support specialist

case manager

registered nurse

mental health technician

mobility specialist

Seven Counties Services Inc

A typical day includes balancing contact with clients and collaterals, via phone and meetings all over the city, with tons of paperwork.  Due to SCS’s financial crisis that has just been brought to light in the past couple of years, job requirements and penalties increased significantly.  Bonuses were introduced, but you won't be paid if they don't have the money that month (& they’re about 2 months behind in paying them).   The line "At least we have a job" is heard frequently, and IMO, it is to discourage even more people from leaving & entering the "horrible" job market.  HR has been contracted out (making things more confusing for staff), some staff are now hired under "Laurus Strategies" so they don't get certain benefits.  Flex time has been taken away, participation in state retirement has ceased and there have been 2 raises in 7 years.  Mgmt told staff that there would likely be a small raise in 2014, but it didn’t happen.  One will be sharing cramped offices with multiple people (good luck on making your required phone calls and writing reports in that environment).  SCS did, however, recently complete an expensive renovation to make a waiting area look pretty.  

Since they filed for bankruptcy, it has been explained that they will close if the judgment does not go their way & they’ll reopen under a different name (as they did years ago).  In this case, it is assumed they will follow the model of re-hiring their chosen employees at a lower pay rate.  

A memo from senior mgmt was given to other programs in the beginning of 12/13, addressing many programs, including ours.  It said that people would receive a pay cut or be fired if they did not meet certain expectations, starting 1/1/14.  A mass email from senior mgmt went out in 1/14, addressing the new policy vaguely and stating that if we had questions, we could ask our Mgrs.  Our program was still in the dark about the policy.  After a Mgr was asked about it multiple times in Dec. and Jan., it was finally addressed, unclearly, mid Feb. by the Program Mgr.  The explanation was that, yes, our jobs could be in jeopardy, but she was given carte blanche on how to determine who would be fired.  Staff asked for this in writing, it was agreed, but never happened.  (This policy does not affect mgrs, only front line staff.)  

The mgrs generally appear scared of the Prog. Mgr and do not question her or advocate for their staff to their ability. Vacation time that could’ve been donated to other employees for a time of need (otherwise, will expire), has been declined so that no one can use that earned time & SCS saves $$.  At least one manager does not hide her favoritism.  (Helping some with their workloads and ignoring violations of some while making greater demands on others.)  This dept. has a history of showing favoritism to men, as well.  Mgmt has asked staff multiple times to engage in HIGHLY questionable conduct (changing/adding dates/signatures of clients to forms, etc.) for $$ purposes.  Mgt has also utilized “the silent treatment".

The program has nearly tripled (to increase $$) in recent years and first line mgmt appears to be overburdened.  In this dept., there was no consistency in the paperwork expectations.  Staff is told to focus on one thing or to tell our clients that we can offer a service, only for it to soon be changed.  It can be embarrassing when having to try to explain changes to clients/other professionals.  Due to increased workload, everyone knows that getting ALL of the requirements done in 40 hours/wk, for the deadline each month.  Many volunteer their time for free after the 40 hours.  Improper/fraudulent techniques are "rumored" to have been utilized by staff to complete goals to avoid harsh penalties. Many went into this field to help others and felt guilty about often providing poor services due to the increased workload.  Some admit to working for the bonuses, in order to support themselves, knowing that completing this additional work reduced their quality of services to clients further.  Your monthly expectations remain the same, regardless of whether you take sick/vacation time.  Quality is no longer a priority.  The front line staff, though many have already left, are amazing people who give of themselves even on days when there is little left to give.

● Work-life balance
They tell you "oh you can flex your time if you're salary. If you work 10 hours one day then another day you can work 6." And in theory it's true. In reality is bulls***. I've never had a week where I worked less than 45 hours in the two years I worked there.

● Pay & benefits
They tell you that their pay is competitive. It's not. And you never get raises, not even when you get your full license. Only way to get a raise is move up in management.

● Job security and advancement
Job security sucks. They tell you they can just replace you if you don't want to do whatever the heck they want you to. And they are in the hole anyway. They're going to go bankrupt again now that centerstone left them.

● Management
Morale sucks. Staff turnover is huge. The company is not about the clients at all. They only care about the best way to get money. They try to scare people on medication into staying in therapy by having a policy that they're going to cut them off cold turkey if they stop seeing their therapist which is super unethical and someone should sue the pants off them for. Management only cares about productivity. They don't care about your mental health or the improvement in your clients mental health. Just get the money from the insurance. The end.

● Culture
It just sucks. Everyone is so negative. And if you ever try to complain and ask about changing things for the better you just get "welp. That's community mental health for you."

● Overall
You can go somewhere else and be paid much better. Find somewhere that actually values you as an employee and sees you as more than dollar signs. This ain't it. You will have way way more than the recommended caseload and you will not be able to give clients the attention and care they need because it's just about how many dang visits can you cram into one day.

