direct support professional

shift manager

residence manager

special education teacher

facilities maintenance technician

Anderson Center for Autism

I was hired as a teacher's assistant in the school, but after the two week long extensive orientation process, I was told I would have to work in the homes every morning as well. The orientation process gave me the impression that the agency was professional,  but when actually working in my work location, I was met with otherwise. Many of the staff did not execute professionalism, gossiping while with the individuals and using phones for personal reasons throughout the shift. My manager not only engaged in multiple instances of speaking with profanity, but when speaking about individuals, he used their diagnosis' as more of a defining factor than the individual's personal qualities themselves.  On top of this, the organization was so understaffed that I was redeployed multiple times per week to locations I did not know the proper training for. This ultimately damages work for staff such as me, but more so destroys the structure necessary for individuals that reside at Anderson. I tried to make a small difference during my employment with each interaction with the individuals, but always left feeling defeated with the overall work environment's hostility. Overall, this job was a very short-lived, unenjoyable experience, and left me crying on the way home most days. That is why I chose to part with Anderson and find a new agency to work for. 

First of all no one here is being paid enough for the work they are doing. Most people go above and beyond because they have to rise to each occasion. Anderson carefully chooses their best and sparkliest spokespeople to run orientation.. they should have observation day way in the beginning so people know what they are getting into. You will be cleaning up excrement, and all bodily fluids. You will be very much at risk when individuals have outbursts. If you stick around long enough will certainly will accumulate some permanent injuries. You will be shuffled around lots. I suppose they are pretty much not so under staffed at this point so that may help things. I totally enjoy working with the individuals, but I think its wack they aren't that upfront with some things. I have major respect for all my coworkers though. You really won't know what's up until you start the job so keep that in mind during the orientation week and stay flexible. Also things that you think would be changed immediately if you reach out to upper management do not get addressed right away if at all. A lot of amazing people are holding it all together. 

AWFUL!!!!
The environment is cliquish and  easily intimidated if you stand out from the rest.. they see you as a threat  instead appreciation of your kindness and  sincerity.  Staff protect their own while excluding or undermining anyone outside the circle. I witnessed unkind and dismissive teaching, safety concerns that were ignored, and double standards in training and exams — all while trying to do the right thing.

Even leadership could not provide a valid reason for my termination and seemed to allow the clique culture to continue. The experience was humiliating and unfair.

If you value professionalism, transparency, and fairness, think carefully before working here and especially entrusting them with a loved one. 



There are staff who love what they do and care for the individuals. We definitely need more of these people. If you’re a team player you will do well, as there’s many people on the team to support these guys. This is a good job for someone out of High School or College, although the right person of any age can succeed. You will really learn so much. Your comfort zone will be pushed for sure. There are so many placement options, so if for any reason you’re not comfortable, management does take this into consideration, but at the end of the day, we are here for individuals who rely on us. The best part of my job are the laughs and accomplishments big or small, the most challenging part is that we need more good staff!, and behaviors can be a challenge, but one of the purposes of us being there is to help eliminate negative behaviors through ABA and other research based knowledge. It’s so rewarding, and there’s opportunity to grow if you are open to the options available, like discounted college tuition, and multiple management positions for those who don’t have a degree. I encourage you to apply!

-A typical work day is very structured and settled which allows for the participants to function accordingly and get through chores that allow for improvement on daily living skills 
- I feel like I  have taken the initiative to learn a very big amount from this Center as well as Quality of Life with these children 
-Management should be looked into i think overall they do well with the choosing of managers within this school and Center 
-Work place culture is run very thoruoughly the hardest part about it is the safety and well being of all participants at all times and creating fun new ideas to implement on the campus as a whole to allow participants with the opportunity to develop there daily life skills and enjoying themselves like any other within the community 
- The most enjoyable aspect of the job is the freedom of trial and error to get along with the kids and figure each one out individually to help with there needs and staying within curriculum to not disrupt school learning or regressive steps

I've seen a very high turnover rate in staff since my employment with the agency, and I hope someday that the reasons for staff leaving come to light. Since working here, things have changed a lot. Unfortunately, Anderson seems to expect employees to prioritize them above any other job you may possibly have. Management can range from fantastic, to absolute garbage. When a manager doesn't have the guts to do their job to properly staff a house, there's a problem there. There are employees who go above and beyond, and those who do little to no work, but are lucky enough to still have a job. If you have a family or plan on having one, I don't recommend this job. You will have very little balance between work and home, and there's always a possibility that you could get mandated to work many hours straight. It is also a dangerous job depending on your placement. The benefits here are sub par at best. The vacation time and sick time could be improved drastically, and then staff wouldn't feel like they need to come in when they're sick because they'd have enough sick time.

My day consist of warm welcoming of the participants as they arrive from either the Life Long Learning Center or their job.  We have a brief house meeting to discuss the day and evening events.  A participant is then chosen to assist with dinner preparations, while other participants complete house chores.
After dinner , we will either go out into the community to shop or for some physical activity such as walking or indoor exercises.  At Anderson, I have learned that although the individuals may have some sort of disability, the community should be more willing to embrace them and welcome the,.  My manager is very flexible and keeps the house running smoothly. The participants all feel as a united family.
The hardest part of my job would be when one cannot verbally express their feelings either when sick or upset.  I enjoy working with the girls and teaching them life learning experiences.

I've learned a lot working at Anderson since I had no prior experience working with this population. I was lucky and had a supportive team I worked with, but there are times where I worked with people that created toxic environments. There are a lot of problems with this agency. Management and administration wonder why the turnover rate is so high, but it's obvious. The pay overall sucks. There's opportunities to advance and be promoted, but it's still limited. Only people with bachelor degrees can become Instructors, even though some staff lacking these degrees are more than qualified to do this job. Management doesn't care enough to make the changes necessary to support their staff. This company cares more about appearances and money and less about doing the right thing.

The clients come in from their daily activities you help them work on meal prep for dinner. Those who need assistance with eating you sit with and either pace or give what ever assistance they need.
 You help them with their daily chores and hygiene. If an outing is planned you drive them and assist them while out in the community.
Pass medications to the patients. They are packed labeled for each individual so there are no mistakes in giving the clients their medications.
The hardest part of the job was when a client would have a meltdown or would be aggressive. 
The most enjoyable is seeing how happy they are when they achieve a new skill or going to do something they enjoy.

Anderson Center for Autism (ACA) is amazing for the individuals who need them because ACA is always there for their individuals with developmental disabilities and would never put a vulnerable person out just because they or their family can't pay. Once a person starts living and learning at ACA, they can be there for life. I'd say that 99% of the Direct Support Professionals, teachers, administration staff, and all other staff are amazing and have enormous hearts and want to be there. At the end of the day, I love the sense of caring and giving that I get from being there and how great it feels to help someone. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Direct support professional 10 salaries reported	$23.09 per hour
Shift manager 22 salaries reported	$24.50 per hour
Residence manager 7 salaries reported	$70,418 per year
Special education teacher 14 salaries reported	$61,619 per year
Facilities maintenance technician 11 salaries reported	$26.03 per hour

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