Direct Care Staff - Hartford (Full and Part-time)

The Center for Human Development, (CHD) is seeking Direct Care Staff to join our team at the Odyssey residential program in the Hartford, CT. Our direct care staff establish life-changing relationships with our participants and provide opportunities to optimize their independence, rehabilitation and recovery.

Odyssey House is a structured young adult residential program designed to support young adults as they build the essential life skills needed for successful community living. The program emphasizes program participants development, focusing not only on practical skills but also on community integration, personal empowerment, and responsibility. Through individualized planning, structured routines, and collaborative support, Odyssey prepares individuals to transition confidently into the community with greater autonomy, resilience, and overall well-being. Many of the individuals served in Odyssey experience co-occurring mental health needs, which may include mood disorders, anxiety, trauma-related conditions, or other behavioral health challenges.

Your role as a Direct Care Staff

• The Direct Care Staff works within the Agency’s team model, establishing open communication, support, and accountability among co-workers. Providing a supportive residential environment for individuals who are challenged by mental health and substance abuse histories in a community-based group home. Our goal is to provide an environment that encourages program participants to grow and to live as independently as possible. Some additional responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
• Daily activities include providing direct services to program clients living in a group home setting in the community
• Supporting clients' activities of daily living and monitoring clients' self-administer medication
• Advocating for individuals' within various community settings, and providing opportunities to optimize their independence, rehabilitation and recovery
• Develop professional and supportive relationships with clients and provide informal counseling and guidance with a person-centered focus
• The ideal candidates will have a desire to work with members of our community who have mental illness and substance abuse struggles or both

Requirements

• Experience working with psychiatric disorders or co-occurring population preferred
• High school diploma or GED
• Valid driver's license