Pros
In my years of working in this field, I have never come across an organization that genuinely prioritizes compassionate care to this extent. At Melmark New England, compassionate care is clearly a core commitment--discussed in regular meetings across all levels and evident in staff interactions with students. Not only is leadership concerned with compassion towards students/clients, but I have witnessed countless interactions between senior leadership and staff across levels that have been incredibly compassionate, seeing staff as a person first and foremost.
Cons
This work can be challenging--there is no doubt about it. Melmark New England prioritizes putting money towards the staff who directly provide services (which is fantastic!), but this inherently results in a lean admin. This can put additional pressure and work on employees working in supervisory/leadership positions.