mental health therapist

case coordinator

care manager

licensed practical nurse

registered nurse

KVC Health Systems

These positions are promoted as "flexible," and while there is some flexibility in theory, the reality is very different. You are constantly working around other people’s schedules—clients, coworkers, DCBS workers—which makes your own schedule unpredictable and chaotic. Meetings that could easily be handled via email take up large chunks of time especially when considering travel time, and you're expected to remain available for last-minute changes, cancellations, and no-shows, all while meeting strict deadlines.


You’re also expected to drive long distances across multiple counties or regions with minimal notice and little control over your daily schedule. It’s not uncommon to be sent two hours south in the morning,  drive two hours north because that was the client's only availability and back south before going back up north to go home all in the same day. These changes often happen with little advance warning, sometimes the same day or day before, which makes planning anything outside of work nearly impossible. The travel expectations, combined with high caseloads and poor scheduling systems, contribute significantly to burnout.


The documentation requirements are excessive, repetitive, and often feel redundant. To make matters worse, the records system is unreliable and frequently down, adding unnecessary stress and time to an already overloaded workload. I am convinced the charting system was created and is being managed by a group of high schoolers in their tech class.


Even though the organization encourages taking PTO as a form of self-care, it often feels pointless in practice. You have to do a significant amount of prep work just to take time off — including getting coverage, finishing documentation ahead of time, and coordinating cases — and when you return, you're buried in catch-up tasks with even tighter deadlines. Instead of feeling rested, taking PTO often leaves you more stressed than if you had just worked through it.


While you're in the field trying to juggle all of this, leadership is rarely present. Supervisors work remotely, maintain firm personal boundaries (like picking up their kids or attending personal appointments), yet expect FCC's and clinicians to have virtually none. The double standard is stark and frustrating. They tell everyone how important it is to have boundaries until they need you to do something. Your evenings will be gone. 


Upper management appears to be completely disconnected from what frontline staff are experiencing. While some leaders may have once worked in clinical or case management roles, those experiences were clearly years ago — and the job has changed drastically since then. The expectations are higher, the documentation is far more demanding, the caseloads are heavier, and the clients’ needs are far more complex (which they remind us of often). Despite this, leadership continues to operate as if nothing has changed. Decisions are made without understanding the real-world impact on those of us doing the actual work. There’s very little field presence, no meaningful feedback loop, and little effort to truly understand what support is needed.


Caseloads continue to grow until you're completely maxed out, with little regard for burnout or work-life balance. Retention is clearly a problem, and unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be a priority for leadership. The support feels minimal, and often, it’s hard not to feel like just a body filling a role so others don’t have to.


If you have children or a family, be aware: this job will demand so much of your time and energy that you’ll rarely see them. Maintaining work-life balance here is extremely difficult, especially for parents.


The organization constantly emphasizes the importance of mental health and family stability — for clients. But ironically, the same values are not extended to their own staff. Many employees are struggling with their own mental health and family responsibilities as a direct result of the job's demands, yet there is little meaningful support, flexibility, or understanding provided. It feels hypocritical to promote work-life balance and self-care externally, while internally pushing staff to their limits.


Ultimately, while the work itself—helping others—is meaningful, it comes at the cost of your own wellbeing and family time. Unless major changes are made in management, workload distribution, and support systems, this will continue to be a high-turnover, high-stress environment.

I was just notified that my current position is posted on indeed.com (I checked and it actually is -- it was posted 01/05/17, 2 days ago on a Thursday). As it stands, I am a full-fledged, CURRENT full-time employee at Niles Home for Children on the prep school side. In my position, I have done exactly what is asked, plus more. Our executive leadership is quite poor, in the sense that for every one good thing I attempt to do in the best interest of our students, I'm given no explanation as to why it cannot happen; only "no". Ethics are a tremendous concern, as not only is the overall staff environment one of prep school vs. administration, but our administration does very little to accept responsibility for their words and actions. They are quick to reframe situations of which they were the original source of action, as the fault of those who carry out what they told them to do. My pay was threatened to be "docked" for repeatedly asking for our budget quote for field trips (because I could not get a straight answer -- field trip planning is part of my major job duties), and was actually docked because our person handling HR before the merger with KVC could not locate the background check I submitted three months prior (I was told not to come into work until I personally found out where it was -- they received it that evening and still denied me the chance to come in to work the next day). My position is one seemingly directly under co-administrator of the school, so I carry many responsibilities that I have gone above and beyond to fulfill. Still there is a lack of trust amongst staff, as micromanagement takes precedent. I have been employed by NHC since August of 2016 (5 months tomorrow), and many things I've been told I should've been doing have either not been explained to me until after the fact, or were not in my ever-changing job description I'm expected to know (administration claims it has not changed, but I've received three different copies). I was unaware that the organization had come under fire prior to me signing on, and we are essentially receiving the after-shock of an administration I deem to be playing catch-up, or "trying not to get in trouble again". The most enjoyable part of this position are the kids themselves, however there are many days that are extremely difficult to want to come work in this environment. In my observations, many staff along with myself are left with little to no resources, and expected to clean up the mess -or- void left by what happened this past year (Niles was under investigation due to the residential program, not the school). Overall, I find it extremely disrespectful to hear of my current position that I've devoted countless time and effort into making succeed, is posted as "available" without notice. I must add that this apparently happened when NHC first came under investigation...many staff were uninformed of their loss of jobs until they came to work and were told to pack up. I would recommend people finding a position in this field where the top leaders are more concerned with the well-being of their clients, rather than treating them as "numbers to the board".

