Autism Spectrum Therapies Employee Reviews about "great training"

Pros

They have extensive new hire training that prepares you for the best and worst of the job. As a lead tech I can accrue 15 days of paid time off which is super nice!

Cons

The commutes between clients can sometimes be a lot. Different experience with different supervisors

Pros

Training was very detailed and helpful. The staff that I ended working with is great! They are extremely helpful and helped me become better at my job.

Cons

Driving house to house can be a bit weary, especially since you're not being paid your regular rate while driving. At least they still pay you and reimburse gas!

Pros

Flexibility/Training and the opportunity to have an evolving a unique and evolving case load and or school-based opportunities to provide ABA trained therapy.

Cons

No or insufficient pay for same-day cancelled sessions.

Pros

Guidance from Supervisors Fun and constant training Play while you work Flexible schedule Making a difference in people's lives

Cons

Long hours needed to make a decent paycheck Stressful at times

Pros

Clinical director and upper management are always there to support BCBAs and give adequate supervision A real team atmosphere where everyone really supports one another In-house clinical development team that includes high risk reviews, case reviews, and a feeding team that BCBAs can consult for support to make the best clinical decisions for difficult cases A shift to assent based practices and a serious approach to training and teaching BCBAs about assent and how to implement Reasonable caseloads with 20-25 hours billable goal per week

Cons

The usual stressors of the job (working in schools and families) Billable hours can become an anxiety, but CD works with BCBA on how to get these met The insurance recently changed which includes huge pay costs

Pros

AST is a for-profit ABA service company that uses best practice clinical tools to support children and adults with autism. They offer a business model that is not only committed to clients, but to the success of their employees. Paid drive time and mileage, excellent medical benefits and PTO accrual, and a variety of positions and certification opportunities in the company to grow into and learn new things. Every person in management positions I've interacted with in my time there have been professional and helpful and my peers have always been kind and supportive, making it a great environment to work in. My story: I've worked with AST for many years, starting off with little more than an awareness of Autism and a desire to help children. Thorough training and an attentive supervisor taught me how to be an effective interventionist and clinician. As an interventionist, I always felt professionally and emotionally supported. When I had earned it, I was moved through advancement opportunities immediately with the encouragement of my supervisor. When I fell in love with my work and the field, this company supported me in my growth. Accommodations were made to my schedule so I could enter a master's program and when it came time to fulfill the experience hours portion of my program, AST offered several opportunities for expanding my role and learning new skills. I'm now finishing coursework, managing my own team of interventionists, supervising my own caseload, and preparing to sit for the BCBA. All this with the support of a tremendous community of smart and kind individuals who are there to help without hesitation. I can't imagine having taken this journey anywhere else.

Cons

Cons relate more to this field in general than to AST as a company, but AST is not an exception in many of these areas. Scheduling is not always ideal and you may drive great distances (within a specified mileage maximum) and have gaps between sessions. It's important to be honest about your availability, as AST offers sessions to clients from as early as 8am to 8:30pm six days a week and it is more than likely you will be scheduled within what you say you are available to work, especially in the evenings. Your work/life balance will be what you make of it and it's important to be honest and advocate for yourself. Wages are also a slight issue. My hiring wage matched industry standards, if not the standard I was promised following completion of a 4 year degree program, but raises, when they are awarded, are often non-impactful.

Pros

-Many opportunities for growth and development. -Many positions available to work towards hours for BCAT, RBT, Masters programs, or BCBA credentials -Always a different experience. -You don't have to stay in one place everyday. -I currently have an amazing supervisor who communicates well with me, and have really been able to see the change in my clients programs and overall lives due to this level of communication. -Same day cancellation pay, which is useful when clients are suddenly sick. -Health insurance, dental, and vision are great! -401k -Lengthy training so you feel confident when going in to the field if you haven't worked in ABA before. However, training only covers simple simple simple basics, and there are no trainings for programs or what acronyms mean, which is something you figure out in the field with your supervisor, who hopefully communicates well and shows up to field visits.

