program director

youth counselor

case manager

clinician

administrative assistant

NFI Massachusetts

I have been a part of NFI for the past two years, and my journey has been a mix of memorable experiences, both positive and challenging. I believe in the importance of the program's mission, focusing on benefiting the clients, and ensuring their well-being has always been my top priority.

Working with the kids and being a part of their growth has been immensely rewarding. However, I must highlight some significant concerns that need attention within the program. One recurring issue is the persistent short-staffing due to burnout, leading to situations that can be emotionally draining. Witnessing restraints, managing and dealing with volatile and rude teenagers are challenges that demand serious consideration.

There are moments when the impact of the job transcends the workplace. I recommend approaching this position with the intention of it being temporary, as the emotional toll can become overwhelming over an extended period. The dedication to the kids kept me here, but the work environment can be toxic, marked by poor client boundaries, staff gossip, and inconsistencies in the way things are managed.

Another significant concern revolves around the lack of defined roles, with responsibilities constantly shifting due to short staffing. This creates an environment where clarity and consistency are elusive, making it challenging for staff to navigate their roles effectively.

While I appreciate the short-term mental health benefits provided, I believe there is room for improvement in benefits, supervision, and overall support for the staff. The shortage of clinical staff and floor staff adds another layer of disheartening complexity to a program crucial for teenagers dealing with various mental health issues.

Despite the positive aspects of my time at NFI, the challenges within the program's structure and leadership dynamics have led me to explore other opportunities. The lack of responsiveness and a feeling of powerlessness in certain situations have been significant factors in this decision.

I share these reflections not to deter others but as a candid warning to those considering working at NFI. If you cannot cope with extensive trauma, constant exposure to self-harm, and a high-stress environment, this job may not be the right fit.

In closing, I appreciate the personal growth and learning experiences this job provided, but the constant stress within the program led me to seek a different path. I hope my insights contribute to the ongoing improvement of the program.

Every day is different working in a program. NFI gave me life experience I could not find anywhere else and gave me skills I know I'll use for the rest of my life. At my location, every coworker (staff and admin) was an example of someone who should work in this field, the biggest requirement to work with high-risk teens is genuine concern and wanting a role actively helping them improve their lives, if you aren't devoted to helping these youth then a different career is better for you. Over time there's a lot of room for advancement, and creating relationships and rapport with kids who aren't easy to open up to is a life-changing feeling. 

Pros: 
Insane life experience 
You get to cook, so you get to eat
Great staff (everyone I met at least)
A lot of driving
Opportunity for advancement
Compassionate for staff
Create relationships and make profound differences in the lives of many
Learn tactical and real life skills (restraints, CPR, insulin +)
Double pay on holidays

Cons:
DCF methods (sometimes)
Wages
Will definitely be asked to pick up shifts/overtime
Work/life balance
Is a non-profit (pros and cons to this)
Burn out
Very chaotic/scary/physical sometimes


All in all this job gave me more life experience than I could have ever imagined, you learn just how tough you are while also gaining social skills that not many other experiences can give you. 1 year in the job was good for me, there's a high turnaround rate but it is understood throughout the culture of residential work why. This is a great position if you want to help the lives of kids and families, for however amount of time.

My experience working for this disgusting company was extremely disappointing and honestly concerning. I was ultimately terminated, not because of poor job performance or misconduct on my part, but because I raised serious concerns about issues I observed within the program. Instead of addressing those concerns professionally, it felt like management chose to remove the person bringing attention to the problems rather than deal with the situation itself.

There were ongoing issues within the program that I believed required accountability and proper oversight. When I attempted to advocate for better standards and bring attention to what I felt were serious matters, I was met with resistance rather than support. It created an environment where speaking up felt discouraged, and that is deeply troubling in a setting that is supposed to prioritize the wellbeing of vulnerable individuals.

What is most frustrating is that individuals whose actions raised concerns are still employed there, while the person who tried to address the issues is no longer part of the organization. That sends a message about the culture and priorities within the program.

