direct support professional

residential supervisor

mental health technician

program coordinator

residential manager

The Community Supports Network (NE)

This job is so very rewarding when it comes to aspects of learning, growing, and the amount of wisdom you can take with you into life. You’ll find yourself appreciating the small happy moments through-out the job. In the moments, the job feels succeeding & cheerful, but once the moment is gone.. you question why you are at this job. 
Unfortunately, there are no incentives. Many people who put very little to none effort into their job, will get paid much more than you. You’ll find management being very caring, but only to an extent. Once it comes down to hours needing covered or documentation needing to be completed, all the respect goes out the window. 
Many of the patients are very verbally aggressive, physically aggressive, and mentally draining. The amount of patients you take care of, and the amount of memorization of all their programs including - what gets them mad, what they like to eat, what is their coping skill, who is their manager, where they live, etc , leaves you extremely burnt out fast. All the information and expectations they require from you, does not add up with the pay. In jobs you see that where you lack, other staff pick up. That is what makes a team. In this job, where many other staff lack, you are obligated to pick up more than your plate can carry. You do more than over 4-10 people’s jobs, and receive no credit for it. You only receive stress and exhaustion.  
The money is not what keeps you going. Especially when you tell your boss that you have the debate between putting food on the table or putting gas in your car, and they tell you to work 60-70 hrs weeks if you want more money. Not that they will give you raise for all the extra work you do for the company. 
What keeps you going is the patients. There are more bad days than good, but when there are moments of good.. you feel this pure feeling of happiness. You see the work you’ve been doing is slowly, but surely making a difference. The attachment you get with the patience is almost heart breaking because you know you will not be in their life forever. It is only a chapter in your life, and there will be a time where you are not in their life anymore. 

When I applied for this job hoping to get experience in the behavioral health field, I never imagined how much I would end up loving it. The managers and supervisors I have worked with here have always been incredibly supportive and caring. It's an interesting job because it can be stressful in some ways due to the behaviors of the clientele we work with, yet at the same time, the majority of the time you are on shift is just spending time with people and supporting them in whatever they do in a relaxed environment. Of course, there is work to be done as with any job. But it definitely doesn't feel like work when I get paid to spend an afternoon with clients at the zoo, or getting pizza and ice cream with a client. The certifications I have gained (CPR, Med Aide, etc) are a valuable asset to myself and my resume. The general climate is laid back, yet serious where it matters. The dress code is minimal and I pretty much wear whatever I want (within reason). They are fully accepting of my choice to have facial piercings, colorful hair, and tattoos. Managers are willing to work with school and work schedules--it's a great gig for college students. There are a variety of shifts, and there are even overnight shifts where you literally get paid to sleep. The most challenging part of the job is seeing the barriers our clients face including a surprising amount of prejudice in the community. But one of the most rewarding and amazing parts of my job is seeing our clients overcome those barriers and accomplish things that people told them over and over again that they couldn't. Small victories result in big celebrations here. As with many jobs in this field, the pay is not incredible. That said, I love my job enough that a lower pay is worth it for me--I'm able to get by just fine.

Absolutely a great place to work.  They really do get the best referrals and you get to work with those accepted.   Majority of of front line staff want to make you the best so their clients have the best.  Easy to get extra hours.  Not overly taxing.  You really see your fellow DSPs and FLS doing the best they can with what management gives them to work with.  
CSN Sioux City really has the most amazing employees.  Very good at weeding out bad players so the people they support have who they need in place.  
Talk to Bre HR in Sioux City.  She's down to earth, eager to place the right people for the job becauseshe has a heart.  Any problem you have she'll give the answer or find it.  She's reliable, very approachable, flexible and enjoys coffee :) 
If your looking for a job or just browsing give CSN a look.  You'll be making a huge difference in the lives of the people you support and coworkers.   You'll leave each day knowing you gave back.  
This job was better than the position I went to college for.  Very, very fulfilling.
Cons: Local top management is hypocritical, lacks professionalism when no one is looking, lacks insight, can be openly hostile, needs to be held to a higher degree of accountability, is passive aggressive and overly confident.   Thankfully, you have minimal contact compared to all the wonderful people you'll meet who value you, your time and the times you go out of your way.  
If your just looking for a paycheck, go elsewhere.  This company needs your heart, your life experience, your knowledge and of course time.  If you're open you get so much more out of it than you put in.  
Don't be deterred.  It really is the best place I've worked for those with a heart and can be professional friends to others.
There's an awesome sign on bonus to entice you to give them a look.  
Hope this helps in your job search.  
CALL AND ASK FOR MISS BRE in HR today.  Trust me, they're hiring.

