Job Description

Adult Day at the J offers two specialized program tracks, Connections and IN. Our Connections program provides day support to older adults with Alzheimer's/Dementia and other cognitive and physical impairments. Our IN program provides day support to individuals over the age of 18 who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other intellectual and developmental disabilities. Both programs are geared to help our participants build upon and maintain their current knowledge, discover new abilities and cultivate personal growth while working to achieve their individualized goals.


The Program Assistant III position is responsible for overseeing and supervising a team of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who provide personalized services for our Connections and/or IN participants. Both programs are geared to help our participants build upon and maintain their current knowledge, discover new abilities and cultivate personal growth while working to achieve their individualized goals. This may include activities that support soft skills, speech therapy, physical fitness, volunteerism, and socialization. In addition, Program Assistant III will assist the Program Manager in communicating directly with families, developing participant support strategies and ensuring staff ratios are met. Adult Day at the J is accredited by the State of Missouri and licensed by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.




The ideal candidate is a self-starter, highly organized, and comfortable managing multiple team members and priorities in a fast-paced environment. They should have the flexibility to work within our operating hours, 7:30am to 5pm, Monday - Friday, including some evening and weekend hours.

Leadership & Supervision

Provide direct, ongoing supervision of Direct Support Professionals. Assist in hiring, onboarding, training, mentoring and coaching of staff. Develop staff into a highly performing team while establishing growth potential into promotional roles. Monitor performance, provide feedback, and coach staff as needed. Prepare, approve, and submit payroll per agency guidelines. Hold staff accountable for meeting program expectations. Ensure staffing ratios are met by establishing and implementing a daily break/lunch schedule which allows for safe, high-quality support. Monitor and respond to participant, family, and staff concerns promptly, ensuring excellent customer service.

Essential Responsibilities:

Assist Program Manager with overseeing the daily operations of the center. Assist Program Manager with development of social stories and creating behavioral support strategies to help participants achieve individualized goals. Coordinate program logistics for daily activities, outings and events. Support individuals with developmental disabilities and cognitive impairments as they participate in group activities which include swimming, exercise, volunteering, interaction with animals, art, music, gardening, cooking, etc. Note, you will be expected to get into the pool or participate in fitness classes to directly assist participants during the activity. Research, develop and implement activities focused on benefiting participants cognitively, socially, recreationally, physically, and assist with independent skills development, both for large and small groups of participants. Lead activities and mentor other team members to do the same. Responsible for managing designated caseloads according to expectations and requirements. Complete all daily documentation and data collection to record observations on assigned participants to maintain compliance with licensure and contracts: i.e. Department of Mental Health and Department of Health and Senior Services. Ensure staff do the same. Provide guidance and training to facilitate individual accommodations necessary to assist individuals to fully participate in activities including by ensuring physical location transitions or sensory breaks between activities (on and offsite) as needed. Appropriately intervene in all crisis situations related to behavior or health as needed. Work cooperatively with the Adult Day Center multi-disciplinary team to enhance offered programs. Observe participant behavior, assess its appropriateness, and apply appropriate behavior management techniques. Ensure participants have appropriate support during meals, mobility, and personal care activities including activities of daily living including toileting. Assist when necessary. Care for the physical and emotional wellbeing of every Adult Day Center participant at all times. Recognize and respond to opportunities for problem solving. Enforce appropriate safety regulations and emergency procedures. Greet family members as they arrive to drop off/pick up participants. Work collaboratively with ADJ team members to effectively execute recreation activities, adapted programming, transportation services, individualized skill development, daily meal services, special events and direct support to the participants and families of ADJ. Provide inventory support to the Program Manager. Provide exceptional customer service at all times, and represent the JCC and Adult Day in a positive and professional manner. Attend staff meetings, training sessions and assist with agency events and programs as requested. Provide backup coverage to Adult Day programs and support audits and monitoring visits as needed. Adhere to Social Work Code of Ethics, HIPAA, and confidentiality guidelines at all times. Other duties as assigned. High School diploma or GED is required; related Bachelor's degree is preferred. 3+ year(s) of experience working with relative population required; including, individuals with developmental/intellectual disabilities and/or the elderly, medically frail and/or people with various cognitive impairments such as dementia. Prior supervisory or management experience preferred. Working knowledge of medical conditions and diagnoses common among elderly and disabled populations is required. Prior experience with providing personal care assistance (i.e. toileting, physical transfers, etc.) is strongly preferred. Experience with development and implementation of individualized and person-centered goals preferred. Must have prior experience with planning and leading activities to the population served. Program development, lesson planning, skill instruction and creating and documenting Individual Support Plans (ISPs) preferred. Must have excellent communication skills, both written and oral. Visual and auditory acuity with excellent communication skills to understand and interpret written and oral materials and instructions is required. Must have advanced computer skills (Database systems and Microsoft Office Suite: Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint); Demonstrated ability to learn new computer applications is a must. Must have a teamwork mentality and excellent interpersonal skills and skilled at building strong relationships. Must be able to assist with the restroom needs of participants. Must be physically able to stand, walk, sit for extended periods, indoors and outdoors in all weather environments. Must be physically able to lift 40 pounds, transfer participants (on occasion up to 250 pounds) and assist participants with mobility. Must have the visual acuity to monitor participants and focus near and far. Must possess or be able to obtain a Class E driver's license endorsement or equivalent.



Per our licensure, Adult Day employees are required to become registered with the MO Family Care Safety Registry. Active registration must be maintained for continued employment at our center. American Red Cross CPR/First Aid certification, TB testing, and Hepatitis A vaccine are required in this role per licensure. The J provides training/re-certification, testing, and vaccine if employee does not already have. Position is subject to a pre-employment background check and physical.