Cons

-Career development and growth is present and there are opportunities, however, when working towards goals and opportunities, there is a disconnect in communication and BTs have to continuously ask for updates on previously discussed development questions or goals. -Not all supervisors are created equal. Working with numerous supervisors, I have had the displeasure of being basically left to fend for myself outside of mandatory field visits (that didn't happen with the frequency that they should have). -Pay is decent, but could definitely be improved, especially due to circumstances BTs face in the field. -Have to pay for any toys or session materials out of pocket. -Scheduling department will change schedule quickly when something changes (lets ay advance cancellation - no pay) where a BT will get no pay, however, will not respond or update changes that would result in BT receiving appropriate pay for coverage, same day cancellations, no call no shows (which include drive time) or updating appts to reflect appropriate hours for bereavement.

Pros

It is extremely rewarding to witness the positive difference you make in not only your client's life but also in the lives of the client's family. Helping a child with developmental delays/disabilities progress and become more independent is a fulfilling experience. Training with AST was comprehensive and detailed. I enjoyed how well-rounded the training program was set up, with in-classroom training, online modules, and field shadowing. In addition, the scheduled quarterly CTM training helps keep me up to date and in touch with my fellow interventionists. I have had a wonderful experience with my Clinical Supervisor providing an appropriate level of supervision hours per week, responding to emails and questions quickly and thoroughly, as well as providing professional support within the job.

Cons

Compensation is variable depending on hours (not-guaranteed), client advance schedule changes (if more than 24 hours in advance, not paid), and minimal opportunities for growth without enrollment or completion of an MA program. Full time consists of 8 hours of scheduled direct intervention AND mileage and drive time. Full time hours (8), in order to receive full benefits and pay to cover living expenses, is really 12 hours with drive time to, between, and from each client. If there is one advance cancellation, approximately 2-3 hours of direction intervention as well as drive time, is lost which takes a toll on counted-on income. In addition, working full time (full days), takes away time from home-life impacting that work/life balance. Stressful in-home environment depending on parent involvement and client behaviors (aggression, SIB, etc).

Pros

I've been with AST for over 5 years. This company has provided me with superior training and opportunities to move forward into advancing job positions. I started with the company as a Behavior Interventionist, and over the years earned my MA and attained my BCBA, and have been a program supervisor for the past 2.5 years. I have a huge sense of loyalty to AST because I feel they have always taken good care of me, and I feel the owners of the company truly care about enriching the lives of individuals on the autism spectrum. The salaries are better than any other agency I've seen, and I love having a company structure with so many Ph.D's and other individuals rich with experience to turn to whenever I have a new situation come up that I may not have a solution for. One aspect I am most proud of in working with AST is the fact that we only use methods and procedures that are empirically validated. Our work is based on a hard science, and isn't caught up with all the trends and quick fix tricks to 'cure' autism.

Cons

The reality of the situation for AST is exactly the same as all other NPA's out there right now, in trying to survive in a economic landscape that has been slowly deteriorating over the past several years. My sole complaint comes as a result of this. As funding for our industry has decreased, AST has had to increase supervisor caseloads to compensate for this decrease in revenue. These large caseloads do create a great deal of stress as I feel at times that I'm not giving my Interventionists or clients the attention they deserve. In light of this, the executive staff is completely sympathetic to the high level of stress that supervisors are under, and are actively pursuing a solution. As stated in my comments in the section above, this company takes good care of their employees, and I believe that they will resolve this issue as soon as they possibly can.

Pros

Training was amazingly thorough and professional. Company ensures you have as many hours scheduled as you have available.

Cons

Supervisors provided no consistent supervision, no feedback, and were very rude and unprofessional when asked questions to receive feedback on job performance. During BCBA observations, supervisors and BCBA's gossiped about other employees and did not engage with the BI or the client.