direct support professional

group manager

registered behavior technician

mental health case manager

program manager

Alternatives, Inc.

Evaluates skills and needs of each individual receiving services and makes recommendations to Program and Unit Managers. 
Assists in planning and implementing IHP/ISP with Program and Unit Manager and Interdisciplinary Team. 
Supervises clients in maintenance and upkeep of apartments or home. 
Submits reports as required by Program/Unit Manager. 
Assists in review and implementation of DHS licensing standards. 
Assists in setting up of appointments. 
Provides necessary transportation to clients. 
Ensure security and confidentiality of all assigned Alternatives, Inc. records. 
Assists in planning and implementing Individual Behavior Plans with Clinical Specialist, Program/ Unit Manager and IDT, when applicable. 
Cooperate with Alternatives, Inc. and the N.J. Department of Human Services in all inspections or investigations. 
Assists the Program and Unit Manager in training and supervision of staff. 
Maintain apartment, staff office and vehicle keys.
Maintains records as assigned by Program/Unit Manager. 
Participates in staff meetings as directed by Program/Unit Manager 
Availability to be contacted in emergency situations.
Assists in training of clients in necessary area. 
Assists in carrying out recreation events by providing additional transportation and supervision.

Employees receive extensive training in multiple areas of direct support at the main facility; however, the training received is not practiced appropriately in the group home setting.  Some DSP staff are competent but most either ignore training guidelines or simply rely on coworkers to perform duties while spending the majority of their shift on their cell phone.  There is a tremendous amount of back-stabbing among group home staff. Also, some staff that have more time in the industry treat newer DSP's with little to no respect.  Upper management provides outlets for addressing problems, but in reality, I was made to feel that making complaints against fellow workers would result in retaliation in the group home.
Finally, many DSP's leave before the end of the shift (3-11), leaving one  staff member alone, which goes against policy; and, if relief staff either comes in late (up to 45 minutes) or does not show up, you will be stuck there until coverage is found, which may even take an entire shift.   

After only the first two months I could tell this was not the agency I thought it would be. Lack of communication between staff on different shifts, favoritism among coworkers, lack of care from management when approached with dilemmas, half the staff sat around all day, other staff over worked, the list goes on. I stuck it out because of the love I have for the type of work it entails, working along side clients to help them live a better life. Unfortunately there were other staff who only had a paycheck in mind, making it a lot harder for those of us who genuinely wanted to be there.
The work itself is not hard whatsoever. Take the clients to appointments, work with them on their goals, basically just hang out with them and see to it that their needs were met. As well as some house hold chores like doing dishes and laundry. 
Very basic and easy stuff.
The clients I supervised were amazing, even on their off days. 
If you have even a sliver of "maybe this is for me", I would suggest looking for a job like this at a different agency. 
It is by far the most fulfilling job I've ever had.
It's just unfortunate the company runs the way it does.

I was laid off at 6 months pregnant from a position I worked in for 3 years because I didn’t speak Spanish after they hired someone who had only been in the agency for less than 6 months who did speak Spanish but knew absolutely nothing about the job. In fact it was said that she frequently asked other people in the department to complete her work for her while I worked hard and independently, but was still laid off solely because I didn’t speak a language. We were lied to several times about open positions, salary and caseloads. We were also lied to about where the money our program was bringing in was going. Prior to my lay off another SC went on maternity leave and we split up their caseload and were told that SC would be taking their caseload back upon arrival. SC returned with a supervisor position and we had to keep their caseload which was stressful and not communicated with the team at all by management. I suffered from constant anxiety with job duties and little support from management. The agency is constantly laying off employees and closing programs due to poor planning and money management.

Depending on where you are in your career, Alternatives can be a stepping stone into social services. You will absolutely get hands on experience with all different clients with ranges of physical and intellectual disabilities. However, the agency is extremely understaffed and you can easily find yourself picking up extra shifts (which is a pro and con depending on you) and getting stuck worked doubles or even triples when staff do not come in. Hard workers are overworked and bad employees can skate under the radar for years before disciplinary issues catch up to them. Management is out of touch and really don't know what issues the programs faces. Not a lot of resources in tough situations and very little opportunity for promotability. 

Dealing with individuals who cope with mental illness as well as drug problems was somewhat bearable. Times could be fluid whereas other days the whole world seemed to be against you with appointments, meetings, supervision, transportation and whatever else could be thrown in. Your meeting clients in their homes, you helping through social services to get clients food stamps, your assisting them in looking for permanent housing, transporting most of them to the grocery store and dealing with internal conflicts amongst the clients. You could do all these things but you never have time to completely complete all of the things required of you. Paperwork piles up and your constantly worried if your doing as good a job that you can. Overall stressful place to work. Coworkers were what made the job bearable. Management can literally give you ulcers!

Warren County office has no supportive management. If your looking for supervision you will not get any from the clinical director.  Staff is friendly for the most part and work environment can be enjoyable when certain people are not in the office. Job description is skewed...you think you can make a difference in the mentally ill population but with this company you can't. They preach independent living, yet enable the clients to remain dependent. Get ready to drive, drive, drive... As that is all the support you can give without getting suspended! Hourly rate is $12.00 with a BA or MA degree. Best part of job was the clients...and trying to make a positive difference despite the ridiculous policies that work against both client and staff.

Black employees without degrees gain more ground in promotion and support of supervisors. Anyone with degrees will be potentially blackballed because supervisors and managers are insecure and do not follow procedures as they should.

My pay and hours were great. I enjoyed working with the population of clients but their needs were many. I personally did a great job, but got little support or reward from having professional standards. 

Culture is worse than a mechanistic models that were popular during the Depression. You would think with the many women in positions in executive and front line positions would be more supportive, and have educational backgrounds. 

Just a bunch of women who stayed long enough to get promoted through the ranks. Very little diversity is actualized this way.

A typical at work consisted of walking into shifts (3pm - 11pm) with nothing completed from overnight staff, incomplete house chores, a manager who belittled workers, and unreliable coworkers in regards to showing up to scheduled shift on time and not filling out required documentation promptly.

I learned how to renew medication scripts, make mars sheets, use ISP software, schedule doctor's appointments, and create weekly schedules.

In regards to management, it can be greatly improved. Management can be more respective toward staff and abide by all DDD State rules.

Workplace culture consisted of cliques with environments that can be either hostile or friendly.

The hardest part of the job is working alongside management.

The most enjoyable part of the job is working with my clients.

This company is terrible. The clients are great but the management is terrible. There’s certain staff stealing hours and management is aware but dnt do anything about it. But the moment you make a slight mistake, for example: call out passed the time frame. that’s when they take action and write you up. They claim everyone will be treated equally but that’s a lie. When you call someone out for doing something wrong, management tries to get you fired. When they need help covering their group homes, that’s when they’re the nicest. But those same people be quick to get you in trouble or get you fired. Everyone is corrupted. Don’t waste your time working for this company...they don’t care for their staff. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Direct support professional 181 salaries reported	$21.15 per hour
Group manager 3 salaries reported	$23.00 per hour
Registered behavior technician 10 salaries reported	$27.15 per hour
Mental health case manager 5 salaries reported	$27.35 per hour
Program manager 10 salaries reported	$22.85 per hour

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