clinician

social worker

counselor

site supervisor

mental health technician

Riverside Community Care

It okay it has it up and downs. Employee are difficult to deal with, and they can be very lazy. The clients are lovely and can use more attention from DSP staff. Lots of OT. Management is very understanding if you have family issues. Pay is good I guess depending on your schedule and your job title. They definitely need to re-train a lot of the DSP employees, because they sit on the couch at the program on there phones most of the time being lazy. As an management position you have to be careful how you speak to the employees because they take things so personal. Asking employees for help or telling them how ever you would like to put it the get defensive. Employees will try to run managers out of programs because they use to doing thing their way and nobody has corrected them on their mistakes, or taken disciplinary actions. A lot of MAP Certified employees needs better training, and communication skills when calling out or being late. Managers do not dock employees times when they are very later. People should not be getting paid for when they are late or leaving early then they should be. Staff sneaking out without letting other staff know and leaving program under ratio. I been to many site. It all depends which site your are working at. Upper management need to listen to lower management and not tune them out. Manager are leaving for a reason and I’m sure it not because they don’t like the job or because the clients/ individuals. I’m sure it is because the employees are disrespectful and don’t know what they are doing and spend more time complaining about management then actually doing their job without a fuss. There great opportunities, but at the end of the day I will say this. If you find or found a good house stay because it pays off opportunities wise to move up. If your at a bad site, leave do not waste your time or as to be transferred if you really want to stay with the company. I say this because I see more complaints/ complaining from employees (DSP) or (GLE) more then them doing there job. Most of the DSP or GLE are definitely under qualified and it may feel as management they people had liked on their application. There is a lot you can learn from DSP or GLE sites. A typical day at work can be fun or boring if clients just want to stay home. Also another stay away from employees that talks about other employees because before you know it you will be stab in the back. Had plenty of employees come to me about rumor’s. Don’t kiss butt to management it really get you no where. Managers or supervisor will always have their favorites kissing butts or not. I feel like Riverside should hire more different Ethnicity. There really no hard part of this job. It pretty easy if you make it easy. It becomes hard if you fall into the negativity or the area where people don’t wanna do the work and get mad when you ask them to do their job. The most wonderful enjoyable are the clients they always are. No matter how bad behavior wise or autistic behavior at the end of the day you will feel like you made a difference towards they client’s life. You might not leave happy about the coworker or employees beside that your happy you are not around them anymore, but when you leave at the end of your shift you definitely will feel happiness about the clients. The clients grow so fast on you and there are times you can’t even help to think about the clients when you’re done with work. Sure we all been there.

Place is amazing to work at. People that work for this job really like it here and I am one of them. Plenty of hours. They care about the clients and the workers. Coworker are good people. Only problem I have here and the way management go about things. Managers feel like they are doing there job. Some managers thinking what a client my need, instead of what is best for them. They think they are engaging with the clients but they are really not. Manager spends more time in meetings and at other offices more then they spend time with their employees and with the clients. Manger try to take the credit that employees had performed/ did. I noticed this a lot under 3 months of working here these are some managers not all. At first, the job is great and on the surface it provides some really great opportunities. It is a good job to start off in the mental health field and you have the opportunity to learn so much. However, management is messy, they do not protect their staff, and manager’s throws u under the bus and they will pick favorites - individuals and staff members. HR investigations need to pay close attention to managers at each program, multiple staff quitting, which I at the point where I want to quit badly. burnout from having to pick up extra work left over by other staff who do not contribute. More to the job then what was required online in the application and interview. Staff are not appreciated as they should, and when you do something nice for clients, managers seem to get mad or jealous and the company does not really care about getting their individuals( client’s) better meaning some managers they put of a fake front to make it look like they do. I don’t like working with or having hypocritical managers. Some managers do not like new employees that speak up or do something for a client they get jealous and they feel like you are threat like you going to take their job. Oh gosh don’t say you want to become a manager in front a current manager because then that managers will be coming after you for everything you do wrong. I should not have to worry about losing my job for doing the right thing and believe so much in the individuals (client’s). If you do something amazing for the individuals (client’s) manager will come after you and throw you under the bus each time.

Riverside Community Care is a great company if you are able to be a wallflower. If you are able to hold your tongue while decisions are made that directly negatively impact people served but reduce workload for managers, you will likely go far, fast. 

There is an extremely hierarchical atmosphere at Riverside and challenges to that are not welcome. Once you make it known that you feel a decision is not the best one for a person receiving services, the management team will turn your work life into a terrible experience. Snide comments, ignoring behaviors, behind the scenes conversations are a few of the ways in which they will work to isolate you. I could have conversations with people that felt productive, fruitful and kind, and I would hear lies about what was said in that conversation from people reprimanding me that didn't have anything to do with the conversation. I began to feel myself losing confidence in myself and my social skills when it has always been a strong strength of mine. This started to repair itself almost immediately upon leaving this organization. 

