I cannot speak for the agency as a whole, only CrisisLink. From my experience, upper management is largely unqualified and struggles to manage the most basic functions of leadership. The agency overall is run like a start-up instead of an established non-profit. Most decisions that are made are simply knee-jerk reactions to the circumstances at hand and are not carefully thought out. Communication is ineffective and infrequent at best. Major decisions occur and are simply announced with a weekly email or 5-minute recorded video. There are employees who are fearful to speak out regarding their concerns for fear of retaliation. There is significant inequity within the organizational structure. Some staff have minimal duties, while others are performing the work of multiple individuals. Quite often, the pay is not commensurate with duties assigned. This exists in every rung of CrisisLink from crisis worker staff through leadership. Leadership fails to address the issues plaguing the department and instead chooses to develop a new "spin" for any resistance that makes its way to the top so it can quickly be squelched. The work the agency does, however, is meaningful and can make up for a lot of the toxicity within the department. This is the sole reason I believe there are any staff remaining. But if you are truly passionate about the mental health field, I would avoid this agency at all costs and find one that takes care of their staff while also taking care of the clients they serve.
