Direct Support Professional; Lake

Position: Direct Support Professional (Lake County)

Location: Merrillville, IN

Job : 3008

# of Openings: 4

Department: Indiana Services
Status: Full-time and Part-time

At Sertoma Star Services, we're on a mission to empower individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities and those living with mental illness to reach their goals and lead fulfilling lives. With a strategic presence in South Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, we proudly serve over 2,000 consumers through a diverse range of vocational, educational, therapeutic, and residential programs. Sertoma Star Services’ roots trace back to the merger of two dynamic social services organizations, New Star and Sertoma Centre combining over 125 years of expertise in providing cutting‑edge, person‑first services.

Our united commitment is straightforward: to transform lives through delivering comprehensive services, choices, and opportunities to those we support in an environment that promotes self‑advocacy and personal success. By joining the Sertoma Star Team you will have a unique opportunity to challenge limits and change lives. Together, we can shape a brighter future for those we serve.

As a Direct Support Professional (DSP), you will provide support and supervision to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities within the community based setting. You will be responsible for providing person centered supports to ensure consumers can live their best life in their home and community.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following, although other duties may be assigned to meet Agency and family needs:

• Communicates well with consumers, using their preferred form of communication, to determine their likes, interests, strengths, wants and needs.
• Treats consumers with dignity and respect, while providing them with the support needed to become as independent as possible.
• Provides support to consumers to obtain outcomes that will allow them to live their best lives possible as documented in their Person‑Centered Individual Service Plan.
• Provides support and training to consumers by completing tasks with the consumer instead of for the consumer.
• Provides support to complete all hygiene and grooming needs and training to support the consumer in understanding the importance of these tasks.
• Provides support to complete all dressing needs and training to support the consumer in understanding clothing that is appropriate for the weather.
• Provides support to ensure the consumer’s home is free from debris, clean and safe from hazards and training to support the consumer in understanding the importance of a clean and safe home.
• Provides support to consumers to make healthy choices when determining their meals and provides support and training while preparing meals, as needed, to ensure that meals meet any high risk plans and that kitchen safety is followed.
• Provides support and training on medication administration needs to each consumer according to agency policies and procedures.
• Provides opportunities for consumers to learn about medical providers and allows consumers to make informed choices about providers and services that they receive.
• Advocates for consumers wants and needs and helps them advocate for themselves, as requested.
• Supports consumers to participate fully in their community.
• Promotes community inclusion by assisting consumers in developing natural supports.
• Allows consumers to make choices throughout their daily life by providing opportunities and encouragement to learn problem solving skills, consequences and how to take responsibility for choices.
• Assesses and plans for risks to allow consumers to make informed choices when taking risks to participate in new experiences.
• Protects the rights of consumers by understanding their rights, educating them on their rights, and ensuring their rights are not violated.
• Documents all supports provided in a timely manner to include, but not limited to, daily progress notes, Medication Administration Records, incident reports, and injury/illness reports.
• Works cooperatively with all staff, outside…