Pros
Direct service staff are very caring about consumers. The families worked with are great. The position provides the opportunity to use the skills you have learned while working with children with mental health diagnoses.
Cons
Lots of travel using your own vehicle, for which you are only reimbursed .32 per mile. They frequently "lose" your mileage reimbursement form, so you don't get reimbursed. When your mileage costs come to $400-$500 per month, this hurts! Very little support for staff, even though they frequently ask "How can we best support you?" Staff are blamed if a consumer cancels or no-shows for an appointment. There is a minimum weekly billing quota. If you do not have enough clients, you are expected to make up the minimum billing somehow. Therapists have billed units for taking kids swimming, hiking, or playing music. Overtime has to be pre-approved, and flex-time is required. However, you need to be in meetings 3-4 mornings per week, and are often expected to meet with clients until 8 or 9 pm, so flex-time is impossible. Do not expect this to be authorized as overtime. If you want to use vacation time you need to bill the unit quota anyway. Sick, and using sick time? Prepare to work on the weekend, as you still need to bill. Company motto is "Families First". That's not true, it is "Profit first". Nothing matters but the bottom line. Upper level management is poorly trained for administrative roles, and directives change regularly. The quality of the work you produce is not as important as the quantity. No raises, except for upper management. Salaries are comparitively low, while expectations for production of billable hours are very high. Good to gain some hands-on experience in the mental health field, but that is it.
