HOW WE SELECT AND TRAIN OUR STAFF
Hiring good candidates for our Direct Support Professional position is key to our quest of providing legendary services. To make that happen, we have a thorough hiring and training process that includes interviews, a pre-hire site visit, background check, new employee orientation, and additional in-home training specific to the individuals at the home or program.
We begin by searching for candidates that exhibit four essential traits:
2) Capable — Are they willing, competent, interested, teachable?
3) Respectful — Are they considerate, polite, thoughtful, mindful of others?
4) Responsible — Do they understand what it means to be accountable, trustworthy?
We know that candidates that possess these traits are likely to be excellent caregivers and role models. We believe that the individuals we support deserve to have caregivers that have a passion for their job and are willing to provide diligent care that is mindful of their needs and sees them as a person.
Once an applicant is hired by AIRES, they go through a rigorous training process. AIRES is one of the few service providers in Arizona that requires their new hires to complete all training requirements before working directly with the people we serve. New Employee Orientation is taught by Training Coordinators from our Quality Enhancement Department. These instructors create an engaging and instructive atmosphere that prepares and energizes them for excellent service delivery. During the orientation week, employees learn about our company philosophy and the Values of EMPATHY, and then focus on other critical information such as the individual we support rights, appropriate behavior management techniques, and technical skills such as medication administration. We invite parents, guardians, and interested members of the community to participate and sit-in on our training classes.
In addition to the week of new employee orientation, each Direct Support Professional receives training specific to the individuals we support that they will work with. As they begin working at a program, staff members receive detailed information about the needs and desires of each person in the program — this personal orientation is designed to help the staff provide the best service and support. The individual we support specific orientation can last from a few hours to a few days.
But the training of staff doesn’t end there. Staff development is an on-going process at AIRES. Employees receive monthly training updates on hot button issues, as well as being recertified in essential classes such as First Aid/CPR.
