direct support professional

human resources generalist

program director

behavioral specialist

program manager

Alvord-Taylor

Let me start out by saying it is hard to remain professional when speaking of this company but I will try my best to do so while getting my point across.  

The #1 problem here is the Executive Director.  He puts on a "front" to the Board of Directors, during All-Staff Meetings and during the Company parties such as summer picnics and Christmas parties.  But on a day-to-day basis he is a bully!  He curses at staff and during meetings, raises his voice to an inappropriate level, demonstrates very poor communication including selective listening, interrupts you when you're talking, breaches confidentiality, gossips, doesn't seek information for a full picture when incidents/events occur and gives off a very intimidating form of body language.  This man is detrimental to this organization.  

Because of the way the Executive Director treats people, the administration turn over is excruciatingly high!  Just in the last 12 months, that I can recall, they have lost: Finance Director (who wasn't replaced for months), the Payroll Specialist, at least 5 Program Managers (many who haven't been replaced), the Operations Manager, 2 Program Coordinators (who have not been replaced), 2 HR Manager/Generalists,  the Recruiter, and countless DSP's.  

Much of the staff that work there are amazing people!  My immediate co-workers were incredible!  Their dedication to the Individuals is outstanding, however, that dedication results in them working countless hours of overtime.  This organization contributes to the poor health and crumbling of families due to the pressure the Executive Director puts on them.  They are hard workers despite the constant beat-down from the Executive Director and his select few "puppets" (who will likely see the light one day).  

My heart hurts for the Individuals that are supported by this agency because they are ultimately the ones that will hurt when this ship sinks...and it will sink one day.  The company is structurally and financially unstable.  

I ignored reviews when I started there and I wished I hadn't.  If you read this and still decide to take a job with them, please PLEASE be sure you document situations.  I guarantee you they will happen and you will be glad you documented things when it crumbles!  I know I am!

Out of all the brokerage agencies in the Eugene/Springfield area, Alvord-Taylor provides the highest level of support, best quality of life, and has the most extensive training program. Training is ongoing, and staff are offered opportunities to attend outside trainings, seminars, and workshops. The problem many people have with this job is expecting it to be a "caregiver" type of position. Direct support is not caregiving. It isn't even in the same ballpark as caregiving. Direct support professionals work to help people achieve on their own. 

One day could be spent teaching somebody to balance his checkbook, and the next spent accompanying a supported person to guitar lessons. The work is fun and very fulfilling. There can be some violent episodes with some people, but it is rare. Staff are well-trained to work through any situation, and behavior specialists work hard to write comprehensive support plans. 

When a person really shines at the job, they become almost a commodity of sorts. The job can easily turn into a 60 hour per week job instead of 40. A dedicated staff member can be called in to cover shifts almost every day. Bonuses are paid for relief shift coverage, but all that work can burn a person out quickly, and there is no loyalty from above. At Alvord-Taylor, admin judges staff by the last mistake made. You may have helped managers out of scheduling binds, and assisted a supported person to ride the bus on their own, but what will be remembered is your last medication error.

Management has a very large turnover rate. There is a lot of pressure on managers, and little support. The longest serving manager has been in the position just over two years. Admin hires most managers from outside the agency, and many new managers have never worked in a human services position before. 

Coworkers are great. The front-line employees are excellent at the job. I work with over two-hundred people that I enjoy being around. People who do not do the job well leave quickly, as this isn't the type of job a person can fake.

Overall I love working for Alvord-Taylor. It is my coworkers and people I assist that make me love coming to work each day.

As an agency, Alvord-Taylor is far ahead of any other competing agency in the area. The mission of Alvord-Taylor is "Assisting people with disabilities to live quality lives in the community." As simple as this mission statement is, it truly is what Alvord-Taylor is all about. 

Alvord-Taylor is committed to providing the most comprehensive, progressive, and ongoing training. The new employee training consists of 80 hours of relevant classroom instruction by qualified trainers. The initial 90 days is spent with a coach who guides the new employee through each aspect of the job. Employees may seek new training as they wish in every area of Direct Support. It is all paid training.

Nothing at Alvord-Taylor is routine. One day could be spent teaching a person how to wash clothes, while the next day could be a trip taking a person to a Kings of Leon concert. Some sites have medically fragile residents, so ongoing training may include heavy medical duties, while another might be challenging behaviors or mental illness.

Alvord-Taylor hires management and administration from within, so advancement opportunities are there. Many of the people working in admin are long-term employees, though, so the turnover rate is not high. Still, as the agency grows, so do opportunities.

Coworkers come from all backgrounds, and there is a wide variety of staff. Just like any other workplace, some can be tough to work with and some can be easy. The manager of each site sets the tone.

Schedules are infinitely flexible, and there are shifts to fit anybody's need. There is a good medical plan, and earned time off adds up quickly. I took a three week vacation at my two-year mark! 

The work can be very challenging, but the rewards are worth it. If you like to remove obstacles and help people live the lives they desire, Alvord-Taylor will offer you that change.

I've worked here for several years and proudly watched improvement until early last year. There were grueling hours for all of us but it felt like we were a team. Several long term employees who were the heart and soul of the place left and it's just gone downhill. From talking to co-workers and listening to Managers it's clear that the Executive Director is a head-case which is why there is so much turnover from Managers on up and the Board of Directors doesn't seem to care and even keeps giving him raises.