I have been with the company for a few years, leaving a job at another company that was very similar but the people we were working with very different. In the many years I have worked with this company, I have been amazed by the successes I have seen. We support people to help themselves become successful and more in control of their own lives by helping to develop skills that make them independent. It's amazing to watch people who required one to one care for the majority of their adult lives, suddenly be successful and not require as much support. The growth is unreal in seeing how much more they like to interact and seek those interactions when they are not requiring the higher level of care. It's been amazing to see so many obtain jobs in the community and successfully increase their skills, hours and responsibilities. When it comes to the staff - this company is working hard to become strength based and with that focus - we learn better how to work with the staff and help them achieve their own successes. I take pride in the fact that this is a great job to learn management skills because errors are looked at as opportunities to learn, grow and problem solve.

I have never spent so much time at a company that down right does not care about their employees. I spent years dedicating my time, effort, and contributions towards not only the individuals I supported but the company to be completely dismissed like it was nothing to them.  I spent 7 years at the company for new hires to come on making the same wages as me that I worked my butt off for to get to!!! It’s a complete joke of a company, and a complete waste of your time! They are about to get shut down by the state, under complete watch - and for a good reason. They need to be shut down. They completely only care about themselves. Upper management only cares about the positions being filled so they don’t have to. Will have their employees working 70-80 hour work weeks, for NO APPRECIATION in the end. There are so many more companies in this field that will treat you so much better. Save your time and energy, go some where you’ll be value, appreciated, and compensated for being the MOST VALUABLE employee in the company! 

CSN is a great place to work when gaining experience in the field of disability services/mental health advocacy. Unfortunately the management is poor and has no problem with direct support professionals working 80-100 hours without appropriate compensation/support. A lot of the workers get burnt out very quickly. You deal with a lot of behaviors and violence, but there are good days as well. I applied to make a difference in the individuals’ lives, only to disappointed in how the company approaches conflict with the staff and individuals. Turnover rate is extremely high for this reason. Wages are also very inconsistent. Some people start with more pay and no more experience than someone who has worked for the company for 2 years. This job is not for everyone, but it can be extremely rewarding on the good days. 

FLS position was very demanding. A lot of weeks working 50-60+ hours, salaried so there was no OT compensation. Had to oversee group homes, staff and clients including. A lot of office/meetings/paperwork on top of required hours working in the group homes.  Loved working with the clients served but was difficult to balance all work responsibilities. Was on call everyday during the week for group homes. Was told there would be on call rotation between all FLS for weekends but very often was on call over and over again, at one point was on call 5 weekends in a row. Staff who worked primarily in the group homes were underpaid and had a lot of issues keeping employees around long term, making it difficult to establish a consistent work schedules for everyone. FLS was expected to fill in any open shifts, which could be a lot with not having enough staff. Left FLS position but remained working as a DSP part time for a few years. 

This company could be better if those in management and HR were better human beings. They don’t support nor do they appreciate their staff, mainly DSPs for the exhausting work they do. Staff is underpaid and expected to do so much and tolerate even more for little satisfaction. They advertise that they do a $500 hiring bonus which is false. I worked there work past the allotted time and have yet to see and receive that money. Overnights are paid at minimum wage which is beyond me! They don’t consider everyday life happening and expect you to drop everything for these clients who show you little to no respect!! I got hit in the face by a client and no one in management or HR cared enough to do anything. I did not sign up to be a babysitter or a punching bag!! I signed up to help ASSIST clients to be more INDEPENDENT. 

I love the people at CSN, both the people I support and my coworkers. Being in social work, not every day is easy and not every day is the same, which to me is the exciting part. 

They offer a good range of employee benefits and make an effort to utilize technology as much as possible to make things efficient. Advancement in the company is very much possible as many of the managers and leadership once were DSPs. 

I truly think the job is what you make of it, if you have a passion for this work and want to make a difference in someone's life then its the perfect opportunity. However if you aren't a people person and just want to collect a paycheck and go home, then it probably isn't for you.

I am a student at UNK.  Not only is this experience going to help me in my career, but I leave my shift every day feeling like I really made an impact.  I wanted to do more than just work, I wanted to help people, and working here has been just what I was wanting to find.  I come to my shift and the people I support are excited to see me, which is a great feeling!  They have bad days too, but who doesn't. I expected that coming into a job in this field and asked a lot of questions when I was hired on how I can help them through a rough patch. I've learned so much, and I've grown in my own abilities in working with people.  Being an advocate for individuals with disabilities is something I always wanted to do, but I wasn't really sure how.  This job allows me the perfect opportunity to do so!

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Direct support professional 95 salaries reported	$16.41 per hour
Residential supervisor 8 salaries reported	$46,406 per year
Mental health technician 101 salaries reported	$13.05 per hour
Program coordinator 9 salaries reported	$48,222 per year
Residential manager 19 salaries reported	$45,750 per year

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