Pros
The Arc of North Central Mass was formerly a great environment that once cared about advocating for the best interest of the clients. The agency does have great employee benefits. 80% of health/dental insurance is covered at a low cost, vacation/sick time is generous. The clients in all programs are amazing! The agency doesn't have a lot of "abusive" clients for lack of a better term so you are safe in that regard. Also a great family base that their son/daughters or siblings have been going to the program as long as 30+ years. Main office building is renovated and very nice.
Cons
Where to start..... I've worked in several different roles in my career here and I can honestly say this is the bottom line across all programs: Poor management, no recognition, and employees are forced to manage An unrealistic amount of work while being in a toxic environment, where depts. are constantly being "restructured" leaving people jobless. Staff of 25+ years were fired or forced to resign after refusing to conform to the ways of the Nazi regime. The worst program is residential by far. I know that all residential programs across agencies are flawed, but it by far the worst. Agency continued to build and open new residential homes despite how dysfunctional the other programs are to make more $$. Staffing is so short, direct care staff have worked anywhere from 65-95 hours in 1 week, every week month after month. No effort is made to improve staffing or issues in the group homes. Res managers are on call 24/7 365 with no reprieve whatsoever. Expected to answer ridiculous emails from senior team day and night, drilling you with questions to try to prove your "incompetence." No support is given. There are no case managers despite clients medical complexities, so you are stuck doing never ending appointments, booking, surgeries, and medication duties. Paperwork is all they care about and as long as you make everything look good on paper despite poor quality services. Totally unreasonable expectations. Never disobey them or dare advocate for a clients needs. You will be shut down and soon fired. This agency needs to focus on improving their residences true inner workings, not just word about the money coming in or how they look to the states on the outside. The clients suffer greatly.