It's sad cause the people we support are so awesome and if the Managers were supported instead of beat up all the time it wouldn't be getting so bad. We can't keep them long enough to know how to do their job it seems which makes everything else hard for everyone.

Most of my co-workers are great and as long as we don't see the Coordinators or other Admin it's not as stressful. The Union keeps the kind of blame culture and head-hunting that Managers have to put up with to a minimum unless of  course you are stupid enough to put your neck out far enough to be targeted by Administration.

If you are looking to work in this field, I'd suggest working for OSLP or IEI. The people who left who didn't move out of town went to work at those companies. I've thought of quitting, but I'm too dedicated to the people I work with.

I worked nights for a program and (believe me) this morning person needed all the caffeine in the world. I actually cultivated an unhealthy Mountain Dew addiction as this is the only full-time position someone without a driving license can obtain in the company. They provide coffee, but I find it's taste intolerable. Still, no one, not even night owls, seem to want this job. For over a month, I worked six nights a week with my manager taking one night so I could get some proper rest. It goes against natural bio-rhythms. For me, the job mainly consisted of cleaning and meal prep for the next day (I made all three meals in one night, and every participant wanted something different). My job also included morning routines such as hygiene, medication distribution, and general health notes as needed. It was quiet, but I was allowed to use the living room television for gentle background noise. I would bring CDs and much-loved movies that I did not need to focus on, but they helped me relax to the atmosphere of being in someone else's home. Other programs are much more active with individuals up at all hours of the night. This job is as unique as the people being supported.

Alvord Taylor could be a great company if they were to replace the Board of Directors and Executive Director.  Staff are at a loss of what they can do to make this possible and they are not able to as they fear a target will be left on their back and will be terminated by the request of the Executive Director.  The admin staff are at their end as they are not able to do their job effectively as the Executive Director keeps the rains held tight and admin staff have very little say on how to really make this company great and run properly.  Administration staff have been able to develop working relationships with managers along with the direct support staff; seeing them struggle and their health failing because of being overworked and no relief or care from the Executive Director is very difficult for the administration staff to watch.  
There are/is great staff at Alvord Taylor that have left and are going to leaving due to the consistent bullying and lack of support and guidance from the Executive Director.  
Alvord Taylor be a wonderful place to work if only the Board and Executive Director where replaced.

I really love the home that i work in and the individuals i support, they've become like my family over the years. Even some if the staff have become great friends. I'll probably never leave... I've been there over 10 years thus far! They have great training, there's always someone there to help support you during the training process (in the home i work in at least). Every Alvord Taylor group home is so different and tend to have a unique culture, one home may be a horrible fit for you and another home may be just the perfect fit. They have great medical benefits, Paid time off and bonuses. My only gripe is the max hourly rate for DSP's is only $17.50, it's just not enough with the cost of living here, and it took me 6-7 years to make it there, I haven't had an annual raise in years, just the across the board raises that everyone gets. Anyway, in a nutshell great place to work for! I'd rather make a little less $ and love my job, than make a couple extra bucks but hate my job.

As with any company, there is the good, the bad and the ugly.

The Good: 
Being a part of a team that becomes family is a huge bonus in this field. I know that my co-workers have my back and will do what it takes for  me to be successful and they know that I will do the same for them. Being a part of helping a person work towards their goals and achieve what others thought to be impossible is something everyone should get to experience in their lifetime. The pay is decent, the flexibility is great and the relationships are irreplaceable. 

The Bad: It can be hard - Working with people just sucks sometimes. Just remember to not take it personal and that the day can be restarted at any time. 

The Ugly: Office politics suck. Entitled people suck. People who come to work and then don't work suck. But then again, what employer doesn't have these problems? 

Yeah, the hours can be long, staffing is always going to be an issue and there is always that one co-worker you hope never comes back, but when you find that match and just "click" it changes you as a person, forever.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The individuals and senior office staff that actually care about the well being of the programs. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
My direct manager not listening to me when I was asking for help/ that I needed more staff so I could have a more balanced work and home life. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The office can be very click-y and difficult to be heard as a new comer needing help with purely the number of work hours. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
After the training section, my manager went MIA and I had to try and fumble my way into a routine to turn around and be told the attempt at a routine was not enough. After physically being at the program anywhere from 10hrs-36hrs preforming my DSP rolls, I would be on my laptop till 2a-3a working on payroll or play catchup on other backend paperwork that had not been completed from previous people.

Innept management. They promote incompetence. They want employees to not care and just be baby sitters because they fear the negative publicity if something bad happens when doing things in public, basically they want employees to be submissive and not promote the people they serve because they are fearful. They hire almost anyone because of their high turnover and will stiick you at the bad houses without explaining they are the difficult houses because nobody else will work there. They will work you so much and illegal short turnaround times then treat you poorly if you ever stop being a slave. They allow marijuana use by staff and management. May be non profit but administration is high paid. They do nothing to keep the good employees. Terrible policies and business practices. No employee retention practices. They take earned vacation when you quit. I suggest working for small companies (families) doing this type of work.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Direct support professional 3 salaries reported	$20.50 per hour
Human resources generalist 4 salaries reported	$60,750 per year
Program director 1 salary reported	$69,000 per year
Behavioral specialist 1 salary reported	$50,500 per year
Program manager 1 salary reported	$55,126 per year

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