direct support professional

program manager

support specialist

registered nurse

licensed practical nurse

Fall River Deaconess Home

I have worked at the Deaconess Home School for over 20 years.  During my time here I have seen and been a part of the many changes the agency has gone through to adapt to the needs of the children and families that we serve.  

I started my career at Deaconess as a Child Care Worker and have had the opportunity to advance to several different positions.  Through the Tuition Reimbursement policy I was able to obtain a Master's Degree in Education.  Aside from tuition reimbursement, Deaconess offers a BCBS Health Insurance benefit that has most definitely helped me throughout my years with the agency.  Other useful options that are offered are a Dental Plan, Retirement Plan, Paid Days Off and Paid Sick days.  The salary is competitive with other human service organizations.

I have had the good fortune to work for and with some of the finest people in the field.  The majority of upper management have worked with this challenging population for many years and they willingly impart their knowledge to new staff in order for them to learn and grow.

There are many different positions offered; ranging from the Residential Component to Group Home to the Support and Stabilization Program.

The hardest part of my job is to leave the job when I go home.  The most enjoyable is seeing a child succeed when they never thought they could.

I can truly say that if you want to make a difference in the lives of children there is no better place to learn than the Deaconess Home School.  Yes, you will work hard but you will be surrounded by other dedicated staff whose goal is to have adolescents "develop the skills necessary to engage freely in the traditional life systems of family, school, community and work".

I started my internship at the Fall River Deaconess Home with no prior experience to how non -profits and group homes functioned. Under the Assistant Deputy Executive Director, I was able to learn the proper and professional way to research, apply for, write, and execute grants- all while helping her with everyday projects and meetings. On top of this I was also introduced to the work that goes behind achieving accreditation. Interning for the Deaconess Home also allowed me to step into an administrative role to keep the agency moving, but I was able to learn, help, and obtain information that will be useful anywhere I will work in the future. The environment at the Deaconess Home to me was warm, inviting, professional and a great place to connect with the other workers. Being here during COVID was also a great experience, as the agency was always clean, conducting wellness screenings and following the safety procedures. So far, after over a couple of months interning here, I have learned and accomplished more than I ever thought I would. The Administrative office welcomed me and helped me through every step of my internship. Working here as an intern has been a great experience and has prepared me to graduate college ready to step into another job. 

The training doesn’t really tell you what you’re doing as a direct care staff. The job is easy to learn once you know what you’re doing. The real job description is you’re going to have to form a relationship with the kids no matter how much they do not like you, complain about you for doing your job, pick at anything to get you in trouble with management and so on, but I feel i dealt with that part  a little better than the hardest part, which is your co-workers. The way they interact with you about concerns, the way you’re addressed in front of the kids, the constant feeling of not knowing when to support them at first. Most of the time, each staff has completely different ways of doing things so you’ll never really know what’s correct or not. Some kids run the homes because they don’t get disciplined like the others. The power is given to them even by older staff because the kids are the one they go to for company policies and questions. Lastly, you’ll feel isolated because they don’t know you, most of the conversations happen between them and their preferred staff. 

For a children's based facility, this was one if the most depressing place I ever worked at. They have a system in place that works well. However, sometimes there is huge inconsistencies in the system and with management. Nobody is ever in the same page and there is very little team work. I have never seen so many staff literally cry at work due to the demands and disregard the upper management has on staff. I will say, there are several truly genuine staff that are hard workers and love those kids. However, they are rarely validated by upper management. It's a very uncomfortable environment where you are not supported by your superiors. You are told you can't leave the premises or be within 10 ft of the building when you go on break due to a crisis that may occur. I proudly left on my break..thats if you even got one. The company has amazing benefits though. 

The kids are better behaved than the staff. Supervisors are catty and talk down about other stuff as well as residents. If you don't fit in with the in crowd you're singled out and targeted. They do unneccessary restraints and then work together to word the paperwork properly as to not get in trouble. Certain staff as well as supervisors will antagonize the youths and then punish them for reacting to the situation. Nothing ever changes even when new procedures are implemented. Each supervisor does things differently across shifts with no consistency. You're expected to learn 3+ different styles of doing the job and none of them ever line up with what you were taught during training.

Deaconess has excellent benefits - health insurance - free dental insurance and tuition reimbursement.  
Employees are appreciated and there is a lot of passion for the work done with the girls.
There are different kinds of shifts and positions available.  Deaconess also promotes from within - Child Care workers can be promoted to supervisors, teachers, clinicians etc.   Deaconess helps with tuition reimbursement and wants their employees to grow
I worked there and left for another job - after about 10 years I returned and still work there part time.
I believe in the agencies mission to help young woman to be successful in all areas of life - education, work, family and community

I've truly found the company I hope to stay with for the duration of my career. The family like atmosphere truly helps with the stress of the job itself. Managment has been very flexible when family issues arise ( sick child, even a birthday). I find the agency us highly respected among DCF and other agencies that managment holds employees to that same standard. And having a team of people you know for 100% you can trust makes all the difference. Knowing the community work I do I feel the pay is highly competitive and even higher than most other companies. The benefits are outstanding, they pay the deductables!  We also get mileage which is usually a nice extra bonus each check!

There is no such thing as a typical day at work. You quickly learn that your day can be turned upside down in a blink of an eye. I have learned that this in NOT the job for anyone who has a heart. Management has been there for years and if you're not in the "In" crowd - you will quickly be dismissed. The hardest part of the job is having to deal with the pettiness of staff and the harsh criticism of upper managment who can`t seem to understand that being on the job for one week does not make you an expert in dealing with troubled youth. The most enjoyable part of the job would have to be the end of your shift, if you're not mandated to stay on a restraint.

The Fall River Deaconess Home is a great place to work. Being there and having such an impact with the girls is very rewarding. Management recognizes the concerns of each employee, while encouraging collaboration with other staff to ensure no one person is overwhelmed.  Ongoing training and weekly meetings allow supervisors to give consistent recognition and feedback to staff. This helped provide me with a clear understanding of my responsibilities and expectations during upcoming shifts. 
Deaconess has helped me improve my ability to learn rapidly and adapt quickly to changing conditions. I feel better equipped to respond to new instructions, situations, and procedures thanks to my time here.

I've worked at the Deaconess Home for 3 years and it is one of the best jobs that I have ever had. It is so rewarding to know that I'm making a difference in the lives of the residents. The benefits offered (health care, 401k) are very reasonable. I always found management to be supportive as well as approachable, and I felt like I was treated fairly. In my time at this company, I was able to obtain my degree and was promoted. Hard work is recognized here!! Also, lunches are fantastic (there is a private chief).

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Direct support professional 16 salaries reported	$19.61 per hour
Program manager 9 salaries reported	$57,778 per year
Support specialist 5 salaries reported	$21.00 per hour
Registered nurse 2 salaries reported	$38.00 per hour
Licensed practical nurse 2 salaries reported	$33.00 per hour

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