Pros
Working with the clients everyday was very rewarding and fun. Most coworkers were great also.
Cons
Pay- no raise for 2 yrs. Although they did start a program to get employees to donate part of their check back to the company. Getting physically attacked by clients but receiving no help from managers. In the middle of a 4 hour attack I was told to "bribe him with gum". Not helpful! The client was attempting to jump out of the vehicle as I drove in addition to biting, scratching, hitting and spitting on me. Managers would go weeks without ever coming to the house to see how staff and the clients were doing. How can they properly manage a facility that they are never in? Lead staff (LDSP) are responsible for everything that happens in the home but they aren't considered supervisors, so they have no authority. You aren't considered a supervisor so they don't have to pay you like one. Med errors (dropping a pill, late administration or missing a dose etc) are severely punished. This leads to most employees not reporting the error for fear of losing their job. The ultimate goal is to keep the clients safe, but an environment where people are afraid to be honest doesn't help reach this goal. Other companies promise no reprisals so things actually get reported and problems corrected. The employee receives additional training. Punishment only happens for serious repeat offenders Since mangers very rarely come to the homes some employees sleep during their shifts. When it's reported, they say that they can't do anything unless they see it themselves. They require managers to have a degree...in any field, just as long as they have a degree. Apparently an art history degree makes you a good human services manger.