Pros
Autism Spectrum Therapies (AST) hired me last March 2011 as a Program Supervisor. I was given a fair/competitive salary and also was given two weeks off unpaid for the birth of my son (I am so thankful for this opportunity as I had only been with the company for 2 months). My direct supervisor has always been supportive of not just my work but my personal life as well. She has taken the time to effectively determine my deficits on the job and teach me how I can improve. She also constantly provides feedback on things that I am doing well and regularly promotes my strengths. AST is a company that has high expectations for work output and asks staff to work hard for the clients we serve as well as for our own professional development. AST practices the upmost business/clinical integrity. Since I was hired there have been many PROS: 1) The opportunity to collaborate with BCBAs that have made major contributions to the field. 2) Provides CEUs through company sponsored events for BCBAs. 3) Teaches imperative leadership skills that will allow them to effectively manage staff/clients. 4) Provides regular raises and bonuses to employees based on individual performance (This may not seem like a big deal to some, but I am thankful that the opportunity even exists). 5) Expands one's knowledge of the field of ABA by being a part of current ABA research. 6) The opportunity to work with a variety of clients with a wide range of maladaptive behaviors. 7) If needed, an opportunity to work in a variety of regions across the US. 8) Opportunities to develop a career path in many different realms (business expansion, staff training, and clinical positions). 9) Offers great benefits packages to employees (both PPO and HMO). 10) The opportunity to work with a company that has been in the forefront of ABA services and continues to be a pioneer in this field. I am very satisfied with AST at this point as it has provided me with many learning opportunities and continues to push me to my limits. To be given the opportunity to work for a company with such high standards has shown me my strengths and weaknesses. I am sure that many that read this post will think that I am just advertising for the company, and they would be right. I would recommend this company to anyone that is willing to roll up their sleeves and put in hard work. AST will push you to the limits in both clinical and administrative tasks. It gives those that are willing to put in the time the opportunity to shine and be recoginzed. I am also very pleased with the leadership team of AST as they are continuing to find ways to improve employee retention and have shown a willingness to listen to its employees. This is very rare for a larger company to do and for that I am lucky.
Cons
Working with AST is difficult when it comes to maintaining a healthy work/life balance. As I work an average of 12 hours per day (although this is not necessarily atypical when working for an Non-Public Agency). The administrative duties also require early early mornings and late late nights. Caseloads for Program Supervisors can range anywhere from 18-35 clients, which can make it difficult to meet the monthly hours regularly per client. Because AST primarily works in both the home and school settings a lot of gas is used throughout the week. With all of that being said I would argue that most of these "Cons" are things that are difficult to control for given that AST works in the mental health field and that these issues occur industry wide.
