Pros
Benefits are a plus there
Cons
There are many talented, thoughtful, and dedicated people working here. Unfortunately, the organization has become so large and cumbersome that meaningful change is extremely difficult, and the perspectives of front-line clinicians often seem to carry very little weight.
The outpatient mental health model has increasingly emphasized brief, short-term treatment and measurable improvement within a limited number of sessions. That may work well for some patients with relatively straightforward concerns, but it is not an appropriate model for many people with serious, chronic, or complex psychological and behavioral conditions. From a world-renowned medical organization, I expected greater support for clinicians treating the most challenging cases, including recognition that effective care may require longer-term treatment and more frequent appointments.
Clinicians were expected to practice according to evidence-based standards, but the scheduling structure often made that impossible. Patients who needed weekly therapy frequently could not be seen weekly, and clinicians had limited ability to determine the appropriate frequency of care based on clinical need. When patients cannot access treatment consistently, progress is slower, clinicians feel ineffective, and burnout increases.
The most frustrating part was the disconnect between the expectation to provide excellent clinical care and the operational systems that prevented clinicians from doing so. The people are often excellent. The system does not consistently allow them to do their best work.