The higher the rank, the longer you have worked there, the more your word will be held. Coincidentally, the higher the rank the less you have to do with people served, so the people who work with individuals day in and day out are completely pushed aside under the pretense that managers, who haven't seen the individual since 1990, know them better. It truly is an incredibly invalidating environment. There are a lot of things explicitly wrong (i.e. inappropriate relationships, managers claiming credit for the work of their subordinates, managers never being available, neglect of individuals who have less powerful people advocating for them, etc.) that continue to go unaddressed, despite numerous staff departures and HR complaints for these very reasons. HR is another thing to note if you begin working here. I voiced a complaint with HR about the hostile work environment, only to find out that the people I complained about are friends with the whole of HR, making them immune to reprimand and ensuring that nothing will be kept confidential. It is much more like a stereotypical high school feel than I ever experienced before. 

Another thing that needs to be addressed is racism and voicelessness among staff in this department. I witnessed and experienced overt racism while working here, where people's communication style and accents were used as tools to label them oppositional and incomprehensible, to name only a few incidents. 

Be careful working here, it truly is a dangerous place to voice an idea.

My typical day at work starts by administering medications (both medical and anti psychotics. Then I drive our consumers to day program. After doing the "morning run," I am in charge of taking consumers to their scheduled appointments which are either at their HCP's office, with the Psychatrist, for blood work , to the hospital, etc... At the program itself, I work daily with consumers on their individualized IAP goals. They differ from person to person but of the things work on together are hygiene, time management skills, education around budgeting, socilization, etc... Lastly, another important part of my day is to write billiable "R days." These are progress notes that we document so that the Department of Mental Health funds our organization based on the rehab work that we do with our consumer each day.

Since working at RCC, I have cultivated an understanding of person-centered goals, treatment plans, medications, and the complicated nature of recovery. It has directly impacted my understanding of the mental health system.

My manager has been an influential source in guiding me on ways to establish worthwhile relationships with my consumers. With her feedback, I was able to establish a trusting rapot with consumers who are difficult to connect with.

As a member of such a small team, I have learnt the value of being a "team player." Fortunately, I was able to work with motivated and fresh co-workers that brought their own unique personalities to the table.

The hardest part of the job would have to be not to take consumers dellusional thoughts personally. One has to learn to decipher the content from their mental illness and rather to maintain the professional relationship.

Overall, the most gratifying part of being a mental health counselor is experiencing those moments of recovery when I break through to the people we serve. This can be as big as a consumer pursuing independent living after years of living at the program, to something little as a consumer changing their dietary habits when they have struggled with an eating disorder. It is a proud moment for them and for me, since I know I have helped contribute to their lives in my own little way.

Typical Work day:
The morning are usual spent completing documentation, attending internal meetings, consulting with other providers, or visiting with parents in the community. The afternoon's general consist of two-three home visits between the hours of 2 p.m.- 7 p.m. During such time(s) family therapy sessions are usually conducted with varying family constellations.

Gains:
I have gained a vast knowledge of individual, couple, and family interventions to address varying levels of psychiatric crises as well as the social and emotional needs of a diverse population. I have also gathered an immense collection of community resources that allow me to effectively direct clients to the appropriate supports needed to address their needs.

Management:
The management is very understanding and supportive, however it was difficult to feel that they were fiercely advocating for the needs of their employees to those above them. The program is in constant state of fluctuation and there appears to be very little consistency in clear communication from the management hierarchic. This has left the staff to frequently feel undervalued, as their clinical expertise seems secondary to the management in lieu of one's ability to accumulate billable units.

Co-Workers:
My co-workers are extremely passionate, hardworking, and caring individuals who bring comprehensive and diverse clinical skills to the team. They are very supportive and fun to work along side.

The Hardest Part of the Job:
Having your work performance based primarily on how much you are able to meet with a frequently at risk and inconsistent population rather than rather than a comprehensive evaluation that includes quality of your work and what you are able to accomplish with the such a population.

Most enjoyable:

Watching children & families grow while helping them develop the skills needed to address presenting problems and advocate for themselves independently.

I joined Riverside with high hopes but was ultimately disappointed by my experience. Within my first six months, there was significant staff turnover, including layoffs and the departure of at least six employees, among them the clinic director and assistant director. This created an unstable work environment and raised concerns about organizational leadership and retention.

Expectations surrounding productivity, client care, and daily responsibilities were often unclear and inconsistently communicated. Clinical decision-making was highly restricted; even routine actions such as changing a diagnosis or discharging a client required supervisor approval, which could take considerable time. This often left clinicians managing large caseloads that included clients who were no longer engaged in services.

The organization also appears behind current industry standards in several areas, including its electronic health record system, documentation processes, and terminology. Referring to clients as "Persons Served (PS)" felt outdated and inconsistent with a more person-centered approach to care.

