Support Staff

Overview

Description

At Little Friends, we empower individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities to thrive in their community. Our programs and staff provide lifelong opportunities for growth, so the people we serve can work, learn, play, and experience the joy of life’s everyday moments. We can only achieve this through the hard work and dedication of our staff.

We’re committed to creating an environment that enhances employees’ lives by making time spent at work meaningful and fulfilling. Little Friends is an equal-opportunity employer committed to service excellence. We offer competitive wages, extensive paid training, and an excellent benefits package to qualifying employees – including vacation, paid sick leave, medical/dental/life insurance, retirement savings, and more.

RESPONSIBILITIES: The 1-1 Support Specialist provides dedicated, person-centered care to one resident within a shared living environment. The primary goal is to ensure the individual’s safety, promote their independence, and facilitate their participation in both the household and the community.

SPECIFIC DUTIES:

• Assist with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), including bathing, dressing, grooming, and toileting, as outlined in their personal plan, while maintaining the individual's dignity.
• Administer medications exactly as prescribed and document in Quick MAR.
• Prepare meals tailored to the individual’s specific dietary needs or restrictions outlined on the MAR and personal plan.
• General upkeep and cleanliness of the home.

• Implement specific Behavioral Support Plans to de-escalate challenging situations.
• Provide constant supervision as required by the individual’s support plan.

• Accompany the individual to medical appointments, grocery shopping, and social outings.
• Encourage participation in group home activities to prevent social isolation.
• Facilitate hobbies and interests (e.g., crafts, exercise, or movies).
• Must be able to transport individuals as deemed appropriate to the BSP/PP goals.

• Maintain accurate daily logs regarding the individual’s mood, health, appetite, and progress toward goals.
• Report any signs of abuse, neglect, or significant health changes immediately to management.
• Follow and ensure compliance with the Dept. of Human Services (DHS) standards and LFI policies and procedures.

WAGE TRANSPARENCY NOTIFICATION:
Little Friends, Inc., in compliance with House Bill 3129 regarding Pay Transparency, is committed to providing salary and benefits information for all open positions. Please note that all disclosed compensation rates for this role will be determined based on required qualifications, experience, education, skill, training, certifications, and seniority. Little Friends, Inc. also has the right to offer candidates appropriate compensation rates, determined by the employer, commensurate with the applicant’s qualifications, experience, education, skill, training, certifications, or seniority.

• Experience: Working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Empathy & Patience: The ability to remain calm and compassionate in high-stress or repetitive situations.
• Physical Stamina: Ability to lift 50 pounds and remain on your feet for long periods.
• Reliability: Because this is a 1-1 role, the individual depends entirely on your presence; punctuality is critical. Ability to attend, assist and engage in team meetings.
• Able and willing to execute other duties assigned as required to assist in the provision of services.

• Qualified applicants must be at least 21 years old and have a clean background check.
• High school diploma or GED equivalent required.
• General computer skills/knowledge.
• Medication Administration (agency offers training).
• CPR/First Aid certification (agency offers training).
• Crisis management training (agency offers Ukeru training).
• Valid proof of current driver’s license maintained in personnel file and must be able to drive company vehicles.
• Must have reliable transportation.