Within the Department of Social and Health Services Developmental Disabilities Administration provides habilitation support services to individuals with developmental disabilities in a Residential Habilitation Center (RHC) or a State Operated Living Alternative (SOLA):

Residential Habilitation Center (RHC), serves as relief shift charge in the absence of the assigned shift charge. Under the supervision of higher level Attendant Counselors (ACs) and/or the direction of other individuals with specific professional qualifications, writes, implements, monitors, assesses, and revises individual habilitation training programs. Develops and/or writes formal skill acquisition training programs, evaluates the effectiveness of the programs by means of periodic review of client response and modifies the program as necessary. Writes Individual Habilitation Plan (IHP) assessments and functions as a member of the interdisciplinary team, and participates in development of the clients' annual IHP. Provides the clients' training, care, and assistance in a residential living area or other areas on or off campus, depending upon the location of the client.

OR

State Operated Living Alternative (SOLA) provides direct support to individuals with developmental disabilities living in State operated homes in a community setting. Implements, monitors, assesses the clients’ individual instructions and support plans (IISP). Documents and provides feedback on the implementation of the goals in the IISP. Participates in the development and the implementation of formal and informal skill acquisition goals. Provides daily habilitative services, support and instruction with activities of daily living in the clients’ home and the community. Works under the general supervision of an Attendant Counselor Manager (ACM). Direction may be provided by other individuals with specific professional qualifications, may work as a team with other SOLA staff.

Observes, documents, and reports changes in clients' general physical or mental condition, or unusual behavior and takes appropriate action to provide client safety, security, and protection from abuse and neglect;

Functions as a member of a team, including developing, modifying and carrying out planned formal (data-based) and informal (non-data based) programs assessing and reporting outcomes; programs may include activities of daily living, educational, therapeutic, or behavioral under the direction of an appropriate specialist and under the supervision of a higher level Attendant Counselor or Attendant Counselor Manager (ACM);

Promotes habilitation, health, safety, protection, and quality of life to individuals with developmental disabilities

Uses approved techniques designed to provide habilitative services support and instruction based on the clients’ IISP;

Appropriately engages with professionals, parents, guardians and other entities involved in the clients’ support network that promotes and maintains a positive reinforcing environment;

Provides information on policies and procedures to client's relatives/guardians;

Trains and assists clients in their own self care including bathing, dressing, grooming, and household skills; participates in the care and treatment of clients receiving specialized treatments and services;

Escorts, monitors, participates in, and/or trains clients in groups or individually, to, during and from recreational and social activities, vocational training, clinics, and other on or off campus activities;

Checks and inventories client clothing and personal possessions, living unit or home supplies, and other inventories; completes work orders, maintains client records and other related records, and makes reports;

Participates in all required training

Positions in SOLA may also include the following:

Participates in the care and treatment of clients receiving specialized treatment services including prescribed exercises, administration of specialized equipment, modified diets;
Provides habilitative services, support and instruction to and from and during educational, recreational, social, employment, medical, and other activities;
Carry-out approved nurse-delegated tasks to include medication management;
Completes safety checks at the home; completes safety checks on designated vehicles;
Makes decisions based on policies, procedures, and supervisory instructions;
Responsible for ensuring that the client’s home and property is maintained in an organized clean and safe condition;

May work independently during the shift;

Responsible for ensuring that the residential living unit is maintained in an organized clean and safe condition;

Performs other related work as required.

Knowledge of: habilitative services, support and instruction, principles and techniques of behavior management and team process and procedures for IISP planning and implementation; fundamental expressive and receptive communication skills including but not limited to a proficiency in reading, writing, and verbal discourse.

Ability to: utilize professional and specialized; evaluate and apply established procedures and techniques for those portions of IISP they are responsible for in accordance with this job specification; carry out assigned responsibilities without direct supervision.

There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position. In a SOLA minimally staff is required to obtain and maintain the nursing assistant registered (NAR), be able to perform tasks under nurse delegation, successfully complete fingerprint based, background check process, and successfully complete seventy-five hours of Long Term Care worker (LTCW) training, and twelve hours of annual continuing education units (CEU) required for LTCWs.

High school graduation or GED and one year of experience working with people with developmental disabilities.

OR

High school graduation or GED and one year of experience as an Attendant Counselor 1, equivalent or higher level state class.

Attendant Counselor 2A
Revised October 22, 1974 General revision
Revised October 16, 1975 Revises minimum qualifications
Revised July 1, 1981 (Approved March 12, 1981) Revises definition, minimum qualifications, adds distinguishing characteristics
Revised October 1, 1982 Revises minimum qualifications, deletes distinguishing characteristics (Approved July 14, 1982), title change (formerly Attendant Counselor 2A)
Revised May 28, 1986 Revises definition
Revised January 11, 1990 (effective April 1, 1990) Revises definition
Revised February 8, 1990 (effective July 1, 1990) Revises definition, minimum qualifications, and general revision
Revised July 13, 1990 (Emergency basis on June 14, 1990) Revises minimum qualifications
New class code: (formerly 56810) effective July 1, 2007
Attendant Counselor 2B
New class (Approved March 12, 1981) Effective July 1, 1981
Revised November 13, 1981 Revises distinguishing characteristics
October 1, 1982 (Approved July 14, 1982) Abolished
Revised definition, desirable qualifications and added distinguishing characteristics; adopted June 30, 2017; effective July 1, 2017.
Base range salary adjustment adopted 6/13/2019, effective 7/1/2019.