My experience with supervision was challenging. I encountered what I felt were unfounded accusations and a level of micromanagement that made it difficult to work independently and confidently. Additionally, the office culture felt exclusionary at times, with long-term employees forming cliques that could make newer staff feel unwelcome.

Most disappointing was the lack of support provided to clinicians. Throughout my time there, I did not feel that staff concerns were prioritized or that meaningful efforts were made to support employee success and well-being.

While others may have a different experience, I would carefully consider these factors before accepting a position here.

Claims to be inclusive, but my colleagues at work of other races than white, are not treated with the same respect. I have witnessed odd remarks or jokes that are racially insensitive. Minimum pay with no bonuses nor advancement. For the 4 years, I worked for this company, I have not received any pay raise, nor a bonus. Every time a bonus is promised, it is said that the money went to open new locations, and then later you will learn that people in "office positions" did receive bonuses, but not the people directly serving the community... You will feel unappreciated and except for the house manager, no one in the company cares to get to know their employees that have worked there for several years.  The company pretends to care about their mentally ill clients, but upper management never visits them. They do not know their name nor do they care to improve their lives. It is all up to the residential counselors. Scott, the founder of the company, pretends to be altruistic, yet enriching himself expanding the company in every corner of the state without putting incentives to improve the locations already open. When funding from the state was received for COVID, not only did the company offer a minuscule increase in hourly payment, it was prolonged to implement as late as possible and discontinued after around 4 weeks. The company tries to cut every corner to save more money, sacrificing all their employees and the quality of life of the clients. The only good thing about this company is the schedule and the great people that you serve. This company is a disgrace in how they treat both their clients and their employees.

Do not work here if you're looking to make end's meet with this job alone. There are only pay increases for licensure and years worked (starting at 2 and capping out at 10) with the company and the pay even with an above full time (26+ client hours billed/week) level isn't even enough to cover a studio apartment within 30 miles of the clinic. You do not get paid for any documentation, treatment planning, etc. and will only be paid for trainings if Riverside requires them. If a client no-shows, you won't get paid for that hour and clients no-show frequently. Front office staff is excellent, friendly, resourceful and program directors are good at what they do. Supervisors are great, very helpful and insightful. I have grown as a clinician, but it's hard to feel positive working for a company based on caring for people but that doesn't care for its employees.

As a FFS clinician, you get: no paid holidays, no PTO aside from accrued sick and FMLA, no paid vacation time, no company match for retirement plan. Health insurance is good and starts at half-time hours, but expensive especially if you're below the full time rate. Riverside as an agency just keeps eating smaller companies and creating new programs that duplicate services we already have instead of paying staff what they're worth. C-suite executives are completely out of touch. Good experience to get your feet wet or to supplement income from another job or for parents with kids. But if you're looking to make a living, you can't get there from here.   

Since I’ve been at Riverside my experience has been extremely positive. I’m so impressed with my direct manager, the CEO of the organization, and senior management. They are committed to Riverside and to Riverside’s employees. The CEO regularly greets employees with friendly banter and knows each employee's name. From a business perspective, he is open to change that will help his organization grow and be successful so that Riverside continues to support individuals in the community that struggle with mental illness or family issues. My direct manager is focused on superior customer service, to Riverside’s clients and to Riverside’s program staff, as well as his own staff. He is a highly effective manager that cares about Riverside and his direct reports.

I’ve enjoyed working for Riverside because it’s provided me with opportunities to exercise my skills and knowledge within my field of expertise. I’m pleasantly surprised by its social-centric way; this can be both positive and negative, but, there are highs and lows to any type of relating to individuals no matter what organization one works for. Inspite of this, I firmly believe Riverside excels in many areas and strives to be the best for its employees and clients. It's a gem of an organization!

A typical day varied depending on the department you were assigned.  I gained a wide range of knowledge in the mental, behavioral and physical arena that assisted me further in my medical assistanting background.

 Also, while working along with the management team; follow-up, executing directives and protocols set in place for the betterment of the client(s) /consumer(s) and their families was paramount. Client(s) /consumer(s) reports were updated and tracked for improving their quality of life.

Co-workers were great to work along side pulling together with ideas, problem solving and working hands-on to accomplish the goals that were set and recommended by the medical/management team. 

The most difficult part of the job was when clients would go through more emotional and/or physical challenges along with present issues they were trying to manage with the staff and the clinical / management team. 

The most enjoyable part of the job was seeing client(s) /consumer(s)  accomplish their set goals and in some cases move forward to their next achievement(s).

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Clinician 10 salaries reported	$70,100 per year
Social worker 4 salaries reported	$48,500 per year
Counselor 2 salaries reported	$21.56 per hour
Site supervisor 1 salary reported	$20.12 per hour
Mental health technician 1 salary reported	$21.37 per hour

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