I had a great, supportive unit manager, great clinical supervisor, and very collaborative interdisciplinary team. Seven Counties has made efforts to offer competitive pay and good benefits. The downside (which is a major major downside) is how critically understaffed they are and their inability to cap adult outpatient caseloads due to grant funding obligations. When I left, I had over 250 therapy clients who were active and scheduled for future appointments, along with dozens of inactive clients ready to be discharged from the caseload. The caseload was continuing to grow at that point. I couldn’t keep up with the paperwork and didn’t know more than one or two outpatient therapists who could do so without working outside of office hours. The combination of Medicaid requirements, SCS policies, and large case loads meant I spent about 60-70% of my work time completing forms (including paperwork during no-shows as well as when sitting with clients during sessions). 

All of that may be unavoidable, systemic issues given the community mental health setting, but it made it an unsustainable work environment for me which is too bad because all of my coworkers including management are hardworking professionals who care deeply for the clients.

Job requirements change frequently, typically with added steps or more busy work, with no change in pay to compensate. Decent amount of PTO and flexible work hours/some work from home were the primary benefits of this job. Taking time off was often punishing, as you will typically not have your cases covered for you outside of being sick or maternity leave, so you had the same amount of work to do in less time. Workplace culture was overly casual at times, frequently bordering on gossipy. Once in-person services resume (likely soon), work-life balance is non-existent as you will be driving all over the city and often out to other counties to conduct visits, frequently requiring work well after close of business. Management is hit or miss. I had three different managers during my time due to advancement, support from managers varied wildly from person to person. A mix of healthy management styles and micromanagers. Raises are also few and far between due to the job using government funding.

I was an Peer Support Specialist, Thats a Client who is trained to work with the clients. I left there in 2010, because I saw  many client who stole a candy bar and went to jail, then got out, then they came back to us.  We cleaned them up. Then they stole again, and went back to jail. Working at Seven Counties allowed me to help them with housing, food stamps, get their SSI, SSD, and help them in a way their Case workers  could not. I have an advantage, over their doctors, their nurses, and  every one else. I was one of them. I know what its was like to be homeless. I know what its like to have no food., . . Seven Counties provides many services to clients, and I admire that. I no longer work there and I regret that I am  not part of the many changes today. I am continuing to pursue my education so I can be a part of their Mission. To stop this Merry-go-round that the Mentally-ill live on. In and out Jail, there entire lives.

A typical day as charge nurse would start with getting report from the off-going shift, doing unit rounds to check on unit patients and making out staff assignments sheet for that shift. Direct care and evaluation of acutely ill patients and daily progress and documentation of such. Working with MD's for changes in orders and/or immediately needed medications as situations frequently arise in this type of facility for the safety of all patient and staff alike.

With acutely ill individuals each shift can be a leaning opportunity ad often is. Respecting your co-workers and management is necessary in a frequently unpredictable atmosphere such as a locked down facility.

The hardest part of the job would have to be keeping a quiet and safe milieu for both staff and patients.
The most enjoyable part of this job was the interaction with these very ill people and observing them as they became well again.

I was being forced to take on a second full-time position, and they were not going to give me any compensation in my salary. I was one of the only people in my department with a Bachelor's degree, and I got paid at the lower end of the salary range. If you do not kiss up to the management, if you don't share your personal life with your boss, and if you don't spend the whole day talking with your boss (when you should be working), then you will get the worst job duties, you will be fired, and until you are fired the management will make sure you know they don't like you. Everyone talks about everyone else behind their backs, and if you don't join in on the gossip (like I didn't), they will just talk about you and think that you don't like anyone. Yes, this was my experience with SCS, and I'm so thankful that I don't work there any more!!!

I absolutely loved working for Seven Counties for several reasons.  I had a Director who I felt valued my work and depended on me. Working in Emergency Psych Services you never experienced the same thing 2 days in a row.  It was a very high pace atmosphere and you always had to be very conscious of your surroundings because many patients would be under some type of mental distress.  Most people would questioned "how could you work in there" but I worked with an awesome group of doctors, nurses and social workers who made the job very enjoyable and rewarding.  The most important thing I learned was compassion and most difficult was knowing you can't force someone to take there medication even when they know it will help them manage there mental behavior.

It's entry level work for newly graduated therapists. They'll provide supervision (legally, even though they can't promise it will actually be useful to you as a clinician) and not a whole lot else. Pay is atrocious for a Master's level clinician. I made more money working for tips in a bowling alley when I was a teenager. The people are overall fine: well meaning, less experienced, and supportive of each other (well, at that place, your team is all you've got). I heard other teams were awful but mine was good. Supervisor always had my back, but wasn't very smart or skillful as a clinician. I found that in general, smart and skillful clinicians leave this/most CHMCs once they attain their hours for independent licensure. So long as you realize what you're getting into, it'll do until then

I did groups, I brought people in from the community to do groups. Social Security. Food Stamp Reps, to explain how their services work for our clients. I had been trained to be a Peer Support Specialist. A client trained to work with the clients. Plus I have two degrees in Social Work. I found people homes,  I did intakes, and just provided support for them to just talk, when they need someone. I always kept them connected to outside resources, and made sure they had what they needed. I also worked with their Case Workers, Doctors, and outside resources.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Support specialist 3 salaries reported	$15.87 per hour
Case manager 4 salaries reported	$20.06 per hour
Registered nurse 7 salaries reported	$37.50 per hour
Mental health technician 7 salaries reported	$15.96 per hour
Mobility specialist 1 salary reported	$17.62 per hour

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