Management tries their best to grow great leaders using Gallup and Dare to Lead. In my experience as an employee, the company has grown from a very terrible toxic work environment a decade ago to an amazing, accountable, clear, and kind work environment. All opinions are welcome when spoken respectfully even if emotion driven. People work towards a strong mission. Most people who come here want to stay here, even if the position maybe isn't good for them long term they want to stay within and move up or lateral to another role in the company due to the job culture. I've seen many people move from entry level positions up to director level positions because their qualities show through their work ethic and they are met with supervision weekly so you know your supervisor well. 

In a director role, a typical day at work looks very unstructured. You're in alot of meetings,  you make your own schedule, and you could potentially work after hours if your department or location is 24/7. Managers are focused on daily grind follow ups, supervising their employees, and troubleshooting issues. Directors are focused on big picture, process changes, lots of meetings to create collaboration for efficient processes and following up on consistent issues. 

The hardest part of the job is the fact that you are paid less than what you would be paid at a for-profit company. It is a nonprofit and it definitely reflects in the pay. The benefits (medical/dental/vision) are very good. The 403b match is okay, it's decent. So that is a good tradeoff at the very minimum. Besides that it's worth staying because the job culture makes it really great to work here. Even on the worst days I've never experienced the support at any other company I've worked for. Also mission-focused. Most people who work here are here for the mission, for the kids/families, and overall to make a positive impact on the world. So a lot of the people who are here have a great work ethic, push through hard times to support the kids, and are committed to trying their best to make a big impact. The pay is competitive for this sector (nonprofit, mental health), but it is abysmal to the general market.

The most enjoyable part of the job is a lot of the social interactions are positive. There is of course your typical toxic coworker here and there but there are overarching systems in place that naturally weed out those coworkers. There is one negative, people are so kind, loving, and give everyone a chance so toxic people stay much longer than you would like but they do eventually get pushed out whether by quitting due to not matching up with the job culture or being fired/written up/put on a performance improvement plan and not being able to commit to the required performance measures.

I came into my position knowing it would be a stressful but fulfilling job. It can become stressful, but I never feel alone in my position. I am able to reach out to co-workers in my department and peers in other departments for support. Everyone works together to meet the needs of the youth in front of us. I really appreciate being a part of a group that is making a difference, even if only a handful of youth over the course of a day. 

KVC made it clear upfront that they strive to be an inclusive and diverse group of individuals, and it really is a widely diverse and accepting community of individuals. Both during my initial orientation with new hires and entering my department, I have felt welcomed and included. My department is filled with a variety of individuals, and all have been open and accepting of each other. 

The pay and benefits are average for the field; however, all social work jobs should be paid better for the work and stress that comes along with the job. I do think KVC tries to be generous with benefits and attempts to promote a healthy work/life balance. Burnout and emotional stress are risks when working in this field, and being aware of that and having a good support system in your department helps mitigate those issues. 

Within KVC, there are some fully remote departments, and some fully onsite. I am glad to have a hybrid role but would be happier with a fully remote option. Personally, traveling and having to bring or buy food is a con of the days I have to be onsite. My office and desk are also not as comfortable as my home office, so I am a bit biased toward remote work for those comforts also. I understand that some roles do require in office, on hand experience, but not all departments in KVC run that way. I do believe that some people do prefer or work better in an office setting, but it would be nice to give an option to those who would prefer to work from home fully. It seems like KVC makes the call across departments and not by individual preferences or what is actually necessary to fulfill the job tasks. 

Overall, it really is the purpose of KVC that drew me in and keeps me here. I desire to make a difference. I know that alone I am not doing much, but as a part of KVC, I am able to serve a small role and work with others to help youth in our area. 

I spend my days doing home visits and teaching skills for family preservation and reunification for families referred by DCBS. It is mostly enjoyable, I get to meet new people and help families. We get paid for mileage but since I am out of region, the amount we get paid does not fit the 2021 costs of gas. We don't get paid very much, but there are lots of opportunities to move up and change departments if you need to. The insurance benefits are expensive and don't cover much - dental limits are $1500 (you get two cleanings per year, so if you have a health issue you are out of luck) and the copays on the regular health insurance are average but still make it challenging to access healthcare with the pay level we are at. It would be nice if they give you free gym memberships or something to motivate you to be healthier but instead they punish you if you smoke by charging you an extra fee. They don't charge for other unhealthy habits like drinking or eating fast food or lack of exercise, so I think that's pretty unfair, especially since the work is very stressful. My coworkers and supervisors are very supportive and always willing to help one another, and that is what I love most about the job. Sometimes the work hours can be frustrating and although you get a fair amount of PTO it can be difficult to find time to actually take it. The workday is semi-flexible, you can schedule doctor appointments, take breaks when you need to, go get your nails done, decide to work from home some days to catch up on paperwork, etc. The part that is not flexible is that you have to meet around families' schedules, so if they work until late at night you have no choice but to meet after dark or work on the weekend. Most of the work is self-motivated, you don't have someone looking over your shoulder all day, so you have to be able to keep up with your appointments and paperwork on your own. 

A typical day at work is fast-paced and requires a lot of communication, organization, and problem-solving. Each day can look a little different depending on client needs, but there is always a strong focus on supporting families, coordinating services, documenting information, and collaborating with team members and outside providers. It is rewarding work that requires flexibility and the ability to adapt quickly.

One of the biggest things I have learned in this role is how important communication, patience, and teamwork are. I have also grown professionally in areas like time management, crisis management, advocacy, and building relationships with clients and coworkers. The job has strengthened my ability to think critically and stay calm under pressure.

Management has been supportive overall and provides guidance when needed. The role comes with a high level of responsibility, so having approachable supervisors and a collaborative environment has been helpful in navigating challenges and continuing professional growth.

The workplace culture is team-oriented and mission-driven. Coworkers are generally supportive of one another, and there is a shared focus on helping clients and making a positive impact. Because the work can be emotionally demanding at times, having a team that communicates and supports each other makes a difference.

The hardest part of the job is balancing the emotional demands and heavy workload while still giving each client the attention and support they deserve. There can also be challenges related to communication delays, scheduling, and navigating systems outside of your control.

The most enjoyable part of the job is being able to help people and see positive progress over time. Building relationships with clients and families, supporting them through difficult situations, and seeing meaningful outcomes makes the work feel worthwhile and fulfilling.

If you like being gossiped about but never guided or coached, work for KVC! Even years after people leave (and those who are still there) they are still gossiped about. The kind of thing that makes new staff feel pretty uncomfortable. I often thought "geez what do they say about me when I'm away?"

I started at a weird time - my supervisor was brand new and could never answer my questions. I never really got trained besides listening to about 3 conversations before being sent on my own. I was fine with this. I'm adaptable. The only thing I asked of my supervisors is to let me know if I'm doing something incorrectly.

 I started working here and loved it at first - and then I was given an overloaded case. I then started going through some very complicating life events, let my supervisor know this, all seemed well. My supervisor even praised me in our one-on-one meetings! Never told me I should try something different, stop doing something, or redirected me in any way. 

Meanwhile, I'm trying to deal with my "complicating life events" with my twice-the-size-of-a-full-caseload, and fell behind in my work - the work in which my supervisor still said "your documentation is phenomenal!".

A few months in as I'm asking questions and doing what everyone else in the office is doing - chatting, training new staff, completing documentation, and responding to our very full lists of clients.

I got influenza and started working from home to catch up on this work, since I couldn't come in. Next thing you know? I come back to the office to be told by my bosses' boss that I'm "unprofessional" (false), "haven't done any documentation in months" (also false, ask your subordinates), "have failed to communicate" (really? check my work phone to see all the communicating I do with my clients 24/7), and was dismissed from the position right then and there.

I still have no idea what happened. My supervisor, though being in this meeting, never spoke up for me even though their boss was lying in front of the both of us. I never got written up.

I would say this was probably the worst company I have ever worked for. For an organization who claims to be trauma informed, they sure don’t hesitate to invoke trauma among their staff; not to mention clients both past and present. 

They overwork their case managers to the point of wanting to hurt yourself or someone else. They don’t care when you experience your own trauma in your personal life, and they sure don’t mind giving their case managers sometimes 40 cases, 1/2 of which probably have to be seen once per week, the rest you have to squeeze into the month. Then there’s the paperwork, make sure you find that 25th hour in the day to get that paperwork done. But don’t worry, because if you don’t, they’ll put you on corrective action and a Performance Improvement Plan that they’ll expect you to have done in that same month. So. Now you’re already behind, have 40+ clients, you have all the case plan stuff you have to do with your clients, on top of the mounds of paperwork you have to do, but you also have to keep all your current stuff current while going mad trying to get your past stuff current for the PIP....you get the point. But if you say you can’t. If you say you’re done. You need a break...self care. They make you feel like the reason you must be so far behind in the first place is because you already spent your time taking self care...why ever else could you possibly be behind. 

Oh, I also forgot to mention the fact that their systems absolutely sucked. I’d say when I was working there I dealt with a system outage at least 2 to 3 times per week. The worst system outage was the one that lasted nearly 4 months, but then was still down for an additional two months with limited access. In this day and age for social workers and support workers to not have the technology they need in order to keep up with all of the paperwork that is expected of them, KVC doesn’t seem to care.  

They also don’t understand that 99% of their employees are overworked and under paid and don’t get any appreciation in return. I would just suggest not wasting your time applying, because this company is an all-around soul-sucking establishment that you will haunt you for life.

My favorite role of this job was working directly with families and other professionals and building relationships. BUT, it's a double-edged-sword. Meaning, this job as a permanency case manager WILL ruin your professional reputation, and it's inevitable. 

The reason for this is for the high cases that are allowed to be put on your caseload (which is allowed by upper management). In my year-and-a-half there, no one in the Hiawatha office had their contracted case size. We were all over our limit. 

The problem with this, is it ruins your reputation with other companies/agencies you work with (mental health professionals, school professionals, police officers, court officials, etc.). For example, late documentation is an effect that occurs from overloaded case sizes. Other organizations and professionals who rely on these documents will frown upon this. 

Not being readily available for foster homes and kids is another effect that occurs from overloaded case sizes. For example, some homes will have requests for you to come pick up the kids during work hours. Transportation assistance cannot always be used on short notice, so these fall on the case managers. But, there are ALWAYS documents needing to be submitted before deadlines (court reports, case plans, etc.). 

So there are two options: sacrificing on-time documentation to truly serve the needs of the homes and kids and getting a bad reputation from the professionals (Kansas Department for Children and Families and District Courts), or sacrificing the needs of the homes and children in order to meet those documentation deadlines, but getting a bad reputation from the families.

I tried my best, and I'm absolutely proud of the work I've done - considering the myriad of challenges presented. In the end, I put my heart into the homes, families, and teens I worked with.  Unfortunately, it caused me  ill-effects from the other agencies needing documentations.

Overall, I learned a lot and gained a ton of experience, but the references this job offers afterwards are tainted. Please be careful if you are using this job as a stepping stone. 

There was a huge learning curve to starting this job and the training they provide doesn't even scratch the surface to all the daily tasks and responsibilities and everything you need to know to do the job. It was very busy and very stressful; there is a lot to do and some clients are very difficult to work with. Many times I worked at least 10 hour days, sometimes 12-14 hour days. There was a lot of learning on the job and from asking my supervisor and coworkers questions every day for months. I did like that there was so much to learn in that now I have alot of knowledge about the child welfare system, the client population, foster care, etc. that I can put to use in other jobs going forward. This job includes: writing case plans; writing court reports; meeting with each child in your caseload in their foster home; meeting with the bio parents at least once a month to go over court order progress; attending court hearings; attending various staffings and trainings; and facilitating weekly parent/child visits. I have loved both of the supervisors I have had and they are a major reason to why I stuck with the job through the really difficult times and stayed on for so long. I also loved my coworkers and we all helped each other out when we could and supported each other as much as we could since we all shared the same difficult job. Some of the foster kids on our case loads were great kids and it was enjoyable working with them and getting to know them, as well as trying to help and support them while they were in foster care. I know several people who were able to move up into being trainers, supervisors, etc. so there is room to grow and advance.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Mental health therapist 3 salaries reported	$60,000 per year
Case coordinator 40 salaries reported	$45,975 per year
Care manager 17 salaries reported	$46,000 per year
Licensed practical nurse 71 salaries reported	$22.63 per hour
Registered nurse 64 salaries reported	$29.04 per hour

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