Respite Center Opening 9-1-2024

The Benhaven will be opening a Respite Center on 9-1-2024 that will support youth ages 8 – 20 who are enrolled in the Behavioral Support Program (BSP) through the Department of Developmental Services (DDS). Our respite center is designed to provide planned respite to families to allow time to reenergize, focus on other family members, engage in personal, social, or routine activities and tasks that may otherwise be postponed or curtailed due to the responsibilities of caring for their family member.

The Benhaven Respite Center is open Fridays at 1pm – Monday morning at 11am and is able to support up to 4 youth at a time. The youth attending the respite center will enjoy a fun filled weekend of activities and events designed for them and the interests of the grouping for the weekend. The focus of each weekend is to ensure our respite guest are enjoying their stay by:

• participating in community activities,
• making new friends and maintaining friendships,
• having fun,
• doing activities within the group they enjoy,
• making good choices, and
• learning/experiencing new activities.

The Respite Center DSP is a non-exempt position that reports to the Respite Center Manager. The some of the duties and responsibilities of a respite center DSP include:

• To build rapport with each respite guest and their family to facilitate a safe, enjoyable, and interactive experience while in respite care
• Maintain positive relationships with family members.
• Attend weekly staff meetings to learn and be trained on guests for the weekend,
• Implement flexible activity schedule and opportunities to try next experiences.
• Facilitate friendships among respite guests
• Implement positive behavioral approaches that are in line with the youth’s behavior program
• Respite DSP will ensure safety for everyone and assist with activities of daily living.
• Ensure all personal items brought to the respite center by guests are maintained and cleaned
• Complete required reports using THERAP, ready by shift change.
• Work in collaboration with the Respite Center manager and respite staff to maintain a clean, safe environment
• Obtain and maintain the required training, certifications, and driver’s license with a clean driving record.
• Required to successfully obtain Department of Developmental Services (DDS) Medication Certification and comply with DDS standards to maintain DDS Medication Certification in good standing.
• Will perform all other job duties as directed by the Respite Center Manager, or other Administrators.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Must be at least 18 years old
• Previous experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities preferred
• Ability to pass a criminal background check
• Valid CT driver's license
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team

Employee Incentives:

• EAP (Employee Assistance Program)
• Employee Discounts (Tickets-At-Work, Verizon, Alliance college discounts, etc.)
• Employee Referral Program
• Mutual of America 403b & 401a
• Accrued sick time at a rate of 1 hour for every 40 hours worked to be paid in 1 hour increments up to a maximum of 40 hours per calendar year upon completion of 680 hours of employment.

If you are passionate about making a positive difference in the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities, we encourage you to apply for the Direct Support Professional position in our Residential Services program. Join our team and help us create a supportive and inclusive community for all individuals.