I hope leadership takes time to reflect on how staff concerns are handled and whether the current environment truly supports transparency, accountability, and the safety of both residents and employees.

This job was very rewarding for the first 3 of my 4 years at the company . The job was rewarding as you could see the actual result of working with the youth intensively to get them to their next step in treatment . Around a year and a half ago there has been a shift on the unit I personally worked on with administration and staff that has brought the environment and success of the program down very fast . The kids are not receiving adequate treatment from the residential team , although the clinical team works very hard and does their part as best as they can . It is very divided and throughout the program and the worst part is seeing the kids decline due to these issues . I myself was pushed out by two members of administration who would consistently pit people against each other and created a very toxic culture . I would not recommend working here at the westborough location although the company itself has good bones and room for growth . The kids are declining at the hands of people who are supposed to help them . 

They have a really misguided way of training people to work at this place. The first two days I did absolutely nothing despite being told I would shadow someone. The next day, they expected me to watch training videos on my own tablet where I couldn't read the text in the video while watching one of the kids. Then after 2 weeks of that, you start your professional training at the hub facility. Why not do that first? Also, for some reason, most staff scream at each other instead of talking at an average volume. 

What set me over the edge was that one staff would go around scaring kids, and when I told the boss, he said, "The kids might like that." Completely disrespectful and creates an environment where the kids are always on edge. It's like they have no foundation in psychology and go with how they were brought up. 

The organization as a whole, stands on a set of wonderful values with a strong support system.  The management is amazing and is here for their employees with everything they can.  It definitely is a hard job to balance personal life with and can be frustrating due to the difficult clientele we work with, although that comes with the field itself and not so much NFI; But the schedule does make it difficult to have much of a life.  Compensation sure is on the lower side but NFI promotes from within so there is always room to grow and move between the many subunits it has.  Always open for suggestions how to improve their ways and are there for you to answer anything you have.  Overall from my personal experience I feel that NFI is a wonderful organization to be part of!

Typical word day consist of 8-12 hrs, working with kids that have been removed from their homes by DCF, due to either the unsafe condition of the home, such as neglect, child abuse be it mental,physical, sexual abuse.  Also children removed based on their misbehavior such as not following parents rules, abusing parents physically, refusing to go to school.
  If a person is looking for a career working with children who have problems and need a positive influence a job as direct care / youth counselor I would highly recommend this line of work.  Very important person going into this line of work be able to handle verbal and at times physical situations.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Great company to work for. Lots of room for growth and development, good benefits, and a positive working environment. Only issue is staffing can be a bit difficult sometimes but other than that, solid place of employment. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Staffing issues, On-Call responsibilities for administrative roles

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The work environment is mostly positive and supportive. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
It depends on your role, there are multiple different roles with different responsibilities which will make your day look different.

NFI Massachusetts' Riverside School offers a solid foundation for anyone looking to enter into the world of human services. Direct Care Staff have the opportunity to experience a wide range of client behaviors and issues, and develop strong therapeutic approaches to behavioral interventions. There are not many opportunities for advancement and management is very removed from what goes on directly on the floor at the residences. Communication is fair, at best, but often lacks when it is most important. The high number of clients can often be chaotic, but building therapeutic relationships and truly seeing how staff can affect a client is very rewarding.

My program director was not qualified and was lying to our admin, I tried to warn them at multiple levels, but was always stopped by my PD, it became a very dangerous working environment, unlike the other NFI and was clear something worse was going yo occur. Kids and staff were being sent out in ambulances, kids had knives, were selling drugs, kids broke windows and threaten to kill staff with the broken glass,staff were doing drugs with kids in the program the PD sid not allow us to call the ppolice for safety issues or report other peoblems to her superiors.withwith kids. We were not allowed to call police 
 the police in safett issues and

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Program director 9 salaries reported	$77,222 per year
Youth counselor 19 salaries reported	$21.70 per hour
Case manager 4 salaries reported	$20.25 per hour
Clinician 9 salaries reported	$68,167 per year
Administrative assistant 5 salaries reported	$23.02 per hour

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