentation using the proper forms as they relate to established procedures.

11. Attend staff meetings and scheduled in-service training sessions.

12. Ensure that the individual’s residence meets cleanliness, safety, and health standards.

13. Keeping informed of all programming and administrative information, changes, and additions by checking email each shift worked the daily logbook or other messages.

14. Keep all written and verbal information on each individual strictly confidential.

15. Complete documentation of behaviors or provide information for writing staff intervention plans.

16. Handle any other duties as assigned by the Team Leader, Lead Staff, and Director of Residential Services.

17. Monitor and document an individual’s physician ordered diet as needed.

18. Assist individuals receiving services with their activities of daily living, such as, but not limited to, meal preparation, laundry, housekeeping, toileting, and bathing.

19. Ensure the clients are safe from all environmental hazards.

III. Essential Functions:

1. Provide quality care.

2. Transport individuals.

3. Provide training in daily living skills, (i.e. meal preparation, laundry, cleaning, and personal hygiene.)

4. Ensure that housekeeping standards are maintained.

5. Employees must be willing to work with individuals who have behavioral problems. Behavioral problems may include both verbal and physical aggression.

6. Provide a supportive and therapeutic atmosphere.

7. Administer medication and maintain accurate medication documentation, as needed, after being trained.

8. Exercise sound judgment when the situation requires immediate decision-making.

9. Work according to assigned work schedule. Duties may vary according to schedule, for instance some overnight shifts staff are expected to remain awake, and others are allowed to sleep as long as they remain available for emergencies.

10. Complete written and electronic documentation and record keeping according to agency requirements.

11. Must be able to work independently and ensure the welfare and safety of persons served in a residential setting.

12. Comply with state and federal regulations regarding HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).

13. Assist individuals receiving services with their activities of daily living, such as, but not limited to, meal preparation, laundry, housekeeping, toileting, and bathing.

14. Every employee/volunteer of Nishna Productions, Inc. is on a need-to-know basis regarding the Protected Health Information (PHI) of the individuals they serve. Therefore, a security clearance level is assigned for each job description and those security levels are allowed access only to the information required to complete the duties in each position.

• Level One allows the least access and is intended for truck drivers, maintenance staff, redemption center workers, and volunteers.

• Level Two is for direct care workers including floaters/substitutes, SCLS, Program Instructors, Day-Hab aids, Vocational Trainers, lead staff, and 1:1 staff.

• Level Three includes the office support staff.

• Level Four is for Team Leaders, supervisors, and Work Center Supervisors.

• Level Five is the security clearance given to Program Managers.

• Level Six allows access to all PHI and includes Directors/Administrators, Quality Assurance, and IT staff.

• Temporary clearance for PHI access can be given if staff require access to complete extra assigned duties (i.e. filling in for another department). Maintenance personnel are given permanent access to areas where PHI is stored but they may need to enter in order to complete their duties.

IV. Qualifications/Requirements:

1. Individuals “must not have or be a carrier” of serious infectious or communicable disease, such as but not limited to, incurable, fatal, or debilitating disease, which cannot be eliminated or reduced by reasonable accommodation. A current example would include, but not be limited to, tuberculosis. Determination of the existence of a serious disease is to be made by the proper medical authorities.

2. 18 years of age.

3. Require high school diploma or GED.

4. Prefer previous similar job experience in teaching skills of cooking, cleaning, and personal hygiene.

5. Exercise sound judgment when the situation requires immediate decision-making.

6. Obtain and maintain a valid Iowa Chauffeur’s license. Maintain acceptable driving record as determined by agency insurance carrier.

7. Successful completion of pre-employment physical, TB Tine, and drug screenings prior to employment.

• Physical every four years thereafter (GH)

• TB Tine every four years thereafter (GH)

• Random drug screening

8. Complete 10-hour med-management class.

9. Must be willing to work with individuals who have a behavioral disorder, which may result in the display of aggressive outbursts of a physical nature.

10. Must be willing to clean any biological fluids/waste, such as, but not limited to blood, feces, urine, or vomit.

11. Must have the ability and desire to work with other employees as a team.

12. Must have good verbal and written communication skills.

13. The Supported Community Living Specialist position requires one to be self-motivated.

14. Must not have been legally convicted of any type of assault, abuse, or bodily injury.

15. All agency staff are required to participate and cooperate with agency investigations. Confidentiality will be respected.

VI. Physical Requirements:

1. Must be able to travel from place to place, up to 70 miles.

2. Must be able to enter and exit resident homes that may or may not be accessible to everyone.

3. Must be able to walk up and down stairs with hands full to perform laundry duties, etc.

4. Must be able to work a full scheduled shift as assigned.

5. Must be able to carry necessary supplies up to 50 pounds perform job duties.

6. Must be able to provide physical care necessary to residents when performing direct care duties.

7. Ability to physically assist an individual to regain his balance or to transfer from a sitting, standing or prone position.

8. Demonstrate ability to perform routine household tasks, such as, but not limited to vacuuming, mopping, and the use of cleaning agents, meal preparation, kitchen clean up, and clothing care.

9. Must be able to assist individual in a wheelchair to transfer to another chair, bed, toilet, or bath.

10. Must be able to assist someone in the shower or bath.

11. Must be able to make multiple trips from car to house carrying purchases such as groceries, etc.

12. Must be able to perform snow removal as much as necessary for individual and staff safety.