State of Maryland

A Resident Associate I SETT is the intermediate level of work providing care, custody, treatment and guidance for court-ordered developmentally disabled residents in the Secure Evaluation and Therapeutic Treatment Unit (SETT) within the Maryland Department of Health (MDH).  Employees in this classification are responsible for interacting with and controlling these individuals during everyday life activities by monitoring behaviors and advising them of appropriate alternatives.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions but may provide advice and guidance to lower-level health care workers.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a Resident Associate Supervisor SETT or other designated health care administrator.  Employees may be assigned to day, evening, night or rotating shifts which may include holidays and weekends.  Employees may be subject to call-in and overtime based on staffing needs.  Employees are required to observe infection control precautions in order to prevent contamination and the spread of disease.  Employees may be required to physically restrain individuals displaying violent and aggressive behavior and lift and move individuals and equipment.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Resident Associate I SETT and the Resident Associate II SETT are differentiated on the basis of degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The Resident Associate I SETT performs duties under close supervision at times and under general supervision at other times depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed while the Resident Associate II SETT performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision. 

Provides care, custody and guidance for developmentally disabled court-ordered individuals in SETT who may also have co-occurring mental disorders;

Escorts developmentally disabled individuals to and from daily activities at the facility and monitors their conduct during interactions with others;

Assesses individuals’ skills and abilities to determine appropriate behavior modification techniques and establish goals in coordination with a team of clinical professionals assigned to the facility;

Participates in activities with individuals aimed at developing their intellectual and emotional capabilities;

Observes individual and group behaviors and determines when intervention or guidance is needed;

Intervenes in situations involving agitated or overwrought individuals to prevent fights and to de-escalate potentially harmful behaviors, suggests alternative ways of reacting to problems, and may be required to determine when restraining individuals is necessary to secure the health and safety of residents and staff;

Assesses emergency and crisis situations, makes appropriate contacts and referrals, and provides interim emergency medical and other assistance until specialized assistance is available;

Promotes a unit environment conducive to learning helpful alternative behaviors by encouraging communication among individuals and staff, guiding and critiquing group discussions, and offering advice at appropriate junctures;

Records observation of behaviors, and prepares progress and incident reports on assigned individuals for review by supervisors;

Inspects residential areas for safety, security and cleanliness;

Attends training on topics, such as aggressive behavior, self harm and/or injury, and intellectual and developmental disabilities;

May accompany individuals to appointments off grounds, such as medical appointments and court proceedings to monitor and control behaviors during these outings;

May monitor the activities of lower-level health care workers to ensure that activities are performed consistently within prescribed treatment plans and are in the residents’ best interest;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of developmental disabilities and mental health disorders and the limitations, capabilities and rights of developmentally disabled individuals;

Knowledge of the federal and State procedures and guidelines on the care and treatment of the developmentally disabled;

Knowledge of the methods and disciplines used to treat developmentally disabled individuals;

Knowledge of the symptoms associated with medications administered to developmentally disabled individuals;

Skill in observing, motivating, directing and controlling the behavior of developmentally disabled individuals to assist in the achievement of treatment goals;

Skill in interacting with agitated or overwrought developmentally disabled individuals in a calm manner to de-escalate combative behavior;

Ability to participate in mental and physical activities aimed at developing social and emotional capabilities of developmentally disabled individuals in a therapeutic setting;

Ability to assess and address potentially harmful or destructive behavior by developmentally disabled individuals and offer alternative responses;

Ability to work as an effective member of a team of health care providers;

Ability to plan and schedule the various activities associated with an individual treatment plan;

Ability to carry out emergency and routine procedures for the protection and safety of individuals, staff and the public.

Education:   Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: Two years of experience in work assisting in the care, treatment, habilitation or rehabilitation of developmentally disabled, mentally ill, physically ill or aged individuals in treatment facilities or community based programs.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute additional experience assisting in the care, treatment habilitation or rehabilitation of developmentally disabled, mentally ill, physically ill or aged individuals in treatment facilities or community based programs on a year-for-year basis for the required education.

2. Candidates may substitute education from an accredited college or university with coursework specializing in health or human services, behavioral sciences, or criminal justice at a rate of 30 credit hours for one year of experience for up to two years of the required experience.

3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in Hospital Corpsman classifications or Health Care Specialist and Medical Services specialty codes in the health related field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.  

1. Employees in this classification may be required to successfully complete training and maintain current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

2. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

3. Employees in some positions may be required to operate vans which require a specific motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

1. Employees in this classification are subject to call-in 24 hours a day, and, therefore, will be required to provide the employing agency with a telephone number where they can be reached.

2. Employees in this classification are subject to substance abuse testing in accordance with Code of Maryland Regulations 17.04.09, Testing for Illegal Use of Drugs.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit D, Health and Human Service Non-Professional classes.  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.  An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime as provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.  NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance levels in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series an employee must: 1)  perform the main purpose of the class as defined in the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2)  receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification, and 3)  meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.