case manager

counselor

registered nurse ii

administrative services

program specialist

State of Tennessee

Pulling online assistance applications from the statewide database using SSN/case numbers for verification and research purposes, scheduling clients for telephone interviews, verifying their information on their application/asking for any missing information such as dependents, employment, etc. Insure client knows and has the resources to turn in all necessary documentation so that there is no lapse in benefits or get new benefits as quickly as possible. Mail a confirmation letter to each client informing them of their appointment as per state guidelines. At the end of the day, any confidential documents are put into a secure location to be destroyed (very important and a firable offense if caught not doing so. Meetings were always conducted via Zoom both in office and work from home after COVID-19. Due to it being a newer program, there were many meetings as there were constant changes to the process. Good work environment with co-workers but communication among supervisors needed improvement. It was fulfilling getting to be a part of the process to help people and be an advocate when need be. It was hard with the poor management- too many running one show and would get praised by one and disciplined by another for abiding by written policy. 
The hardest part however, was not being able to approve someone for expedited benefits or benefits in general due to the income guidelines (which need to be changed) or other requirements. I was more than glad that people felt comfortable being vulnerable and revealing things to me they said they weren't proud of, but hated that they were embarrassed for needing help to begin with and me having to tell them if they probably wouldn't be getting it. Advocating and reaching out to the Eligibility Counselor IIs never did any good.

I was a good employee for three years, showed up, never got in trouble, and was let go after having been approved for 12 weeks of FMLA by 2 doctors who provided all the necessary documentation after my mother unexpectedly passed. I was told by everyone I was okay to take the month off while FMLA was being finalized, then got a call telling me my position was no longer needed because I wasn't able to pull myself together enough to perform my duties properly as I was grieving for that first month. Had I been told I had to log in, I would have tried. 3 years no raise, no PTO, expensive insurance, and stalling on the promised promotion since my hire date and I got burned for being a loyal and hardworking employee. I was also told I was not qualified for unemployment, later discovered it was because upper management filled out my termination documents incorrectly. 

Other than that, I loved my job. 

• Review the local operating accounts of each county on a quarterly basis, analyze, report and give projections of conditions. (~$18 million/year)
• Review DGA contracts of each county and complete cost of personnel and travel.
• Assure that any fiscal audit problems discovered by internal audit are answered within the requested time frames.
• Monitor travel regulations and assure that information is distributed to counties.
• Assure that all personnel records for fiscal information are correct and maintained on a current basis for account records in the personnel salary distribution system.
• Responsible for accuracy of allocating Regional Office salaries to proper cost centers within the Region.
• Breaks out costs between counties and assures that they are correctly JV'd to the correct county.
• Assures that all revenues for the counties are correctly entered into the computer systems and the revenue reports can be completed from the information on hand.
• Responsible for securing all county contracts and ensures that all figures are in agreement and balance.
• Monitors the county contribution to State for funding local health departments.
• Directly supervises a staff of four with a total of nine employees in my section.
• Oversees the purchasing and inventory of all goods.
• Oversees the billing and collection of patient accounts.
• Works directly with the county directors and regional office program supervisors in the preparation of budgets.
• Assists other supervisors with preparation of reports for grants and other special requests from Central Office as needed and required.
• Reviews Edison reports and revenue and expense reports for accuracy and provides status updates as needed.
• Assures that any other available financial information is distributed to the counties.
• Performs an audit of each local health department for fiscal integrity and prepares a report and recommendations on an annual basis.
• Reviews bad debt write-offs and monitors for accuracy the procedures used by the counties.

