mental health therapist

peer counselor

crisis counselor

mental health technician

registered nurse - acute care

COLUMBIA WELLNESS

Those who run the company have great intentions, but there is no Director of Nursing, so the new admin isn't really aware of  some of the nursing issues that need to be addressed/improved. Some of the long-term staff are rude to newcomers and clients which is really unfortunate in this setting. I received many complaints from clients about rudeness of certain staff, but I was new so didn't go further to report except letting them know they can file grievances. Some of the older nurses, staff were kind and really caring toward the clients which is how it should be and they are aware of the staff who are rude there, yet nothing changes. Employees who are known to be rude to clients and staff are not held accountable. Employees in the 'click' seem to enjoy their day amongst themselves and play jokes on one another like they're at play, not work. Admin knows this. There is no clear boundary for admits, so it gets confusing with staff saying not to admit someone, then the following day, other staff say the person should have been admitted. They need better organization and accountability for the team and I think it would help.
Employees are encouraged to file reports for unusual occurrences like med errors etc., then penalized for doing so even if no harm comes from it.  Training was challenging because it was very disorganized due to certain staff not wanting to teach or not having the ability to. Also, there is a lot of staff drama issues. Hopefully, that will improve and they will get more nursing leadership on board.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The job is rewarding and the people you deal with who are in crisis truly are in need. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The employees who work in the crisis department are more likely to put their fellow employees into a crisis rather than solve one. There is poor management, issues with the insurance and bullying. The trainers are incompetent and like to hear themselves talk. The office manager makes poor decisions and doesn’t communicate well. Decisions were made without consulting the clinical staff that could have put employees in a bad position. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
It can be chaotic, each day is different.  However bullying and bad behavior are allowed unchecked and not disciplined. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
You come in, click in and start making follow up calls. You may have to go out at anytime to handle a person in crisis. There are also in person follow ups that require travel around the county.

Columbia Wellness is the kind of place that invests in hiring the best employees for the job. This results in a workforce that is passionate about mental healthcare, professional and knowledgeable. Even though Columbia Wellness is growing very quickly, the atmosphere still feels very much like family. The company has been re-investing in their properties and doing lots of remodeling and expansion.  The breakrooms are very relaxed (massage chairs!!) stocked with fresh fruit and lots of choices of coffee.  Long-time employees are helpful and nurturing and management have always been supportive and genuinely interested in helping me develop my skills. The pay is competitive and the insurance/benefits are the best I have ever seen not only for me but paid for my family as well! I feel fortunate to work for Columbia Wellness and look forward to working there many years.

Upper management has changed since I left, but during the time I was employed the only thing that kept me working/surviving the long days and huge caseload was the support from middle management and of my awesome coworkers. I loved the work, hated the heartache. It was incredibly rewarding to work here, though challenging on any given day (I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the chaos a new day brought). The camaraderie among therapists was special and very fulfilling. It was a great place to start my Social Work career; I loved my years there, but am glad to have more control over my schedule and clientele now. A great place to cut your teeth and gain some serious experience in the field. Highly recommend! 

Columbia Wellness provides a much needed service in the community; unfortunately, the atmosphere is not always good for the employees. Some departments are made to feel second class due to things like physical location.  The Crisis department for example,  a twenty-four hour program, was located in a small room with no natural light that actually serves as the breakroom for another department. Access to another breakroom was unavailable to Crisis employees prior to the pandemic. The room felt like a hallway as employees from all other departments traveled through the middle of the room continuously to meet with administration. It also is not lacking for cliques and some bullies.   

Do not apply for their peer support specialist position. This role is actually a glorified janitor role. They have no intention on showing you your peer role until you are totally efficient in your cleaning which involves cleaning showers and making beds as well as other cleaning duties. Plus, they have multiple people training you. So, there is no uniform training procedure in place. Everyone does things differently in how they train. This company should not be advertising for peer support roles because that is not the scope of the job.

I've been working here for almost a decade and through the ups and downs that happen with any work environment I have nothing bad I can say. 
Pay is great, benefits package has all the bells and whistles and most team members are happy to work with each other for the benefit of the client. 
Only issues I have seen is a very small amount of employees who get stressed out dealing with a vulnerable population.  
That said if you want to help people during some of the most challenging times of their lives then this is the place for you. 
If you're looking for anything less then you should apply somewhere else!

Great place to gain hours towards licensure, plus free supervision! They also have amazing benefits as well. However, you can receive better pay with less clients and more flexibility elsewhere, typically once you gain your license. Also, when I left they were laying people off and getting rid of cheap things, like coffee and bananas. I heard they lost some contracts/money prior to Covid-19. Sounds like they are struggling financially right now, but I sincerely hope things turn around for them. I enjoyed most of the staff and managers there.

Leaders are very transparent on what is happening in agency. Yes at times management lacks in areas that need improvement. I have not had a negative interaction with my supervisors and they are extremely supportive of goals and desires to grow as an employee but more importantly as a human. Community Mental Health is challenging work but it is also very rewarding to be a seed planted in someone’s story to recovery. Every place of employment has its challenges, both good and bad. Take these reviews at face value and see for yourself what the agency can offer you. 

I have worked for CW for about 2.5 years.  This was my first clinical social work position.  Training is poor, but supervision included in benefits allowed me to finish my supervision hours in about 2 years.  Directors can be hit and miss and I have had times where I felt fully supported and other times that I have not.  Would recommend to someone who is just graduated and needing supervision.  Great place to start out but turn over rate is high for clinicians.  Most clinicians come and work, get fully licensed and then move on.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Mental health therapist 9 salaries reported	$36.18 per hour
Peer counselor 16 salaries reported	$21.10 per hour
Crisis counselor 11 salaries reported	$25.08 per hour
Mental health technician 10 salaries reported	$22.67 per hour
Registered nurse - acute care 6 salaries reported	$55.92 per hour

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