case manager

life skills trainer

patient registration representative

recovery specialist

behavioral health professional

Valley Oaks Health

I loved the position at the start. A full month of training made me feel confident in myself and the company. However, the workplace was cliquey,  poor communication, which I  see now stemmed from our immediate supervisor. From the beginning she'd be supportive and polite however I was then accused of selling drugs a couple weeks into the job.She sat me down told me that someone called in and reported that I sell illegal substances. I was dumbfounded and said that I have no idea who would make that lie or why— I have zero enemies and absolutely do not sell drugs. I offered to submit an immediate additional drug test in an attempt to show that I was innocent. She claimed that my word was good enough and that was that. I continued my work and did quite well. I was given a written warning one month in for being 5 minutes late. I was then dillegent about being early. Two months later I was fired for coming in late for the second time; this time it was one minute past 8am. During the months leading up to the termination I could tell something was off; I wasn’t getting new clients and when I asked my supervisor why, she acted as if it was just taking a long time to organize the list of clients to assign and completely normal. After being terminated I came to find out that a member of our Case Managemnet team is involved in illicit activities with one of her own clients; turns out that this client is an acquaintance of mine and it became clear who my accuser was and why... to orotect herself. Additionally, this team member and our supervisor are very close friends, and they make that very clear in the workplace. It was the first time I’ve been accused of selling drugs AND the first time ever to be fired from a job. And here’s the kicker: I was let go 3 day before the end of my probationary period.

I believe the company does help and is needed. I worked there several years and planned to retire however when someone does not like you, they force you out or harass you. I loved my job and there are some truly good people who really care, but there is a lot of dishonesty, favoritism, and people that only care about themselves. I have witnessed more than my share of supervisors, management, and others abuse their power in their positions, out and out lie with no one really supporting employees that are not in a management position. They have expectations that are needed however when you are not supplied the tools to meet their expectations this is one way how they get you out. They will be subtle and make things difficult for you and  cover up their own actions and lie to force you to quit or remain until you are fired. Transferring is also made impossible. People especially case managers are treated like a dime a dozen. On the other hand if you do not advocate for yourself or speak up, point out a mistake of a supervisor/management, and just do what they ask no matter what you will be fine until they are tired of you. If you agree with you supervisor all the time you will do okay. 
I was very good as case manager and went over and beyond but it does not matter, just do not disagree with your supervisor you will do great. 
I miss my clients and helping them, but cannot continue remaining in an environment such as that.  The CEO is a really nice man, but I do not believe he is told everything and does not really realize how much others hide stuff. 

Valley Oaks Health has a lot of different positions and each one comes with their own challenges and rewards. As a case manager there is no "typical day". There is a general day and what that possibly could look like. Being flexible as a case manager is a "have to". A case manager could plan to be done with work by 4pm, like most days, but at the last hour get a crisis and the 4pm turns into 7pm. The nice thing is the flexibility needed for working these hours is also met with the flexibility of adjusting the working day hours. 
The hardest part, in my opinion, about case management is doing the job to the expectation and quality, while working within the limits and boundaries set by the company. 
In my opinion, the most enjoyable part about being a case manager is the day-to-day is never the same. You work with people and each day brings new challenges that you have to think on your feet for. 
The work place culture really is highly dependent which VOH building you work at and in what job you hold in that office. The nice thing is, if you don't vibe with the people or job, you can request a transfer to a new team and/or department. 
Most individuals in management either have been there for a good while or are newer and will most likely be there for awhile. Meaning, moving up in the company is slim to none. Finding the right area to work in that fits you along with a manager you enjoy working with is really the trick to staying longer term at VOH. 

This position may be great for someone looking to gain experience working with clients who have mental health issues but not for someone who puts their whole heart into their job. This is NOT a job you can “leave at the office”. The experiences of your clients travel with you.

Management believes you can put a price on helping people which makes the job difficult when you believe your client’s well-being is more important than the money you bring in for the company. Management does not care about their employees’ mental health either. Burn out and compassion fatigue are very real concerns that happen to most good case managers. Management will not care about the possible secondary trauma you develop from building a strong rapport with your higher needs clients.

You are offered Paid Time Off, Over Time, and a flexible schedule, however, you will most likely be penalized or reprimanded if you utilize any of these options. The company handbook is also very vague regarding these “perks” and leave it up to “supervisor discretion” on how they are enforced and allowed. The rules differ for each supervisor and each supervisor has favorites so expectations are not the same for everyone. This creates an unpleasant, clique-like work environment that borders on being toxic.

If you like justifying your every move and being seen as expendable then this job is for you! However, if you enjoy being treated like a competent, professional human being, keep looking.

I have had a long tenure with Valley Oaks Health with a variety of roles.  I have spent the last two as a therapist following my clinical practicum.  As a therapist, you are given the opportunity to set your schedule and practice in a way that suits your style/philosophy.  There is money provided for earning CEUs which is very helpful, as well as, annual assistance for certain degrees.   I have always had supportive managers.  Importantly, the company has helped me to continue my practice through telehealth after I moved states.

Valley Oaks is a community mental health center and, as such, has some of the difficulties inherent in that system.  There are long waitlists for many services.  Staff have productivity expectations that can be difficult, especially if therapists or case managers have several no call/no shows.  As a therapist, you will have mandatory days of being on call.  There is also substantial, tedious paperwork.

That said, therapists are given autonomy in choosing treatment strategies, as well as, encouragement and support in learning more about styles you relate with.  My experience with co-workers has been overwhelmingly positive.

I spent five years working for Valley Oaks Health and generally enjoyed my time there. They offer a variety of programs at several locations, so transfer is facilitated if you are seeking a better fit. Pay is good considering the industry and location. I worked at three different branches and consistently got along with my coworkers, who were generally highly dedicated, empathetic, and supportive, to both their clients and their colleagues.

My main gripe, and I shared this perspective with many of my colleagues, is that you are essentially penalized for taking your PTO. You are held to the same monthly quota standards, and if you do not compensate for your time off within a couple of months, you are written up. 

Also, be aware that UHC was the offered insurance provider. I and colleagues of mine have had medical issues and claims denied by UHC. However, this plan did (does?) cover all in-network non-intensive outpatient psychotherapy and psychiatric medication management, which I fully took advantage of while working such a stressful job.

Have worked for VOH for 10 years. I love the hard clients, co-workers in the trenches, community partners and changes made in people's everyday lives.

 Management has significantly changed over the last 5 years or so. Day to day purely depends on your team and direct supervisor. I have had supervisors that truly care about me, my family, and how I am managing work life balance. I have also had supervisors who micromanage and at times do not seem to like the job or clients or really understand what the direct care staff really need/have to do. I enjoy building working relationships with community partners to help clients navigate the system but also have a better chance at success and wellness. I have never found productivity difficult to make. There are always things that need done, you just have to be motivated  and figure out how to get it done. 

 Very flexible schedule. Paid time off, holidays, retirement benefits. They pay a significant amount of our insurance premiums and receive free mental health care. Pay had changed drastically over the last few years. Is it great? Eh. Improved but it definitely could be worse. 

If you want to learn and help those who need it most, this is the job for you. It is challenging and rewarding. 

You will be completely overworked and under appreciated. I had the work load for that of an entire team, yet was still expected to make no mistakes or heaven forbid miss work for a day. The office culture is that of an overly toxic middle school; immaturity runs rampant though upper and lower divisions of the company. The gossip and backbiting is nearly unbearably, whether it was employees talking about one another or about the clients coming into receive the help they need. Staff is undertrained and puts clientele directly at risk of harm through poor management of paperwork and overall communication. The best thing about this job is the face to face work with the clients, who surely deserve better than those who Valley Oaks decided to hire and uplift. Employees who are friends with each other are constantly promoting one another and excusing each others poor work performance. Real hard workers will be overlooked but never underutilized. My job was whatever was the need for that day and I was never compensated with a thank you for being forced to take on additional work outside of my job description.

Been here for awhile-seen the good and the bad. Have seen some things improve and some things get worse.
The company truly has a great mission and the majority of staff strive to follow that mission.
The company has done a great job at working towards competitive wages and they other benefits are great. I love the difference we have the opportunity to make with clients. The community partnerships are awesome. Productivity can be scary but working with clients 5.25 out of an 8 hours days is the bare minimum for signing up to help real people change their lives-it is easy if you love what you do. 

However: Not enough training for each position and no continued company required training-as things change, the staff do not. Quality of management, warm/welcoming workplace culture, and policy/procedure vary and change depending on location and team. There is not collaboration amongst teams/sites. Being a CMHC, mental health should be a priority for everyone not just clients, staff matter too-supervisors/HR do not have the tools to handle it and staff feel scared to ask for help.

Working in a small town in one of the outlying branches has placed us as a prime provider of mental health where we collaborate with the schools and local family service agencies. The collaboration between my team provides support...additional resources and guidance when needed and allows for increased service to families when multiple members seek treatment. Workplace culture is drastically improving as a result of a new direction...of the brand changing and a change in leadership who are more supportive of clinicians and the needs of the providers as well as clients. I always say...one must be ready for community mental health because in it I find I'm sometimes the main advocate for a client and that is stressful if not for my team behind me. If one enjoys a challenging fulfilling career and is able to manage their boundaries well (as all mental health workers should do allready) this team can support that and provide experience and assistance towards licensure or continuing education to pursue further specialties like my pursuit of a play therapy licensure.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Case manager 31 salaries reported	$18.56 per hour
Life skills trainer 30 salaries reported	$18.54 per hour
Patient registration representative 14 salaries reported	$15.64 per hour
Recovery specialist 6 salaries reported	$18.34 per hour
Behavioral health professional 10 salaries reported	$17.30 per hour

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