I started out working for the State of Tennessee as a Judicial Administrative Assistant.  I worked for a Circuit Court Judge for 13.5 years and loved every aspect of my job with the Judge.  In August of 2014 he retired and being in the political area for work with the State of Tennessee my job was left hanging in the balance, unfortunately the new Circuit Court Judge brought his own assistant with him and I was without a job.  The elected Public Defender for the same district offered me an Office Manager Job which was to begin the very next day my other job ended.  I thought it was divine intervention and it was, as far as keeping my income and benefits, unfortunately political jobs are not always permanent and on January 8, 2016 I was fired.  I have worked since I was 15 and had never been fired or laid off from any position.  I have been lucky I suppose.  There were issues from the very beginning with this employer and I realized that the day I returned from my training by the folks in Nashville when we locked horns about timekeeping compliance and the fact that she wanted me to "overlook" some things and I refused.  My co-workers will attest that the work environment was lively and relaxed under my style of management, which seemed to aggravate the Public Defender.  She did not handle well the fact that everyone liked me and we all got along really well in spite of the fact that she indicted that I created a work environment that was hostile and made it difficult to do her job.  It was difficult being in the position that I was in and never having any communication or seeing my boss.  This was behavior that I felt was unfitting of an elected official, especially since I was a taxpayer seeing someone that the taxpayers pay not doing the job they were elected to do. So in summary, if being honest and doing the requirements of my job as trained is wrong then I was justly dismissed, but I will continue to be me and follow rules when given and be honest in all my duties.

I'm in court the majority of the time. As soon as arrive, I deal with a table full of warrants. I call the defendant up, interview them, get basic information from them. I then read the warrant to them and ask them to explain the situation to me. Often, I learn facts that might help my client - such as mental health issues, harmful information about the accuser (such as prior records, history of drug use, revenge motives, etc).  I then approach an a.d.a. They read the warrant and then I explain "the rest of the story".  We begin negotiations. Often, I have to come up with creative solutions for my clients. If the a.d.a. is not willing to resolve the case in misdemeanor court (General Sessions Court), then I conduct a preliminary hearing to determine if the case should be bound over to criminal court. Once in criminal court, the stakes are much higher. The penalties and fines a defendant faces are much stiffer. Criminal Court is much more formal and slower paced the General Sessions Court. It often requires more research and review of all the government's evidence (A defendant is not entitled to discovery in General Sessions Court). 

When I'm in the office, I spend my time returning calls, answering questions, reassuring clients and family, looking for treatment options when appropriate, researching case law and drafting motions. 

The hardest part of the job is that people are in crisis and are extremely needy. I routinely have people in meltdown mode and pulling me in a thousand directions. Despite this, I enjoy talking to the clients. They trust me. I care, I listen and my word is always good. They know they can count on me. I really love the research part of the job and coming up with solutions. I especially enjoy thinking outside the box.

Management was blind to facts and often quick to excessively and unequally discipline some employees. With a total lack of respect by co-workers and 1 supervisor specifically, I was abused in numerous ways (not physical), a victim of slander, libel and false accusations; consequently, I was miserable and nothing was done to improve my work environment for years. Once something was done the positive effects only last 3 -5 months. The worst part of my job was reporting errors, and other things (about me, my co-workers and other departmental staff) to my superior. The best part of my job was helping other workers keep children safe and in some cases, alive - literally.
   Many positions throughout the department had excessive work loads. Attrition was (and is) standard leaving a large percentage of units chronically understaffed and over worked. Knowing this I would not recommend working for Children's Services depending upon the position being filled. State employee benefits are very good but the pay is not. No raise in the last 28 years has met the updated standard of living at the time. The state is trying to contract out far too many jobs and programs (actually in all departments) to save money that would otherwise go to employees and services. Some programs have been cancelled and/or privatized which have put the safety of children, youth and the general public at risk. There are many who share these opinions.

During my tenure as a Community Planner with the State of Tennessee, Department of Economic and Community Development, Local Planning Assistance Office, I served as the professional planning staff to Chief Executive Officers, planning commissions and boards of zoning appeals of local municipalities within assigned contracts (City of Fayetteville, City of Pulaski, Town of Petersburg, Town of Estill Springs, City of Chapel Hill, TN and Lincoln County, TN.   I served as the program administrator for FEMA's NFIP within the assigned communities.  I also developed land use and transportation plans, community facilities plans, public improvement programs and capital budgets.  I provided recommendations on development proposals to assure compliance with local, state and federal regulations when developing environmental areas.  I prepared, implemented and monitored an annual planning work program to address local development goals and issues.  I attended regular night meetings and provided technical assistance to the general public, local developers, surveyors and engineers on development projects.  I prepared technical reports, strategic plans, regulations and ordinances.  I evaluated development projects for sensitive environmental hazards to insure federal, state and local government compliance.  I provided support and information in the preparation of community application for grants-in-aid and I prepared and presented educational materials to local community leaders, officials and the general public.  I am adept at planning policy research while using various statistical approaches in collecting and interpreting data for reporting purposes.

