direct support professional

registered nurse

residential assistant

teacher's aide

program assistant

AHRC Suffolk

Managers want your total commitment,residents want your constant  attention.All for low pay,no raises and questionable  benefits.If you want a day off you must find your own coverage or replacement.If you call in sick you will be made to feel like you are the most terrible  person.Only time you see a asst.director  or a director at a residence  is if the state is coming then they show up and complain and nitpick.You will never hear a direct "job well done".You will never see an asst.director or the director or anyone who sits in their thrones being all mighty self important come to a house just to visit or have dinner with the residents.When you are a DSP you will be totally involved with residents lives-cooking,feeding,helping dress,driving,dr.appts.,family demands,meds.,yelled at,cursed at,spit at,clean rooms house,remove snow,tons of paperwork,take classes,and on and on and on.On top of all this you get to be talked about,and talked too with total disrespect by management.When you are totally  burned out and they have taken everything the possibly can from you they will disgard you with no problem,smirking all the while.When you leave you will feel free,like a burden has been lifted.You will realize you gave your all to an agency that doesn'the care about you.There are jobs that pay about the same,maybe the benefits aren't as good,but you will be much happier with a normal life.This agency is disgraceful .

I truly enjoy coming to work every day at People’s Arc of Suffolk. I feel valued here, and that’s not something I’ve always been able to say in other workplaces. Leadership is supportive and approachable, and I feel comfortable speaking up, sharing ideas, or raising concerns knowing they’ll actually be heard.

The people I work with make a huge difference. I’m surrounded by coworkers who are dedicated, helpful, and genuinely care about both the work and each other. There’s a strong sense of teamwork, and it feels like everyone is pulling in the same direction.

What really stands out is the mission. The individuals we support are amazing, and it’s incredibly rewarding to be part of an organization that has such a meaningful impact. It’s motivating to come to a place where the work matters and where you can see the difference being made every day.

Overall, People’s Arc of Suffolk is a positive, supportive place to work. I’m grateful to be part of an organization where I feel supported, respected, and happy to show up each morning.

This agency has been horrible during covid. Positive cases were in building and not once did they shut it down or have it professionally cleaned. They only cared about us being there to get them the $ they could due to the fact the participants were out. They were particular about who could work from home and did not treat everyone fairly. (Higher ups could work from home no problem). When I first started at this job, I had no training. I had to figure the position out on my own with no guidance. Not once did management check in to see if I ever needed assistance as I always had to contact them. The individuals made the job rewarding but besides the great hours... the pay was not worthy of the work I was doing. High turnover rate for several positions. Felt very micromanaged by the new supervisors that were thrown my way when the other supervisors quit with little notice. Would not recommend. Although the work with the individuals was rewarding... there are better agencies that support individuals with disabilities. 

What is the best part of working at the company?
I enjoy being a Direct Support Counselor.  I love helping our individuals live their best lives.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
My hours are going to be reduced, July 1st, 2023.  This is completely unexpected.  I have dedicated about 23 years of my life working for AHRC, I expect better decisions from this agency.  Very disappointed.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Supportive.  Great Teamwork.  Positive, for the most part.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
My shift begins at 3pm.  Greet individuals at their busses, assist them into house.  Sometimes, I give meds.  in afternoon.  Assist w/ showers, adl skills, prep & cook dinner.  Follow Pom’s, give direction.  Develope & maintain positive relationships with individuals.  Desert, 8:00P.M. Meds., Medisked completed.  Clean & disinfect all areas of IRA.  Laundry, towels cleaned everyday.  Assist HM with paperwork.  Log in medicine delivered. Communicate with RN, AD, BIS, as needed.

The job is ok, day to day consist of cooking meals, administering meds, community outings/Dr appointments, conflict resolution, and being a good supportive staff member for the more independent individuals. I learned that people in this field will try to twist the things you do or say into something that it’s not just so you’ll get suspended pending investigation. The workplace culture is every man for themselves. The hardest part of the job is getting beat up day after day, and then ending up in the hospital with the very same client that beat you. The best part of this job is getting the individuals out in the community, so they have a sense of independence…most staff don’t like to do this though. 

I’ve been working in Bohemia for a few years now.  The only thing that keeps me there is the time off we get.  Vacation, sick and personal.  But as time goes by, they take away from us.  Right now they took Christmas vacation away and Columbus Day.  Suffolk is going thru changes and I hope that is for the best. The top executive is leaving and we can’t wait to celebrate.  We haven’t gotten a bonus in years, we haven’t gotten a raise in years, until recently because the State gave it to us.  He’s a very greedy selfish man, and we hope that Karma gets him.....Another thing if you’re thinking of applying, just an FYI, they don’t tell you everything. YOU do have to get your hands dirty!

Everyday is different at AHRC Suffolk.  It is a great place to work and my supervisors are extremely respectful.  I love interacting with my clients and I love making a difference in their lives.  I enjoy the respect I receive here.  I have incredible co-workers that make the job extra special.  It is very hard to keep up with the changing systems and procedures at OPWDD since the system is constantly changing.  That is the hardest part of my job, working with a constant changing system.  Other than that, I enjoy working here and absolutely love that I can have such a great balance between work and my personal life.

Fulfilling in the sense that I loved what we did as an agency and most of the people working there were nice. However, there was little interest to invest in people and make things better. Change there moves at a snail’s pace and almost a year without a CEO or any executive team to give any direction has not helped. In spite of that the agency continued on because most of the people really care about what they do. Hiring people to care for other people at pretty much minimum wage was a challenge. No raises for office staff unless you move into another position with a higher salary. But there is flexibility to move into different positions almost to a fault though, where people get  into positions they shouldn’t be in but it was done because it was easier

What is the best part of working at the company?
The people are great.  and insurance is much more reasonable than Boces and they give you more choices

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Very physically demanding Working in crowded classroom with a lot of medical equipment 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Close supportive  staff “family” with approachable authoritative personnel .

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Many different positions here but my position as teachers aid was extremely demanding because my room had a lot of severely disabled students with medical needs and equipment  that was difficult to work with

So to give people an idea of what the icf is like before they come here the supervisors don't care about the individuals and staff. one of the supervisors refers to the staff as inmates. we have a new manager in the gardenview building who is absolutely clueless the higher ups cater to the lazy staff who do absolutely nothing meanwhile they target staff that actually do their job. You have staff that bust their butt day in and day out and always pick up shifts to help get treated like dirt by the supervisors. Staff/nurses are overworked and unappreciated we don't get any raises here. This place is a mess.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Direct support professional 171 salaries reported	$18.88 per hour
Registered nurse 17 salaries reported	$40.13 per hour
Residential assistant 30 salaries reported	$22.82 per hour
Teacher's aide 26 salaries reported	$18.90 per hour
Program assistant 20 salaries reported	$22.48 per hour

Working at People's Arc of Suffolk: Company Overview and Reviews

People's Arc of Suffolk

People's Arc of Suffolk Ratings

Popular jobs at People's Arc of Suffolk

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected