substitute teacher

licensed clinical social worker

licensed practical nurse

registered nurse

director of social services

Lakeland Behavioral Health System

It is a very busy day.  Structure is the key to a successful day. Engaging and learning the patients history and things that work for them. Somedays the shifts are filled frequent escalation issues that staff on the unit are able to usually maintain themselves. If help is needed during the day and evening shift there is usually lots of response to staff assistance. Overnights it is limited. However most patients are sleeping.  Compassion, empathy, that the patients needs are real to them and understanding are a great tool to use in developing relationships with each patient. Every day you learn something. Administration could be more supportive in how the units run and the positive things that each unit is accomplishing. Provide more staff per shift. Go by the acuity not numbers. Lots of diversity. Hardest part of the job is seeing patients that struggle due to the system. Not feeling like they belong. That no one cares about them. No place excepting them. If they act up no matter how little they are sent back to a facility instead of taking the time and teaching them skills that they will be able to use throughout their life. Most enjoyable: helping kids with behavioral, emotional, and psychotic needs. Seeing them improve. Some even changing their lives.

When you work there for the first few months, during that time you see everything that goes on. Staff that have been there for a while are  so miserable because of everything going on with how management, human resources, and other staff treat them to the point of almost becoming negligent. You tell your boss and management, and human resources everything that's going on and it basically gets swept under the rug and put on paper to look good to corporate and risk management, but nothing actually gets fixed. Staff talk badly about new staff who actually try their best to be there for the patients and to do the job right where the staff who have been there have lost their will to stand up for what's right, and do what they need to for the job to be done right because they have to watch their backs. Not just because of the patients who can be aggressive at any time out of nowhere, but because of the staff belittling their character to other staff and patients to the point of being disrespected, threatened and sometimes fought by patients, making it very difficult to do the job. Then you get lectured for doing things that staff who have been there and are close knit friends with the managers and HR do on the daily, or you get lectured about things not being done when nobody but you and the other new staff do those things. And the staff who have been there do the bare minimum or nothing at all. 

Working for Lakeland is probably the only way you guarantee that you get more trauma than when you started. You come into this job wanting to make a difference for these kids, and quickly learn that management makes that next to impossible. Lakeland is nothing more than  a way to fill Acadia's pocket with money and that's how they treat the kids here. The staff to child ratio is absolutely abysmal and they will overwork you any chance they get. They offer you bare minimum pay and don't offer enough to support any lifestyle. They will expect you to restrain children and pray that someone helps you. Think of bare minimum pay and the very good chance you'll get punched in the face. They don't care about your safety and will throw you under the bus with any chance given. The managers will find every excuse to not come in and if you need help, they'll wait until the very last millisecond to provide it.  The other coworkers are a joke, think of working with high schoolers the way rumors run around here. There's maybe a handful of good coworkers that will have your back should the need arise and have your back in the event of a patient restraint. Majority of the coworkers will just watch you as kids wail on you and the patients have broken people's arms and noses, which the compensation Lakeland offers is a joke. So ask yourself if you're positive you want to work here knowing that any moment, a patient could injure you, leading to you being out of work, and you'll have next to no support from LBHS.

Overall, stressful job. Not recommended for individuals with a low tolerance for patience and disobedience. Managers have lack of knowledge of their job description as well as how to manage residents. Not all co-workers are willing to discipline the residents, as it is our job to do so, physically and paperwork wise. Patients are more mature than most co-workers. Not worth the stress, due to management and higher up but if you have a heart for adolescences, the job can be tolerated.

staff engaging in immature acts with patients (instigating patients), food not as nutritious for patients, patients not fed adequate amounts for age, lack of care for co-workers enduring medical issues, refusal of benefits (that co-worker pays for bi-weekly), and breach of co.policy, handbook, mission, and values.

Inpatient Behavioral Health takes a certain level of commitment, strength, and ability to have a healthy personal balance.  Having worked at Lakeland for a number of years, in a number of different roles, it is easy to appreciate the dedication of various team members and their daily tasks.  All pieces play an important part in everyday practices and in providing quality care to our patients and residents.  Leadership continuously offers new ways to connect and show support to staff, and there exists a nice amount of flexibility in shifts, job descriptions, departments, etc. so that people have the opportunity to find their best fit.  I would recommend Lakeland to anyone whose passion is in working together to provide care for those who are in their greatest moments of need. 

Working as a Behavioral Health Associate at Lakeland Behavioral Health Hospital has been one of the most meaningful experiences for me so far. I mainly work with adolescent patients, especially teenage boys, and this job has taught me the importance of patience, communication, and compassion. Every day is different, and I have learned how to stay calm in stressful situations while still providing support and encouragement to patients who may be struggling mentally or emotionally. This role has also helped me build confidence in my patient care skills, teamwork, and professionalism in a healthcare setting. Being able to help patients feel safe, heard, and cared for has made me even more passionate about becoming a nurse in the future. Although the work can be challenging at times, it is very rewarding to know that I am making a positive difference in the lives of others while gaining valuable healthcare experience.

A typical day at work was frustrating, sickening, and mentally challenging. I believe I learned how NOT to treat people with mental illnesses. Management is UNWILLING to do anything about the poor treatment of patients, and will reprimand you for trying to make a change. The hardest part of the job is watching people who need help be abused. The second hardest part  is starting the job with the idea of being able to help people, but then after you get the job realizing that not even the staff of management is providing help. The most enjoyable part of the job is when you realize that even though you aren’t able to make the BIG change that you want to… the patients notice the kind and loving things that you are doing for them anyways. After being treat so poorly they are very happy and greatful to have someone that actually cares. 

For the past 14 years, I have had the privilege of providing counseling services at Lakeland, and I truly love my job. The staff and children I work with make this place special, and I take great pride in the work we do to support children, teens, and their families. Every day, I walk into the facility with one goal - to make a positive impact on someone's life. 

I work hard, as do my colleagues, and I want to emphasize that the dedicated staff at Lakeland are not defined by the incidents that may be sensationalized in the media. Unfortunately, where there are children, there will always be those who seek to harm them, and no facility is immune to that reality. However, we remain committed to providing a safe, supportive and healing environment. It is important to recognize the meaningful and life-changing work being done here every day. 

Honestly, I use to love working here since I first started, but almost 2 years here and I am absolutely miserable. People keep quitting, (which I understand), the kids are wild, the units are completely unstructured, the managers are trying but it is not enough. They rather pay employees from the other location to come work a unit and pay them more then they would rather pay the home unit staff. Pay is an joke, 12-13 dollars to be yelled at, hit, disrespected, on units that have no structure because everyone keeps quitting and no one wants to work them? No thank you. I have met some of the best people in my life working here, and I cherish them. Lakeland has the potential to be something great but unfortunately im afraid they arent going to do what needs to be done to achieve that.

They are so short staffed and won’t try to help out in the floor when needed. The managers are terrible and do not care for their employees. The pay is awful and the patients do not care if they hurt you or not. Your phone is constantly being called while you are on your scheduled vacation to come back early from vacation because they need help. If you take your earned time off they will force you to make up the time instead of using your earned vacation time. Managers will tell you that you are replaceable and the turn over rate is higher than it should be. Staff will allow patients talk about you to your face while laughing about it then throw you under the bus like they did nothing wrong. The upper management will constantly lie to you and not back you up in anything at all. Your mental and physical health is worth more than working here. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Substitute teacher 6 salaries reported	$116 per day
Licensed clinical social worker 3 salaries reported	$85.00 per hour
Licensed practical nurse 9 salaries reported	$26.38 per hour
Registered nurse 3 salaries reported	$27.67 per hour
Director of social services 6 salaries reported	$70.00 per hour

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