I prefer to be at work at least 30 minutes early to unlock tool, and prepare for inmates that will be receiving services. Sign out all tools to students on log in/out sheet. Mix color, prepare all other chemicals for students on clinical floor. Set up classroom for students that are not on clinical floor. Keep security check of shears, razors, and all other products. I have to keep a tight check on everyone coming in and going out, being a prison and proactive to things that could pose harm. Teach practical, theory, and prepare students for state board exam every Monday state board run through. As a professional you have to be equipped everyday because everyday is different inside the prison from management to inmates, and self if your not careful. Without co-workers some couldn't make it, educators are family. When you do not have what is needed to do your job, but inmate workers have it. I am a professional, and a state employee that pay taxes. To see the change in the student that comes into the program with no clue about all cosmetology has to offer the one that really wants a career change while in prison for the betterment when released back into the community. Got to love. I have a job that is a four person team, but I do what I have to do and excellent.

This job requires a lot of time management. You have to have time for your clients/customers for guidance and counseling as well as advocating for them. Preparing my client for employment is a challenge but so worth it. You will be surprise to find there are many people who once lived normal lives to have them disrupted by life's tragedies and having to rely on someone else to aid them. My clients have been a blessing to me. They have kept me humble.

My typical day includes making phone calls or returning phone calls that were left the day before to, doctors, evaluators, clients, schools, employers, scheduling appointments, and staff meetings. Meetings with my colleagues and other counselors are a must to ensure we are adhering to policy changes. 

The hardest part of my job is when, after all of the building a rapport with the employers to hear them say, "I'm sorry, but we chose someone else," and to see the look on the client's face. It's disheartening. There have been many time where I've cried on behalf of my clients. Doesn't a day go by that I don't say a little prayer for them; hoping someone will give them a chance.

There is not a typical work day. One day you can be in court hearings, the next day you are transporting children by yourself 8 hours away. (Hotel is not provided and you are expected to return to your home office immediately after reaching your destination.) You will be expected to answer phone calls from supervisors after-hours (even when you are not on-call). You will be liable to know all of the polices and procedures, but you will not be able to find the time to review the daily policy update emails. If a mistake is made by *anyone* in the department, and the judge discovers it, then it falls on you. You must sit there and take the reprimand for the department, even if you were not involved with what occurred.  Many co-workers eat lunch while working because they will fall behind otherwise. Staff members are resigning weekly, so their caseloads are being transferred to the remaining staff. It's a vicious cycle. It is a great resume builder, however there are positions with less liability and similar pay.

The department does not conduct a drug screen on any DCS employee at any time (pre-employment nor random), which is a safety concern.

At the beginning of my shift I wait for the mail to be delivered and once we receive the mail which mostly contained renewal checks for vehicals, and it is counted by our surpervisor's it is then given out to each employee to open and process. After we have opened and sent the checks to the fininical department another job we have is to take out stable's and put in stacks of 20 document's incoming renewal applications from our 95 counties. I learned about where each peice of mail goes as well as how many counties send in their work to us to be processed. There was very little management as we were expected to be self starter's once we were shown what to do. For the most part my co-worker's were very friendly and would help out if needed. The hardest part of the job in my opinion was when we had people out for sickness or on vacation, but the work load did not deminish causing a back load of work. What I enjoyed most about the job was learning about how we process the incoming letter's and car application's. I found it interesting that we process gun permits and what question's were asked of the applicant. I enjoyed the stress free parking and easy access to our work site.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Case manager 2130 salaries reported	$4,474 per month
Counselor 119 salaries reported	$4,014 per month
Registered nurse ii 159 salaries reported	$5,519 per month
Administrative services 160 salaries reported	$4,523 per month
Program specialist 248 salaries reported	$4,539 per month

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