clinician

mental health technician

registered nurse

licensed practical nurse

senior clinician

Valley Cities Behavioral Health Care

Clients were amazing. Lots of opportunities to create tailored groups, decent PTO and holiday benefits.

Unfortunately, upper administration took the single hour we were allowed to block on our schedule each day for admin stuff - notes, calls, emails, session prep, reading new client intakes, etc. - and said we could only do these things during no shows now. Definitely not enough no shows to get it all done, which led to write ups for those who refused to work overtime for free. Also took away a lot of training and consult/supervision opportunities, which was a benefit for working for such low pay - especially when just starting out in the field.

Caseloads were insanely huge - I had over 100 at one point. Generally around 70-90 clients for clinicians. They make it very challenging to provide the time clients need and almost impossible to increase care as needed, such as if a client becomes suicidal. To increase care in these situations, I often would end up scheduling during my lunch break and just not having lunch. 

I think the only way to make it a tolerable workplace would be to unionize. Otherwise, the clinicians and clients will continue to suffer being overworked, understaffed, and overloaded.

The people who work at Valley Cities are committed to the agency's mission and serving clients and the community well. Each team & location has its own culture and way of doing the work, so if you find that one program isn't a good fit for you your your professional goals, there is likely another opportunity for you available that meets your needs. Good quality free clinical supervision toward licensure. Free trainings regularly provided on relevant topics. Solid administrative support (HR, IT, billing, etc) that allows clinical teams to focus on clinical work. Opportunities for staff to provide feedback to leaders at monthly Town Halls, or via a virtual anonymous suggestion box. There will always be too much work to do in community health, but this is a great place to engage in this work while being supported to take care of yourself and gain professional skills. Ability to work from home currently due to pandemic, and CEO says this will be maintained in a hybrid nature after pandemic ends.

The interview process took 2 months and I eventually had to take an hourly rate that I knew and warned them would not be adequate for my ability to survive. They made me wait so long I had to take it out of desperation. While they promised that they would work with me and support my goals, when this was put to the test because I couldn't afford gas to get to work on their inadequate pay, they quickly used it as an excuse to trap me into quitting by asking if I would be in and stating that if I wasn't I was voluntarily terminating my employment. I was lied to about a number of things right from the start, as were other new employees. Do not recommend.

I have been working with Valley Cities for almost 10 years.  I have had many opportunities for growth at this agency. I was upfront with my manager from the very start that my goal was to move into a management role and each supervisor was aware and would give me many opportunities for development and after 3 years in a clinician role I felt ready to move into a supervisor position. Since then I have taken every opportunity I could to move with in the agency being an agent for change in leadership and living my values along side the agencies mission and values. 

You'll find some of the most dedicated care team members here working with people in the community experiencing multiple barriers to wellness. You gotta have heart to do this job, and also this is a mid-sized to large non-profit/community MH agency that struggles to put humans over productivity. For a few years now, the current CEO was the former CFO and it shows. Can't speak to the mission to make decisions based off ethics and knowledge of the field. Just productivity goals and empty platitudes for the "important" work staff do. Yearly 3% raises usually. Annual PTO increases up to the 6th year. Hybrid work usually OK. Some micromanager bosses. Constantly changing workflows and procedures that cause severe change fatigue. 

Every day is different, depending on the clients. Some cases are more challenging than others, but it's always so rewarding to be able to help someone grow & heal, or to make a direct impact on their daily life. We work primarily with Medicaid clients and the shortage of resources in our society can be disheartening at times, but my management team is always supportive and encouraging. And the workplace culture emphasizes selfcare and work-life balance. The pay isn't great, but about on-par for this kind of non-profit work. And the benefits are nothing to sneeze at! The paid time off & health benefits are generous. The only way I see myself leaving this organization is if I have to move out of the area.

Really tried to like working here, but there just isn't any joy or benefit to being an employee at Valley Cities. The work environment and culture is mentally unhealthy, it is like pulling teeth to try to build morale, and there is a really big problem with favoritism here. The entire office is a sad, quiet, dark hole that nobody seems to enjoy. Management has some concerning views and practices and no matter how hard you try, nobody listens to your concerns or ideas. No person with quality talent and general interest in helping those who need it should waste their time here. Plus, you will never get paid what you are truly worth. 

Great supportive team environment. Agency and management offers resources and space to work on professional development and continuous learning. Leadership cares about our thoughts and concerns as employees and does their best to make sure we feel heard. The behavioral health system is in the midst of change, but our leadership acknowledges change and tries to take a proactive approach to changes coming on the horizon. Senior leadership has put an emphasis on providing an equitable and living wage to employees and they are continuously reviewing how we can do better in this arena.

The real issues of my job I blame on the larger system that Valley Cities is part of: the major focus on productivity and billable hours. If you've been at the agency a long time, pay and benefits are pretty good for non-profit work. There are a lot of great people that work at Valley Cities and if you are on a great team, it is a good job but the overall focus on productivity is a major drag. There are lots of trainings, I believe the CEO/CFO passes on small raises when possible, but there are a lot of changes and HR constantly has new staff in it.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The best part of working at Valley Cities is working with colleagues who genuinely enjoy helping vulnerable people. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Senior leadership going above and beyond to try to help people that it back fires. This is done at the cost of employees' well being, resulting in a high turnover rate. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The work environment and culture is very kind and welcoming.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Clinician 42 salaries reported	$30.60 per hour
Mental health technician 18 salaries reported	$33.39 per hour
Registered nurse 15 salaries reported	$54.05 per hour
Licensed practical nurse 12 salaries reported	$40.84 per hour
Senior clinician 40 salaries reported	$31.81 per hour

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